CTP Insurance in Queensland: What it Covers, How Claims Work, and How to Switch Insurer

Understanding CTP Insurance in Queensland

Compulsory Third Party (CTP) Insurance is a mandatory form of cover that is attached to the registration of your vehicle in Queensland. Its purpose is specific: it provides protection to the at-fault driver against compensation claims from people injured in a motor vehicle accident.

Because it is connected to registration, CTP is not something most drivers purchase as a standalone product in the same way they might buy comprehensive car insurance. Instead, it is included with your vehicle registration. This link to registration also affects how the policy starts and ends, how you switch insurers, and what happens if you cancel your registration.

CTP is sometimes misunderstood as “car insurance” in the broader sense. In reality, it is injury-liability cover. It is designed to respond to personal injury claims made by other people when the insured driver is at fault. It is not designed to cover damage to vehicles or property.

What CTP Insurance covers

CTP Insurance covers your liability for injuring others in an accident while you’re behind the wheel. In practical terms, if anyone other than you is injured or dies in a motor vehicle accident and you are at fault, CTP helps take care of their compensation claims.

The “other people” who may be covered by a compensation claim can include:

• Other drivers
• Passengers in your car
• Passengers in other cars
• Pedestrians
• Cyclists
• Motorcyclists

If the injured person is unable to work or needs medical treatment, the CTP insurer may pay a lump sum. This payment is designed to help cover medical and rehabilitation treatment, as well as any loss of income related to the accident.

Where a claim is lodged and accepted, treatment and rehabilitation expenses recommended by a registered medical practitioner may be covered to help the injured person recover from the injuries sustained in the accident.

What CTP Insurance does not cover

CTP Insurance is different from other kinds of car insurance, such as comprehensive car insurance, because the coverage is not the same. CTP is focused on injury-related liability. Other types of insurance can cover different risks, such as accidental loss or damage to your car and your liability for damage to other people’s cars and property.

For example, comprehensive car insurance can cover your car for accidental loss or damage and your liability for damage to other people’s cars and property, and may include additional features such as a lifetime guarantee on repairs that are authorised and arranged by the insurer. CTP does not replace these covers; it sits alongside them with a different purpose.

Who can make a CTP claim and when

In Queensland, if you were injured in a motor vehicle accident that was the fault of another vehicle owner or driver insured under a CTP policy, you may be able to lodge a CTP claim with that insurer.

CTP claims are about injuries arising from motor vehicle accidents. If your claim is lodged and accepted, the insurer can cover treatment and rehabilitation expenses recommended by your registered medical practitioner, to support recovery.

Some insurers also offer support services to guide claimants through the process. For example, a customer concierge team may explain the claims process and answer questions, with the aim of supporting people through their CTP claims journey and helping ensure they receive reasonable and appropriate compensation for their injuries.

Support for serious, life-changing injuries: NIISQ

If you have sustained life-changing, serious injuries in a motor vehicle accident, you may be eligible to receive support through the National Injury Insurance Scheme, Queensland (NIISQ). Importantly, this support may be available regardless of who is at fault.

This is separate to the at-fault framework that typically applies to CTP claims. For people and families dealing with severe injuries, the availability of a scheme that can apply irrespective of fault is a key part of the broader Queensland injury support landscape referenced in CTP information.

CTP and vehicle registration: why the expiry date matters

Because CTP Insurance is attached to your vehicle registration, details such as your registration expiry date are important. This date can be found on your registration documents and is used to determine when your registration is due to expire.

The registration link also means the timing of changes to your CTP insurer is typically connected to your registration renewal. If you switch insurers, the change may take effect from your next registration renewal, and the transport authority may send a confirmation of the switch.

What happens if you cancel your registration

CTP insurance is compulsory and is included with your vehicle registration. Therefore, if you cancel the registration of your vehicle with the Department of Transport and Main Roads (DTMR), your CTP insurance is cancelled at the same time.

This is a crucial point for anyone considering taking a vehicle off the road or changing circumstances around ownership and use. The CTP policy does not continue independently once registration is cancelled.

Buying CTP Insurance for an unregistered vehicle

In some situations, you may need to purchase a CTP Certificate before you can register your vehicle in Queensland. This can be relevant if your vehicle is not currently registered and you are preparing to register it.

If your vehicle is not currently registered and you would like to purchase CTP Insurance, you may need to contact the insurer’s CTP team for assistance over the phone during business hours.

Switching your CTP insurer in Queensland

Queensland vehicle owners can switch their CTP insurer. If you decide to proceed with a switch, the Department of Transport and Main Roads will send you a confirmation of your switch, effective from your next registration renewal.

If your vehicle is already registered in Queensland, you can contact the Department of Transport and Main Roads (DTMR) to nominate your preferred CTP insurer.

Where you need help understanding the steps, insurers may provide information on how to purchase their CTP Insurance and may also offer phone support through their CTP team during weekday business hours.

Registration duration questions: 1 month or 3 months

Some drivers look for shorter registration periods. For example, to establish 1 month vehicle registration or to establish 3 months vehicle registration, you may be directed to contact the Department of Transport on 13 23 80 or visit the Queensland transport registration information online.

Because CTP is tied to registration, questions about registration duration and setup are generally handled through the transport authority rather than the insurer.

GST Input Tax Credit (ITC) and CTP policies

During a CTP purchase or quote process, you may be asked whether any of the vehicle owners are entitled to claim a GST Input Tax Credit (ITC) on the CTP Insurance policy. If this applies, you may need to select “Yes” as part of the process.

This question is relevant for certain owners and use cases and is typically presented as a straightforward eligibility selection during the transaction.

Premiums and vehicle types

CTP premiums can vary by vehicle type. If you select a vehicle type that isn’t included in standard categories shown during an online process, you may be prompted to open a relevant document to view CTP premiums for all vehicle types.

For enquiries about premiums or eligibility, insurers may provide a contact number and business hours for support.

Multi-policy discounts and how CTP fits

Some insurers treat a CTP policy as an eligible policy for multi-policy discount calculations. A common structure is that if you have two other eligible insurance policies and you take out CTP Insurance, you may qualify for a discount on the other policies.

One example described is a 15% multi-policy discount when combining three or more eligible products. Under this type of arrangement:

• CTP Insurance counts as an eligible policy.
• The CTP policy itself is not discounted due to government regulations.
• The discount may apply to other eligible policies instead (for instance, the other two policies).
• Taxes and charges are not discounted.
• Some add-ons or services may be excluded from discounts.

Eligible products referenced in such discount terms can include a range of general insurance policies, such as home, contents, landlord, strata, car, motorcycle, caravan (including trailer), motorhome and boat insurance. The exact terms and conditions can vary and are typically set out in full in the insurer’s discount documentation.

Privacy, cookies, and personalised online messaging

CTP transactions and online quote journeys may involve data practices designed to tailor the website experience. For example, an insurer may use cookies and related technologies to improve and tailor your website experience, and may provide a cookie and data policy explaining how online activity data is collected and used, including options to choose to remain anonymous.

During a quote journey, you may also see personalised online messaging based on data you shared, such as messaging connected to a digital media advertisement that led you to the site. An opt-out option may be provided for these experiences.

Insurers commonly state that they are committed to protecting personal information and refer customers to privacy statements and group privacy policies for more details.

Complaints and customer support

If you experience a problem, are not satisfied with products or services, or disagree with a decision that has been made, insurers may direct you to a customer relations and complaints page where you can access more information about the complaints process.

For general enquiries, including questions about CTP premiums, purchasing, or claim support, insurers may offer phone assistance during weekday business hours.

Important reading: Product Disclosure Statement and general advice

Information provided in connection with insurance products may be general in nature and may be prepared without taking into account your particular objectives, financial situation, or needs. In these circumstances, you are typically advised to consider whether the information is appropriate for you before acting on it.

Before making a decision regarding an insurance product, you may be asked to read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement. A Target Market Determination may also be available.

Key takeaways for Queensland drivers

• CTP Insurance is compulsory in Queensland and is attached to vehicle registration.
• It protects the at-fault driver against compensation claims from people injured in a motor vehicle accident.
• CTP can help cover compensation for injured third parties, including medical and rehabilitation costs and loss of income, where a claim is lodged and accepted.
• CTP is different from other car insurance products that cover vehicle damage and property damage liability.
• If you cancel your vehicle registration with DTMR, your CTP insurance is cancelled at the same time.
• You can switch your CTP insurer, with changes typically effective from your next registration renewal and confirmed by the transport authority.
• For serious, life-changing injuries, NIISQ may provide support regardless of who is at fault.

For drivers and vehicle owners, the most practical way to approach CTP is to view it as a mandatory injury-liability component of registration. Understanding that narrow but important role can help you make clearer decisions about what other insurance you may need, how to manage registration changes, and what to expect if an injury claim arises.