Motor vehicles used on Queensland roads must have Compulsory Third Party (CTP) insurance. The cost of CTP insurance is included in your vehicle registration fees. It is also required in all states and territories across Australia.
You cannot legally drive your motor vehicle on the road without CTP insurance and, if you do, you risk facing a hefty penalty for being both uninsured and unregistered. Without CTP insurance, if you cause an accident that injures someone, you may have to pay for their medical bills and compensation yourself.
What CTP insurance covers for drivers/riders and vehicle owners
If someone driving your Queensland registered motor vehicle causes, or partially causes, an accident that injures someone else anywhere in Australia, CTP insurance covers medical treatment, rehabilitation, and compensation costs related to these injuries.
What CTP insurance DOES NOT cover
Vehicle or property damage.
Any injuries you sustain in a motor vehicle accident where you were totally at-fault.
Any injuries you sustain in a motor vehicle accident where no one was at fault (e.g. a single vehicle accident involving only your vehicle).
If there’s an accident, the CTP insurer of the at-fault vehicle may cover
Costs for medical treatment, rehabilitation, and compensation for people injured in the accident who weren’t at fault. All claims are assessed individually. The amount received depends on the type and severity of injuries, and personal situations. If the injured person was partly responsible for the accident, compensation may be reduced.
Coverage of funeral costs and compensation to dependant close relatives if a person dies in a motor vehicle accident and was not at fault
For more information see What to do after an accident.
Who submits the claim and which insurer is responsible?
- If a driver or rider of a registered motor vehicle causes an accident that injures someone, the CTP insurer of the vehicle they were using funds the injured person’s medical treatment, rehabilitation, and compensation costs.
- The injured person submits a CTP claim to the insurer of the motor vehicle that may be at fault.
For more information see After an accident.
Key features of Queensland’s CTP insurance scheme
- Mandatory and paid with registration: CTP insurance is mandatory. You cannot drive your vehicle on a road without it and is paid alongside vehicle registration to the Department of Transport and Main Roads and distributed to the nominated licensed insurer.
- Underwritten by private insurers: CTP insurance is provided by licensed insurers, meaning they take on the financial risk of claims and manage and pay claims. Motor vehicle owners can choose their CTP insurer. For more information on choosing an insurer see Buying CTP insurance.
- Common law ‘fault-based’ scheme: This means that an injured person must prove that another driver was at fault in the accident to claim compensation through the scheme. This is different from some other states, such as Victoria, which operate ‘no-fault’ schemes.
- Regulator: The Motor Accident Insurance Commission (MAIC) regulates the scheme by monitoring insurers’ compliance with their statutory obligations under the Motor Accident Insurance Act 1994. For more information see About us.
For more information see Qld’s CTP scheme.
Do you have a question?
Visit our FAQs.
Learn more about CTP insurance in Queensland by watching this short video.
Meet Sarah.
She just bought a new car and is completing the paperwork with her motor dealer before getting behind the wheel.
When asked which CTP insurer she would like to insure her new car with, Sarah is uncertain because she doesn’t know much about it.
Sarah learns that compulsory third party insurance, also called CTP insurance, forms part of the vehicle registration fee and protects her from being held financially responsible if her car causes an accident and injures another person.
Likewise, if Sarah was injured in a crash wholly or partly caused by someone else, she could make a claim against the CTP insurer of the vehicle that caused the crash and access medical treatment, rehabilitation services and fair and timely compensation.
CTP insurance may cover the costs of personal injuries or fatalities resulting from a motor vehicle crash caused by another driver.
It does not cover the costs of any damages or repairs to property, including vehicles, as these costs could be covered by other types of insurance, such as comprehensive or third-party property damage motor insurance.
In Queensland, there are different licenced insurers providing CTP insurance coverage and Sarah can choose one when registering her new car.
Sarah has the option to change her CTP insurer anytime through the Department of Transport and Main Roads, with the change taking effect from the date of her next registration renewal.
The Motor Accident Insurance Commission, also known as MAIC, regulates the Queensland CTP insurance scheme and strives to keep premiums affordable for all motorists.
If you are like Sarah and want to learn more about CTP insurance, visit the MAIC website for further information.
Disclaimer: The information contained within this video is for information and education only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional legal advice. All claims for compensation are assessed individually. Please discuss your specific situation with the CTP insurer managing your claim or with your lawyer if you are legally represented. If you are unsure of your legal rights, a lawyer can advise you.