A dented bumper and a sore neck are two separate claims with two different insurers. People often sort the car first and forget the injury, then find the deadlines have been running. If you were in a crash in or near Clovelly, our free check helps you keep the two apart and start the injury side on time. It's free, by phone or online, with no obligation.
Eastern Suburbs · Car accident claims
Car crash claim in Clovelly? Start with the kind of claim
CTP covers people, not cars. Knowing which claim is which saves time in the first weeks.
Postcode: 2031
- Free claim check, no obligation
- By phone & online, no office to visit
- Helping people in Clovelly & Clovelly West
A car accident claim from Clovelly: local context
On Anzac Parade, Southern Cross Drive or New South Head Road, crashes often happen in heavy queues. If the other driver pulls away before swapping details, the number plate is the key to your claim. Around Clovelly Beach, Gordons Bay and the Bondi-to-Coogee coastal walk, many crashes happen at low speed in car parks, drop-off zones and side streets. A slow bump can still hurt someone, and the kind of claim depends on who was hurt and what was damaged. Whether it was on Clovelly Road or a quiet street, the same claim rules apply: injuries go to a CTP insurer, and damage to cars goes through property insurance. Record the location precisely either way.
From Clovelly, our claim check runs by phone and online, and it tells you which kind of claim the crash has actually given you.
- Region
- Eastern Suburbs
- Postcode
- 2031
- Local landmarks
- Clovelly Beach · Gordons Bay
- Main roads
- Clovelly Road · Arden Street
- From the Sydney CBD
- ~7 km
An injury claim and a damage claim are different claims
Start by separating what was hurt from what was broken. Injuries to you or anyone else in the crash belong to an injury claim with a CTP insurer. Damage to your car, your phone or a fence belongs to a property claim with your own insurer or the other driver's. Most confusion in the first weeks comes from mixing the two up.
Read next:What can I claim? Quick check
Hit-and-run and uninsured vehicles: the Nominal Defendant
An unregistered or uninsured vehicle is a different problem from a vehicle that can't be found. If you know which vehicle it was but it had no Green Slip, the Nominal Defendant generally deals with the injury claim instead of an insurer. The driver may still be personally responsible for other losses, which is a separate question to raise with a lawyer.
- Write down whatever part of the plate you saw
- Note the colour, make, model and direction of travel
- Ask nearby businesses and homes about camera footage
Read next:Uninsured or unidentified vehicles
Which claim do you have?
After a crash, the kind of claim depends on what happened: who was hurt, what was damaged, whether the other vehicle can be found, and whether you were working. Pick the card closest to your situation. Some crashes fit more than one.
- You were injured
An injury goes to a CTP insurer
Injuries from a crash in NSW are generally claimed through CTP insurance, whoever caused the crash. The claim usually goes to the insurer of the vehicle at fault. Lodging early matters, so aim to lodge within 28 days if you can.
CTP claims in Clovelly - Your car was damaged
Car and property damage is a separate claim
CTP covers people, not cars. Repairs usually go through your own comprehensive insurance or a claim against the at-fault driver or their insurer. It isn't something we help with, but it shouldn't delay your injury claim.
What CTP does and doesn't cover - Hit-and-run or uninsured
A driver who fled or had no Green Slip
A missing or uninsured vehicle doesn't end an injury claim. The Nominal Defendant stands in for the missing insurer. You'll need to show you tried to identify the vehicle, starting with a prompt police report.
Uninsured or unidentified vehicles - Driving for work
Driving for work usually brings another scheme first
If you were driving for work, you generally need to claim workers compensation through your employer's insurer first, and CTP benefits are generally not paid on top. A CTP damages claim against an at-fault driver may still be possible, so get advice.
Crash while working? Quick check - Someone died
When someone died in the crash
If someone died, CTP generally covers reasonable funeral expenses regardless of fault. Close relatives who depended on them may also be able to claim. CTP Assist on 1300 656 919 can put you in touch with support.
After a fatal crash
General information, not legal advice. Some crashes involve more than one claim. Time limits apply.
A car accident claim without a lawyer: when it works
Many car accident injury claims are lodged and run without a lawyer, and property damage never comes through us at all. A lawyer is most useful when the kind of claim is unclear or the facts are complicated. These lists give a rough guide.
Often worth talking to a lawyer
- The insurer doubts that a small crash caused your injuries
- You were driving for work and aren't sure which claim comes first
- A property insurer wants a signed release that may mention injuries
- The other vehicle turned out to be unregistered or uninsured
You may not need one
- The other vehicle is identified and insured, and your claim is lodged
- The other driver gave full details and police have the event number
- You just need to know which form to fill in
Damage to your car is a separate matter from any injury. Repairs go through property insurance, while injuries go to a CTP insurer, so keep the two claims apart from the start. CTP forms
Not quite your situation?
- If you already know it's a CTP injury claim and just want the steps and deadlines, the CTP claims page walks you through them. CTP claims in Clovelly
- If you're being blamed by the other driver or their insurer, fault is covered in detail on the car accident lawyer page. Car accident lawyer in Clovelly
- If you want to know what an injury claim can actually pay, and when, the car accident compensation page covers it. Car accident compensation in Clovelly
Free claim check
Free car accident claim check
We'll check the injury side of your crash, flag any deadlines, and point you to a lawyer only if your claim needs one.
Police event numbers and the other driver's details
A police report made close to the time is useful evidence that the crash happened when and how you say. If police came to the scene, ask for the event number before they leave. If they didn't, report it yourself as soon as you can. Insurers generally treat a claim with no police record more cautiously, so it's worth the effort even for a small crash.
If a driver refuses to swap details, don't argue. Note the plate and a description of the car and the driver, and ask anyone nearby whether they saw it. Report the refusal to police with those details. A vehicle's CTP insurer can usually be found from its registration later, provided someone wrote it down.
Read next:CTP claim forms
Repairs, write-offs and hire cars
CTP insurance covers injuries to people. It doesn't pay for repairs, write-offs, towing or hire cars. Those costs usually go through your own comprehensive policy, or a claim against the at-fault driver's property insurer. If the at-fault driver has no property insurance, you may have to pursue them directly. This isn't something we help with, but it's worth knowing where it sits.
Keep the damage records even though CTP doesn't pay for them. Photos of the vehicles, repair quotes and assessor reports can show how hard the impact was and from which direction. They sometimes help the injury claim, for example when an insurer questions whether a low-speed crash could have caused your injuries.
What to collect before the details fade
You don't need everything worked out in the first week, but some things are much easier to collect then than later. Photos, the other vehicle's registration, the names of witnesses and a written note of what happened all help. So does moving early on the claim itself, because the time limits run from the day of the crash, not from when you decide to claim.
- The other driver's name, address, licence and registration
- Any police event number you were given
- Names and phone numbers of any witnesses
- A note of any time off work and lost pay
Read next:Checklist for the first 30 days
When a low-speed bump turns into an injury claim
A crash doesn't need to be dramatic to lead to an injury claim. Low-speed bumps, especially from behind, can still hurt people. If you're hurt, it's an injury claim, however small the damage to the cars, and it goes to a CTP insurer rather than through your car insurance. What matters for the claim is that the injury is recorded and linked to the crash, and that you lodge on time.
Deadlines run from the crash
Even if you're not sure the injury is serious, check your deadlines early. They start on the day of the crash, not when you first notice symptoms.
Read next:The 28-day rule for CTP claims
Why a claim check comes before the paperwork
A claim check is a short conversation, by phone or online, about your crash. We look at who was hurt, what was damaged and whether the other vehicle can be identified, then explain where each part goes. Many injury claims never need a lawyer. When one does, for example because the facts are unusual, we'll connect you with an independent lawyer.
Frequently asked questions
Not necessarily. Police don't attend every crash, particularly where no one needs an ambulance and the road is clear. You can still report it yourself, and you should keep the event number you're given. A police report made close to the time is an independent record of the crash, which helps if the other driver later changes their story or the insurer questions what happened.
You can generally claim against the Nominal Defendant, which deals with injury claims when a vehicle can't be identified. You must make 'due inquiry and search' to try to identify the vehicle, starting with a prompt police report. The same 28-day rule applies as for any other claim, so lodge within 28 days of the accident if you want weekly payments back-paid to the day after it.
The passenger makes their own injury claim, even if you, as the driver, weren't hurt. It generally goes to the CTP insurer of the vehicle at fault, which may be the car they were travelling in. Any claim of yours is separate, and damage to the car is a property matter for your insurer. CTP Assist on 1300 656 919 can help the passenger identify the right insurer, and the same 28-day timing applies.
The injury claim form usually asks for one, and it helps show the crash happened when and how you say. If police attended, they'll give you the number. If they didn't, you can generally report the crash yourself afterwards and get one then. Not having an event number doesn't necessarily stop a claim, but it can make the insurer more cautious, so it's worth getting.
For the car, a private arrangement can sometimes work, but get it in writing. For injuries, be cautious. A cash payment from the driver doesn't replace an injury claim through CTP, and accepting one could complicate things if your injuries turn out to be worse than they seemed. Take their full details and registration anyway, report the crash if anyone was hurt, and keep your injury claim options open.
Write down or photograph the number plate, and note the make, colour and a description of the driver. Then report it to police, including that details weren't exchanged. A vehicle's CTP insurer can usually be found from its registration, so your injury claim can still go ahead. If you didn't get the plate, the Nominal Defendant may be the path instead, and your police report becomes even more important.
Car accident claim: suburbs near Clovelly
Related reading
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CTP Lawyer is not a law firm. This page is general information, not legal advice; the independent lawyer you speak with can advise on your own situation.