What is a Green Slip?

A Green Slip insurance policy provides cover that is connected to your vehicle in respect of compulsory third party (CTP) personal injury insurance should you or another individual that is driving your vehicle be at fault during an accident. Greenslips insurance also provides cover in some other situations regardless of whose fault the accident is.

CTP Insurance is a compulsory form of insurance and has to be arranged when a motor vehicle is registered. If you live in New South Wales your Green Slips insurance will only provide cover for a registered vehicle. If your vehicle has not been registered and it is involved in an accident you may find that you are liable on a personal basis for any injuries suffered to third parties and you will not be able to claim on your Green Slips insurance policy.

Throughout Australia, your Green Slips insurance covers:

• injuries due to a trailer being used
• other users on the road such as drivers, passengers in vehicles, motor cyclists and pillion passengers, cyclists and motor cyclists

Green Slips insurance does not provide cover for:

• any damage caused to your vehicle, other vehicles or any other property

Improvements that have been introduced to Greenslips insurance since October 2006 have resulted in increased protection and benefits in certain situations regardless of who is to blame including:

• A child’s benefit, regardless of who was responsible for the accident. Provided the child is a resident of New South Wales they will receive the care, rehabilitation and treatment necessary to aid their recovery from any injury sustained from a motor vehicle accident in New South Wales irrespective of fault.
• The Lifetime Care and Support Scheme which is funded by the MCIS levies included in the price of Greenslips provides any person that has suffered a catastrophic injury such as a traumatic brain injury in a motor vehicle accident with lifetime treatment, attendant care and medical care irrespective of whether the injured person was at fault.
• Legislative provisions also allow for up to $5,000 worth of lost earnings and medical treatment to be claimed by any injured party regardless of fault through the lodgement of an Accident Notification Form.
• Cover for a person who has suffered an injury in a no-fault motor accident such as the driver of the vehicle having a heart attack whilst at the wheel or should an accident occur due to an unexplained mechanical problem with the vehicle.

Green slip and public liability insurance

It should be noted that The Motor Accidents Compensation Act 1999 details the terms and conditions of New South Wales CTP (Green Slips) insurance policies, so Greenslips cover is universal throughout New South Wales no matter which insurance company you take out Green Slips insurance with. With public liability insurance this is not the case as the terms and conditions may be different between insurance companies. It is recommended by the Motor Accidents Authority that anyone who has both Green Slips and public liability insurance should contact their insurance company or broker to make sure that, should they be involved in a motor vehicle accident, there is no gap in the cover provided under their public liability insurance that is not covered by their Green Slips insurance.

Hopefully, you now have a fuller understanding of what Greenslips (CTP) insurance is and the cover that it provides.