Last updated · General information, not legal advice
Overview
If a car, truck or other motor vehicle hit you while you were cycling — including being clipped while riding, doored by a parked car, or run off the road — you can generally make a CTP claim against that vehicle's Green Slip insurer. Cyclist claims often turn on a fault dispute: drivers commonly argue the cyclist "came out of nowhere" or didn't have right of way, so what you (or a witness) can say about lane position, signals and speed matters more here than in many other claim types.
Typical injuries & claim issues
- Fractures, particularly to the collarbone, wrist and arm
- Head injuries and concussion, even where a helmet was worn
- Road rash and soft tissue injuries
- Shoulder and spinal injuries from impact or a fall
- Psychological injuries, including anxiety about cycling on the road again
Free claim check
Not sure what you can claim?
How we help
Cyclist claims live or die on the fault dispute, so we start there: what happened, who saw it, whether there's dashcam or CCTV footage, and what the police report says. A free claim check costs nothing and helps you understand your position before you respond to the insurer. Where fault is contested or your injuries are significant, we'll connect you with an independent lawyer experienced in cyclist claims specifically. Alongside sorting out fault, getting the right doctor and allied health for your specific injuries matters just as much for your recovery and your claim. See doctors and allied health for CTP claims for help finding the right providers.
CTP eligibility
Whether you can claim damages, and whether your weekly payments are reduced after the first 52 weeks, depends heavily on how fault is apportioned between you and the driver. If you weren't mostly at fault (that is, your contributory negligence isn't found to be more than 61%) and your injury is more than a threshold injury, common law damages are generally available. Even where fault is shared, statutory benefits (treatment and care, and weekly payments) are usually still available for at least the first 52 weeks. Dooring incidents and vehicles turning across a bike lane are common scenarios where the driver, not the cyclist, is found primarily at fault.
This is general information, not legal advice. Rules depend on your accident date, injury and circumstances, and they change — check the current scheme rules with SIRA and get advice about your own situation.
Key points
- Dooring and vehicles turning across a bike lane usually favour the cyclist on fault
- Witness accounts, CCTV and dashcam footage carry real weight in a disputed cyclist claim
- Wearing a helmet (or not) can affect a damages assessment, similar to a seatbelt
- Even with shared fault, statutory benefits are generally still available for at least the first 52 weeks
- A free claim check costs nothing and doesn't commit you to anything
