Car accidents can happen in a split second – a car runs a red light, someone fails to give way, or a driver doesn’t see you in their blind spot. But the aftermath – particularly if you’re injured in a car accident – can stretch on for weeks, months or even years afterwards.
Whether you’re dealing with mild whiplash from a rear-end collision, a broken arm from a side impact, or more serious injuries that require ongoing treatment – it can take a toll in more ways than one. Knowing what steps to take and when can make a big difference both to your recovery and to the car accident compensation claim you might be entitled to make.
This guide will explain what to do immediately after an accident if you’re injured, how car insurance for injuries works in different parts of Australia and how to make a claim.
What to do if you’re injured in a car accident
If you or anyone else involved in an accident is seriously injured or needs urgent medical attention at the scene, call 000.1
You’ll also need to report the accident to the police. While you don’t have to report minor accidents in most states and territories, if anyone is injured in a car accident, you must inform the police about the accident, regardless of where you live in Australia.2-9
You’re also required to exchange your details with other drivers involved after an accident,7 and you’ll need to collect some key information for insurance purposes, particularly for making a car accident injury claim.10 You might like to download this car accident checklist to keep handy in your glove box so you’re prepared.
What type of insurance covers a car accident injury claim?
In Australia, people who sustain injuries from a car accident can access medical treatment and rehabilitation support from Compulsory Third Party (CTP) insurance.11
CTP insurance also provides critical coverage for motorists, given that the average cost of a CTP car accident injury claim is around $100,000 – and some can even run into the millions.11
For these reasons, getting CTP insurance is a compulsory part of registering a vehicle in every Australian state and territory.11
However, CTP insurance doesn’t cover damage to property or vehicles.11 That’s where Comprehensive insurance, Third Party Fire & Theft Insurance or Third Party Property Only insurance comes in.
“While CTP insurance is the only insurance you’re legally required to have to get your car on the road, you might want to consider insuring your car for unexpected events such as accidental damage, theft and hail damage,” says Marni Jackson, Youi’s Head of Product – Vehicle and Lifestyle.
It could also be worth considering whether you could afford to pay to repair the damage you’ve caused to someone else’s car in an accident if you don’t have insurance.
Who can make a car accident injury claim?
Anyone who’s injured in a car accident may be able to make a CTP insurance claim, including drivers, passengers, pedestrians and cyclists.12
However, it’s important to know that the rules of CTP insurance vary across different states and territories.
In Victoria, Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales and the Northern Territory, no-fault CTP schemes are in place.13 This means that anyone injured in a car accident can make a CTP claim, regardless of who was at fault for the accident, unless you’ve been charged with a serious driving offence.14
In contrast, fault-based CTP schemes are in place in Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia.13 This means people can claim if they’re injured in a car accident that wasn’t their fault.15 You may still be able to make a CTP insurance claim if you’re partly responsible for a crash, but the amount of compensation you receive may be reduced.15
What happens if you’re injured in a car accident interstate?
Whether or not you can make a CTP car accident injury claim if you’re hurt interstate can depend on where in Australia the accident happened and whose fault it was.
For example, if you’re injured in a crash while driving a NSW-registered vehicle in another state or territory with a no-fault CTP scheme, you may be able to make a claim even if the accident’s your fault.13 If the accident occurred in a state with a fault-based scheme, you may only be eligible to make a claim if the crash was someone else’s fault.13
What type of car accident injury expenses are covered?
This can depend on your specific injuries and what recovery may involve, as well as what your state or territory’s CTP scheme covers. But if your claim is successful, the insurer will pay for your medical treatment, care and support.16
This may include:16
- Ambulance transfers
- Hospital treatment and surgeries
- GP appointments
- Medications
- Counselling or treatment from a psychologist
- Travel expenses to and from medical appointments.16
If your injuries from a car accident mean you’re unable to work for a period of time, you may also be eligible for income support payments.17 Lump sum compensation for economic loss and for permanent impairment – including pain and suffering, disfigurement and loss of quality of life – may be available too.18
How do you make a car accident injury claim?
In places where there’s more than one CTP insurance provider, you can lodge your claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance company.20 In states where there’s a single CTP insurance provider, all claims are lodged with that provider.21-24
In New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and the ACT, drivers can choose which insurance company provides their CTP insurance. Youi offers CTP insurance in SA and in NSW, where it’s also known as a Green Slip.
In Vic, Tas, WA and the NT, CTP insurance is provided by one state-owned or government-licensed insurer.19
There are also some key differences around Australia when it comes to how long you have to make a car accident injury claim. Here’s how long you have to lodge a CTP insurance claim depending on where you live:
| State or territory | How long you have to lodge a CTP claim |
| NSW | Within three months of the accident – or within 28 days if you want to claim back pay for loss of earnings from the day after the crash12 |
| ACT | Within 13 weeks of the date of the accident25 |
| Qld | Within nine months of the crash – or three months if the at fault vehicle can’t be identified26 |
| SA | Within six months of the car accident. If it’s been more than six months but less than three years, the insurer will ask why there’s been a delay19 |
| WA | Within three years from the date you first became aware of your car accident injury, which may be the same date as the accident21 |
| Tas | Within 12 months of the date of the accident22 |
| Vic | Within 12 months from the date of the accident or the date when a car accident injury first becomes evident20 |
| NT | Within six months of the accident; however, a claim made later than this but within three years of the accident may still be considered23 |
Find out more about how to lodge a CTP insurance claim in:
What happens after you lodge a car injury accident claim?
The CTP insurer will assess your claim and make a decision to accept or reject it. How long this takes can vary. For example, in NSW, CTP insurers must provide you with their decision within four weeks of receiving your claim.10 However, in Queensland, decisions may take up to six months.27
What can you do if your injury claim is rejected?
If your claim is rejected and you disagree with the decision, you can request an internal review, whether the CTP insurer is state-owned or privately operated.10,28
If you’re still not satisfied with the outcome, you can take the matter further. For example, in Victoria, you can request a Victorian Civil and Administration Tribunal (VCAT) review;29 in NSW, you can make an application to the Personal Injury Commission for an independent review;10 and in SA, you can lodge a complaint with the state’s CTP Regulator.30
Use the links above to learn more about these processes in your state or territory.
Where else can you seek support if you’re injured in a car accident?
Aside from CTP insurance, some states also have other schemes that pay for treatment and care for eligible people who’ve been seriously injured in a car accident, regardless of who was at fault in the crash. Examples of severe injuries include amputations, burns, brain injury and spinal cord injury.31
For more information:
- NSW: The Lifetime Care and Support Scheme
- ACT: The ACT Lifetime Care and Support Scheme
- Qld: The National Injury Insurance Scheme
- SA: The Lifetime Support Scheme
- WA: The Catastrophic Injuries Support Scheme
Being injured in a car accident can feel overwhelming but if it does happen to you, hopefully knowing more about the steps to take and how the claims process works could help you focus on what matters most – your recovery.
If your car’s covered by Comprehensive insurance, Third Party Fire & Theft insurance or Third Party Property Only insurance with Youi, and you need to make a claim after a car accident, you can lodge it online 24/7 or call 13 9684 (YOUI) if you’d like to speak to a claims advisor directly.
Note: Information in this article is relevant as of November 2025 and by its nature will change over time. Check relevant Government websites for updates if this information is important to you.
1 Source: Healthdirect – Calling triple zero (000), September 2023
2 Source: LawInfo Northern Territory – I had a car accident. What do I do?
3 Source: Victoria Police – Traffic accident reports, October 2025
4 Source: Tasmania Legal Aid – Motor Vehicle Crash – Property Damage
5 Source: WA Government – Report a traffic crash, November 2025
6 Source: Qld Police – Traffic crash FAQs
7 Source: NSW Government – What do do at a road crash
8 Source: SA Police – Report a crash
9 Source: ACT Policing – Report a collision
10 Source: NSW Government – For individuals and their families
11 Source: Motor Accident Insurance Commission – About CTP insurance, November 2024
12 Source: NSW Government – A guide for people injured in motor crash in NSW, March 2025
13 Source: NSW Government – Interstate (non-NSW) crashes and CTP insurance claims, October 2025
14 Source: NSW Government – Compulsory Green Slip insurance, April 2025
15 Source: Motor Accident Insurance Commission – All about claims, December 2024
16 Source: CTP Insurance Regulator – What you can claim
17 Source: NSW Government – What you can claim
18 Source: NSW Government – Lump sum compensation (common law damages), December 2024
19 Source: Canstar – CTP/Greenslip Insurance, November 2025
20 Source: CTP Insurance Regulator – Frequently asked questions
21 Source: Transport Accident Commission – How to make a claim - when a person is injured
22 Source: Legal Aid Western Australia – Injuries from motor vehicle accidents, January 2024
23 Source: MAIB – Been in an accident?
24 Source: MACC – How to make a personal injury claim
25 Source: ACT Government – How to apply for support
26 Source: Motor Accident Insurance Commission – Timeframes, December 2020
27 Source: Motor Accident Insurance Commission – Overview of the Queensland CTP claims process, November 2021
28 Source: Transport Accident Commission – Informal review
29 Source: Transport Accident Commission – VCAT application for review
30 Source: CTP Insurance Regulator – Complaints and disputes
31 Source: icare – Caring for people severely injured on the road
