The Transport Accident Commission (TAC) is a Victorian Government-owned organisation. We are here to support people injured in a transport accident. We can help pay for the treatment and services a person needs, even if the accident was their fault.

How to talk to the TAC and your doctors in your language

We’re here to help you get your life back on track after your transport accident. To help with your injuries, we will pay for interpreting services provided by an accredited interpreter in Australia.

An interpreter will translate what you say to the TAC, your doctor or health professional. They will help make sure the full meaning of what you’re saying is understood.

You can:

• Ask your hospital or service to arrange an interpreter.
• Call TACLINK on 1300 139 075. You can use TACLINK to:
  • talk to the TAC through an interpreter
  • hear recorded information about the TAC in your language.
• If needed, ask your provider to call the TAC for an interpreter.

How we pay for your interpreter

We will pay for an interpreter accredited by the National Accreditation Authority for Translators and Interpreters (NAATI). The interpreter can help you organise the medical, rehabilitation or disability treatment you need.

We pay for these services:

• Directly to your interpreting service, when you have given them your TAC claim number, or
• If you have to pay, send a copy of your receipt to us and we will repay you. You can use myTAC (English) to send receipts. Or, you can mail the receipt to us at:
  • TAC
    GPO Box 2751
    Melbourne, VIC 3001

Please include your name and claim number when you send your receipt.

Who can make a TAC claim

Accidents in Victoria

You can make a claim if:

• You were injured in an accident caused by the driving of a car, motorcycle, bus, train or tram
• Someone you represent died in the accident.

Pedestrians and cyclists who were injured or died in accidents caused by the driving of a car, motorcycle, bus, train or tram are also covered.

Cyclists who collide with a stationary motor vehicle on or after 9 July 2014 are also covered.

Interstate accidents

A person can make a claim if:

• A Victorian resident was injured or died in an interstate accident that involved a Victorian registered vehicle, or
• A person was injured or died in an interstate accident and was in a Victorian registered vehicle.

If you are not sure whether you can make a TAC claim, please contact us to find out more. You can use TACLINK to call the TAC with an interpreter.

How to make a TAC claim

When a person is injured

We understand that you’ll be upset now and may not feel like doing any paperwork. Save as many details about your accident as you can. This will help with your claim and allow us to help you.

If you’ve been injured in a transport accident please follow these steps.

Step 1 - Collect this information

• Accident details - the location, circumstances and injuries
• Details of the vehicles involved, including registration numbers and names of occupants
• Details of any persons who saw the accident
• Details of police attendance or date reported to police including officer names and station
• For public transport accidents, please provide:
  • Name of the public transport operator
  • Name of the person at the public transport operator that the accident was reported to
  • Name of the public transport driver
  • Accident details including vehicle number, location, route of travel, date and time of travel
• The name of the health professional you have seen for the injuries you got in your accident
• Employment and income details if you have had more than five days off work due to the accident. Find out more about how to claim income support after your accident
• Your bank details

Step 2 - Make a TAC claim

Once you have the information we need in step 1, there are three ways you can make a TAC claim.

• Use our online lodgement form (English)
• Use TACLINK to call the TAC with an interpreter. We are available Monday to Friday, from 8.30am – 5.30pm.
• If you are in hospital because of your accident, some hospitals can lodge a claim for you. Please talk to the hospital Patient Liaison Officer about this.

Step 3 – Complete the Authority to release information form

Please complete and submit the TAC Authority to release information form (English). If you do not complete this form:

• we may not be able to make decisions on your claim, or
• pay for the treatment and services you need.

When a family member dies

If you have lost a loved one in a transport accident, we are sorry for your loss. We are here to help. We offer financial support with funeral costs and counselling services. We will give you as much information and advice as we can.

We can also provide financial support for dependants.

To access support from the TAC, you will need to complete a Funeral and dependency benefits claim form (English). This form asks about the person who has died and about the accident. We use this information to look at the support we can give you.

The TAC support coordinators can help you complete this form. They will let you know if there is any other information you may need to give us.

You can use TACLINK to call the TAC with an interpreter.

What we can help pay for

The type and amount of support you receive, and the length of time you need support, will depend on your circumstances. Support can include:

• medical treatment (English)
• services to help you while you recover
• replacement or repair of damaged glasses or dentures
• help for family members (English)
• income support (see below)
• return to work support for you and your employer (English)
• a lump sum payment if you are eligible for compensation (English).

Income support

If you have more than 5 days off work because of your accident injuries, you may be eligible for income support.

Step 1

If you haven't already, you will need to talk to us about your eligibility for income support. You can use TACLINK to call the TAC with an interpreter (Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5:30pm).

When we talk to you, we will ask you for some information. This may include:

• Your employer's business name and address
• Contact details of your manager or payroll officer
• If you have financial dependent(s), their name, date of birth and relationship to you (e.g. wife/husband, partner, child)
• Your bank account details including:
  • Bank, branch and account name
  • BSB and account number

We'll use this information to work out if you are eligible for income support.

Step 2

To work out how much income support to pay, we need:

• Details of your earnings for the 12 months before your accident. This could be:
  • A 12 month payroll report, or
  • Payslips for the 12 months before your accident.

If you have been in your job for less than 12 months, you can send us:

• A payroll report for the time you have been in your current job, or
• Payslips from the date you started your current job, up until the date of your accident.

You can send us this information:

• using the myTAC app
• By mail to:
  • TAC
    GPO Box 2751
    Melbourne, VIC 3001

Please include your name and claim number when you send your receipt.

Other information we need:

• A Certificate of Capacity from your doctor
• Details of any changes to your pay in the last 12 months (e.g. a pay rise)
• If you have returned to work, the date you went back and whether you are working full or part time,
• A completed Tax File Number (TFN) declaration form.

What we can’t help pay for

We don’t cover things like:

• Damage to your car, motorbike, scooter, bicycle or other types of transport
• Damage to non-medical personal items (motorcycle gear, clothes, mobile phones)

Approved treatments and services

In the first 90 days after your accident, there are some treatments and services the TAC can help pay for. You don't need to contact us for approval first.

These treatments and services must be:

• recommended by your doctor or health professional, and
• for your accident injuries.

Common treatments and services include:

• General practitioner (GP)
• Physiotherapy
• Ambulance
• Hospital treatment
• X-rays and scans
• Rehabilitation services
• Mental health and wellbeing services

You can see a full list of approved treatments and services here (English).

We will check your recovery progress. We may contact you or your health and service providers during this time to discuss your treatment and the support you need.

You will need TAC approval to help pay for treatments or services after the first 90 days of your accident.

How to get an approved treatment or service

1. Speak to your doctor or hospital treating team about your treatment options. Ask for a referral if required.
2. Choose a health or service provider for your recommended treatment or service.
3. Call to make an appointment and tell them you are a TAC client.
4. Give them your TAC claim number.

How to pay for your treatment

In most cases, the TAC will pay your provider. We pay for approved treatments and services at the TAC rate. If your provider charges more than this, they may pass on the extra cost to you. This is called a gap payment.

If you pay for your treatment or service in full, we will reimburse you at the TAC rate. Scan or take a photo of your receipt and send it to us through the myTAC portal or app at tac.vic.gov.au/mytac.

Or, you can mail the receipts to:

• TAC
  GPO Box 2751
  Melbourne, VIC 3001

Please include your name and claim number when you send your receipt.

Find out more about TAC rates and reimbursements at tac.vic.gov.au/rates (English).

When we need more information about your treatment

At times, we may ask your providers for information or a treatment plan. This helps us understand more about your injuries and the treatment and support you need. We use this information to make decisions about what we can help pay for and for how long.

When you need to contact us for approval

You or your provider will need to ask for TAC approval to help pay for a treatment or service when:

• The treatment or service is not on the approved in the first 90 days list (English), or
• It is approaching or more than 90 days since your accident and we have not approved further treatment or services, or
• It has been more than 6 months since you’ve had any treatment or service paid for by the TAC.

What to do if you need help

You can talk to your health professionals or local doctor if you need help with your injuries after your accident.

You can use TACLINK to call the TAC with an interpreter for help with:

• Any questions about your TAC claim
• What treatments and services you can use
• How to claim income support
• How the TAC can support your return to work