We understand things can be difficult after you’ve been in an accident and you may not feel like doing any paperwork. Collect as many details as you can about your accident. We will ask you to send us this information when you lodge a claim. This will allow us to make a decision about your claim.

You have 12 months to lodge a claim from the date of your accident, or the date an injury from your accident first becomes evident. More information, including exceptions to the 12-month time frame, is available in our Making a claim for compensation policy.

Step 1 - Collect this information

Accident details

• Accident date, location and circumstances
• Details of other people/drivers and witnesses involved
• Details of the vehicles involved, including registration numbers
• The police report number (or officer’s details) you received when you reported the accident to the police (not required for public transport accidents)
• For accidents that involved public transport, the incident report number and the date you reported the accident to the operator.

Injury details

• Written details of the injuries you sustained in the accident from your treating health professional or from the hospital you attended. This could be one of the following:
  • a hospital discharge summary
  • a signed Certificate of Capacity
  • a medical certificate
  • a letter from your doctor or allied health professional.
• The name and contact details of the health professional you have seen or the hospital attended for your accident injuries.

Income and bank details

• So the TAC can understand your circumstances, we will ask for information about your employment and income. We will ask if you have had, or will have, more than five days off work due to the accident.
• Your bank details.

Things to note

• Your injury documentation must clearly detail the injuries you sustained in the transport accident. The TAC may require further information from your hospital or treating health professional in order to make a decision about your claim.
• When providing us with photos of your documentation, please ensure these are clear and that you include all pages.
• Please do not provide photos of your injuries.
• If you are having difficulty collecting any of this information to support your claim, please call us on 1300 654 329. We may be able to help you by obtaining information on your behalf. We can organise an interpreter if English is not your first language.

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:

1. Use our online lodgement form.
2. Call us on 1300 654 329. We are available Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5:00pm.
3. If you are in hospital as a result of your accident, some hospitals can lodge a claim on your behalf. Please discuss this with a hospital Patient Liaison Officer.