What Is a CTP Claim? NSW Motor Accidents Explained

Every registered vehicle in NSW must have CTP insurance — people usually call it a green slip. It exists to cover people who are injured in motor accidents: drivers, passengers, riders, pedestrians, and cyclists when a motor vehicle is involved.

It is not comprehensive car insurance. It does not fix dents, replace written-off cars, or cover your excess. It is injury cover — medical treatment, rehabilitation, and (where the rules allow) income support and other statutory benefits.

Which law applies to your accident?

For accidents on or after 1 December 2017, the main framework is the Motor Accident Injuries Act 2017 (MAIA) and regulations. Older accidents can fall under earlier legislation. Insurers and SIRA guidance refer to your date of accident — that date decides which rules apply.

This site gives general information only. It is not legal or personal medical advice. For your circumstances, read the latest material on the State Insurance Regulatory Authority (SIRA) website or speak to a lawyer.

What a 'claim' actually is

In practice, a CTP claim is the process of notifying the relevant insurer, proving who you are and what happened, lodging the right forms, and giving the insurer enough medical information to decide what they will approve.

The insurer makes decisions about liability, treatment, and payments under the scheme. Your treating doctors and allied health provide reports and Certificates of Fitness so those decisions are based on a clear clinical picture.

Who the insurer is

Usually the claim is lodged with the CTP insurer of the vehicle that caused the accident. If the vehicle is unknown, uninsured, or outside NSW rules, different pathways apply (including the Nominal Defendant). SIRA and CTP Assist explain how to identify the correct insurer.

Who can make a CTP claim

CTP covers anyone injured by a motor vehicle registered in NSW — not just drivers. The range of people who may claim is broader than most expect.

• Drivers and passengers of any vehicle involved in the crash.
• Pedestrians struck by a motor vehicle.
• Cyclists and motorcycle riders (including pillion passengers).
• People injured by a vehicle in a car park, driveway, or private road where the vehicle was being driven.

Types of accidents covered

The scheme covers incidents involving the use or operation of a motor vehicle. This includes collisions on public roads, car parks, driveways, and some private roads. It does not cover workplace-only incidents that do not involve a motor vehicle on a road or road-related area — those sit with workers compensation.

If the accident involved an unregistered vehicle, a stolen vehicle, or an unidentified vehicle (hit-and-run), special rules and the Nominal Defendant pathway may apply. Check SIRA for the specific criteria.

CTP vs other insurance

People regularly confuse CTP with other cover. They are separate schemes with different rules:

• CTP (green slip) — injury to people only, funded by vehicle registration levy, governed by MAIA for post-2017 accidents.
• Comprehensive car insurance — vehicle damage and theft, purchased from a general insurer, nothing to do with CTP.
• Third-party property insurance — covers damage you cause to other people’s vehicles or property, not injuries.
• Workers compensation — workplace injuries, separate legislation and insurer, even if a vehicle was involved at work.
• Medicare — government health cover that may interact with CTP but is a different funding stream with different rules.