In Queensland, Compulsory Third Party (CTP) insurance is legally required and is paid when you register your vehicle.
CTP insurance provides:
- fair compensation and access to timely medical and rehabilitation support for people injured in motor vehicle accidents
- financial protection for vehicle owners and drivers in the event they cause an accident, injuring another person
- coverage of funeral costs and compensation to dependant close relatives if a person dies in a motor vehicle accident.
CTP does not cover damage to property or injuries to the at-fault driver.
For more details, visit What is CTP insurance?
How to pay your CTP insurance
In Queensland, CTP insurance is legally required and is paid when you first register or renew your vehicle’s registration through the Department of Transport and Main Roads (DTMR).
In certain circumstances, you can also buy CTP insurance directly from any of Queensland’s licensed CTP insurers.
You must pay your registration on or before the due date listed on DTMR’s Vehicle Registration Renewal Notice. For more information on the registration renewal process, please see the DTMR Renew registration page.
You can nominate to change your CTP insurer prior to paying your registration renewal. Learn more at our changing insurer page, or contact your preferred licensed insurer directly.
If you decide not to switch insurer, you will remain with your existing insurer (shown on your certificate of registration) and pay that insurer’s premium for the vehicle’s registration period.
Choosing a CTP insurer
As a compulsory statutory insurance, the CTP insurance policy is contained in the Motor Accident Insurance Act 1994. This policy is the same no matter which CTP insurer you choose.
You may wish to consider the below factors when choosing a CTP insurer.
Price
CTP insurance premiums for each vehicle class may be different between licensed insurers, so comparing prices can help you find the best deal. For a detailed breakdown of your CTP premium and to compare prices between the licensed insurers, visit Pricing.
Incentives
Additional benefits and incentives may be offered by some insurers, such as gift cards, or discounts on other insurance products they also offer (such as home or comprehensive car insurance). Learn more about changing insurer or contact your preferred licensed insurer directly.
Seeking a CTP insurance refund after cancelling your registration
If you have cancelled your registration and CTP insurance, you may be eligible for a refund for the unused portion of the CTP insurance premium. You cannot seek a refund for the CTP insurance levies. Learn more about refunds or contact your insurer directly.
CTP insurance for unregistered vehicles
If you have a car that is unregistered, you cannot drive it on a road without CTP insurance. If you do, you can face heavy penalties.
If you cause an accident and injure or kill someone while driving an unregistered vehicle without CTP insurance, you could also be responsible for paying their medical bills and other compensation costs, which could be significant.
If you need to drive an unregistered vehicle to a DTMR Customer Service Centre for registration purposes, you must first purchase a CTP insurance policy from a CTP insurer in the correct CTP insurance class. See Vehicle classes for more information.
If you need to move an unregistered vehicle, from one place to another by road, for purposes other than registration, you should contact the DTMR as you may need to get an:
- unregistered vehicle permit, AND
- a CTP insurance certificate for vehicle class 22.
You can organise both online through the DTMR website. Visit their unregistered vehicle permit page for more information. To check how much your CTP insurance will cost, visit our Compare pricing tool.
Learn more about registering your unregistered vehicle by contacting DTMR on 13 23 80.
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