Queensland’s road toll in 2022 was the highest in more than a decade, with 299 lives lost. Last year, the state’s road toll was the highest since 2009, including 70 motorcyclists, 29 pedestrians and 12 people who died in floodwaters. That toll is also higher than road tolls in New South Wales and Victoria.

How will the statistics affect Compulsory Third Party (CTP) Insurance Claims?

 

Evolve Legal’s Special Counsel Anna Morgan and Law Clerk Isha Cave discuss the Motor Accident Insurance Commission (MAIC) recently released July-September 2022 Quarterly Report and how the results impact CTP insurance claims.

Background – Motor Accident Insurance Commission (MAIC) and CTP Insurance Claims

MAIC is the regulator for the Compulsory Third Party (CTP) scheme in Queensland. Their primary role is to oversee the licencing of CTP insurers, insurance premiums, research and education and monitoring of the CTP scheme.

The MAIC third quarter report provides valuable insight into how and who uses QLD roads and the operation of the CTP insurance scheme.

The report results were a whopping 4,694,814 registered vehicles on QLD roads this quarter, of which around 3,026,970 were cars, a growth of approximately 0.86% from the previous quarter.

The traffic volume in southeast Queensland has continued to grow since a significant decrease during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the traffic flow has yet to return  to pre-COVID levels.

The MAIC report showed an increase in CTP insurance claims in the third quarter of 2022, with 1583 claims submitted through legal firms and a further 451 claims brought directly by claimants. Most people (around 77%) chose to bring their claim through a QLD law firm.

A total of 5,633 claims have been lodged so far this year in QLD. Of which around 4,623 were classified as minor and 1006 as severe. It is, however, worth noting that the impact of any road accident is long-lasting and significant on the individuals involved, and for those suffering, bringing a claim can provide much-needed compensation. A “minor” injury can often have a devastating impact on work or cause ongoing pain or disability.

The report found that the average claim duration for legally represented claimants ranged from 1.9 – 2.3 years, noting that period can be affected by the severity and complexity of the claim, including issues with liability and evidence.

Duration of CTP Insurance Claims

According to the MAIC, the average duration of claims with particular insurers is as follows:

• Suncorp: 29.7 months (roughly 2.4 years)
• Allianz: 28.5 months (around 2.3 years)
• RACQ: 24.7 months (about 2 years)
• QBE: 23.5 months (approximately 1.9 years)

It is curious that the insurer with the smallest share of the market (and therefore presumably fewer resources applied to these claims) is able to settle claims quicker than the larger insurers with more resources. This may influence some motorists’ decisions on which CTP insurer to select with their vehicle registration (e.g. if a motorist causes an accident and a family member is a passenger and is injured, then that motorist might be grateful that they are with an insurer who statistically resolves claims quicker).   Of course, there are many reasons why someone might choose an insurer (e.g. the offer of multi-policy discounts could also be an important deciding factor).

Interestingly, Suncorp and Allianz saw the most significant number of new registrations to their CTP through motor dealers, which has been a continuing trend since 2019. Fortunately, CTP insurance premiums have remained stable since last quarter and have not seen any significant changes since early 2020.

The MAIC quarterly report gives an essential insight into vehicle accidents in QLD and the way and rate in which CTP claims are brought. It is also an important reminder to drive safely and follow road rules to help avoid being in any potential accidents.

 

EVOLVE LEGAL – HOW WE CAN HELP

Getting trusted legal advice from an experienced compensation lawyer is essential at the earliest opportunity if you are in a motor vehicle accident. Harsh time limits apply in motor vehicle accident claims, and although you may not realise the extent of your injuries early on, if you wait too long to lodge a claim, you may lose your right to benefit from the CTP scheme altogether.

If you want to know more about Queensland’s CTP scheme, or what the deadlines are please reach out and contact our team at Evolve Legal.

The content of this article is intended to provide general guidance to the subject matter and must not be relied on as legal advice. You should seek specific advice about your circumstances.