CTP Claim Checklist: The First 30 Days

The first month after a motor accident sets the tone for the rest of your claim. This checklist covers the practical actions worth ticking off early — not every claim needs every item, but it's a solid starting reference.

Within the first 48 hours

• Get a proper medical assessment, even if you feel okay.
• Report the accident to police if required (injury, a driver leaving the scene, or a vehicle needing to be towed) and get your event number.
• Photograph the scene, vehicle damage, and any visible injuries.
• Exchange details with the other driver(s) and any witnesses.
• Avoid posting about the accident on social media.

Within the first week

• Identify the correct CTP insurer (via Service NSW or CTP Assist).
• Start gathering documents: police event number, hospital or GP records, imaging reports, your registration and licence details.
• Notify the insurer that a claim is coming, even before every document is ready.
• Keep a simple log of who you speak to and when.

Within 28 days

• Lodge the Application for Personal Injury Benefits — this is generally the deadline for weekly payments to be back-paid to the day after the accident.
• Confirm your first Certificate of Fitness is complete, specific, and includes a review date.
• If you're self-employed or gig-working, start gathering earnings evidence (tax returns, BAS, platform statements).

By the end of the first month

• Review any insurer correspondence for deadlines or decisions you need to respond to.
• Consider whether a free claim check or a conversation with a specialist CTP lawyer would help, particularly if liability looks disputed.
• Keep copies of everything sent to and received from the insurer, organised by date.

Signs you're heading toward a dispute

If the insurer disputes liability, classifies your injury as threshold when you don't agree, or is slow and unresponsive without explanation, these are early warning signs worth taking seriously rather than waiting out. Getting a lawyer's view early rarely hurts, and can prevent a bigger problem down the track.

Beyond 30 days: what comes next

Once the first month's admin is largely settled, your claim moves into a longer, quieter phase — ongoing treatment, periodic certificate renewals, and the insurer's liability decision working its way through. This is also the point where it's worth pausing to think about whether your injury might turn out to be more significant than it first seemed, since that changes what's worth tracking (whole person impairment, potential damages eligibility) well before you're anywhere near the 20-month mark for a damages claim.

A simple monthly habit worth keeping

Once a month, it's worth a quick check-in with yourself: is my Certificate of Fitness still current? Have I heard back on anything I sent the insurer? Is there any deadline coming up in the next few weeks? A five-minute review like this, kept up over the life of a longer claim, catches small problems well before they become the kind of gap that causes real delay.