CTP insurance by state: Green Slips, TAC and every other scheme compared

CTP (compulsory third party) insurance is the injury cover every registered vehicle in Australia must have. It pays compensation, treatment and support to people injured or killed in a crash involving your vehicle, under a scheme set by your state or territory law. In Victoria, Western Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory CTP is run by a public body and charged inside your rego. In Queensland, South Australia and the ACT you choose a licensed private CTP insurer when you pay rego. In NSW you buy a Green Slip from a licensed insurer before you can renew. In every state, CTP pays nothing towards damage to cars, fences or other property.

This guide sits in the overview of Australian car insurance. For what to buy on top of CTP, see CTP vs third party property.

State by state at a glance

This is a simplified summary. Each scheme has detailed rules on who qualifies, for how long and for what, and those rules have been amended several times over the past decade. Use the official site for your state before relying on a particular benefit.

How you pay for CTP

Included in rego: Victoria, WA, Tasmania, NT

Your registration notice already includes the CTP charge. In Victoria it appears as the TAC charge on your VicRoads renewal, and it varies by vehicle type and where the vehicle is garaged. In WA the motor injury insurance premium is collected with your Department of Transport licence fee. There is nothing to compare: the price is set by the state.

Choose an insurer when you pay rego: Queensland, SA, ACT

When you renew rego, you can nominate one of the licensed CTP insurers; if you do nothing, your current insurer usually continues. In Queensland, MAIC sets limits within which insurers file their premiums, so price differences between insurers tend to be small and some drivers choose based on service or other policies they hold. Benefits are identical whichever insurer you pick, because they are set by the scheme.

Buy a Green Slip: NSW

NSW drivers buy a Green Slip from a licensed insurer before renewing rego. Prices vary between insurers for the same vehicle and driver, so it is worth checking SIRA's Green Slip price check. The Green Slip must be current for the full period of the registration you are paying for. See comparing CTP and Green Slip prices.

What CTP covers and what it does not

CTP generally covers:

• treatment and care costs for people injured in the crash, including passengers, pedestrians, cyclists and other drivers
• income support for injured people, within the scheme's limits and time frames
• compensation for more serious injuries through common law or scheme lump sums, where the scheme allows it
• in many schemes, lifetime care and support for catastrophic injuries such as brain or spinal cord injury

CTP does not cover:

• damage to your car, other vehicles or any property
• your own injuries as an at-fault driver in fault-based states, except through catastrophic injury schemes
• the cost of a hire car, towing or repairs
• your legal liability for property damage, which needs third party property, fire and theft or comprehensive cover

Worked example (illustrative)

A driver in Brisbane runs a red light and hits a car driven by Ben, damaging the car and breaking Ben's wrist.

• Ben's medical costs and lost wages: claimed against the at-fault driver's CTP insurer under Queensland's scheme.
• Ben's car repairs of $8,500: claimed against the at-fault driver's property insurance, or by Ben's own comprehensive insurer, which then recovers the cost. If the at-fault driver has no property cover, Ben or his insurer must pursue the driver personally for the $8,500.
• The at-fault driver's own injuries: generally not covered by Queensland CTP because he was at fault, unless they are serious enough to fall within the National Injury Insurance Scheme.
• The at-fault driver's own car: covered only if he has comprehensive insurance.

The same crash in Victoria would see both drivers' injury claims handled by the TAC, because the TAC pays benefits without regard to fault, while the car damage would be handled exactly as above.

When you sell, cancel or move interstate

CTP is linked to a vehicle's registration, so it generally passes with the rego when a registered car is sold. If you cancel registration, part of the unused rego may be refundable under your state's rules, which can include the CTP component. If you move interstate, you must register the car in the new state within the time allowed, and its CTP will then follow the new state's scheme. Check the registration authority for both states.

Frequently asked questions

Can I choose not to pay CTP?

No. You cannot register a vehicle without CTP, and driving an unregistered vehicle is an offence that also leaves you personally exposed to injury claims.

Is the TAC charge the same for every car in Victoria?

No. It varies by vehicle type and garaging location. Your VicRoads renewal notice shows the amount; the TAC website explains how the charge is set.

Does CTP cover me if I am injured in my own car?

It depends on the state and on fault. In no-fault schemes such as Victoria and Tasmania, you may receive benefits even if you caused the crash. In fault-based schemes such as Queensland, WA and SA, an at-fault driver is generally covered only for catastrophic injuries.

Who handles an injury claim when the other vehicle is unregistered?

Each scheme has an arrangement for crashes with unregistered or unidentified vehicles, such as a Nominal Defendant in some states. See CTP injury claims by state.

Sources

• State Insurance Regulatory Authority — NSW Green Slips and the price check
• Transport Accident Commission — Victoria's scheme and TAC charges
• Motor Accident Insurance Commission — Queensland CTP insurers and premiums
• Insurance Commission of Western Australia — WA motor injury insurance
• Motor Accidents Insurance Board — Tasmania's scheme
• Access Canberra — ACT registration and CTP insurer choice
• NT Government — Northern Territory registration and the motor accidents scheme