Queenslanders now have lifetime insurance for catastrophic car injuries

All Queenslanders catastrophically injured in motor vehicle accidents will now have access to lifetime care and support announced Treasurer Curtis Pitt. 

The Queensland Parliament has passed legislation to introduce the National Injury Insurance Scheme, which protects all Queenslanders on the roads.

“This new scheme will protect all people who are catastrophically injured in an accident in Queensland,” Mr Pitt said.

“Currently roughly half of catastrophically injured are able to claim insurance because the compulsory third-party (CTP) insurance scheme only covers people who can prove fault against a driver, leaving the other half to rely on the support of family, friends and carers, not for profit groups, public health system.

“Shockingly, the Motor Accident Insurance Commission estimates an average of three people every week sustain catastrophic injuries — including brain or spinal injuries, limb amputations, severe burns, or blindness — in Queensland road crashes.”

The National Injury Insurance Scheme Queensland will operate as a hybrid model, incorporating a no-fault model while retaining an option for exercising common-law rights to recover the costs of treatment, care and support for those who were not a ‘at fault’ for their injuries.

Mr Pitt said the Palaszczuk Government is committed to an affordable scheme that gets the balance right for motorists.

“As previously advised, the scheme will be the most affordable of any State or Territory in the country – with the net cost being just 60 cents per week or $32 per vehicle – to provide certainty for people catastrophically injured in a motor vehicle accident,” he said.

“In 2013 the LNP Government signed a national Heads of Agreement with the Commonwealth Government committing Queensland to the National Injury Insurance Scheme.

“Today we have successfully introduced a scheme which the previous Government signed Queensland up for but did little to actually deliver.

“Also, to ensure we keep costs affordable for motorists the Palaszczuk Government will undertake a CTP Scheme Review in time for 2017-18 premium setting.”

The National Injury Insurance Scheme Queensland will come into effect from 1 July 2016. To allow CTP insurers, the National Injury Insurance Agency and the Department of Transport and Main Road to make the necessary arrangements the levy for the scheme will commence 1 October 2016.

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