CTP insurance is compulsory cover for injuries your vehicle causes to other people, not for damage to cars or property. First, find out whether your state lets you choose a private insurer (NSW, Queensland, South Australia, ACT) or bundles CTP into registration (Victoria, WA, Tasmania, NT). Then compare insurers, buy, and keep your proof.
This guide follows the order you make these decisions in, and finishes with what to do after an accident.
Before you start, think about your own situation. A young driver, a driver with past claims, someone who drives a few hundred kilometres a year and someone who drives for work each face different prices and different risks. In a choice-based state, those details change your quotes, so enter them accurately when you compare.
What is CTP insurance and what does it actually cover?
CTP insurance (compulsory third party) pays for personal injury to people hurt in a crash involving your vehicle. That includes other drivers, passengers, cyclists and pedestrians. Depending on your state's scheme, it can also cover medical treatment, lost income and care costs.
It exists because injuries from road crashes can be severe and expensive. The law requires every registered vehicle to carry cover, so an injured person has a way to be looked after even when the at-fault driver cannot pay.
CTP is not the same as comprehensive car insurance. Comprehensive cover is optional and protects your own vehicle, plus damage you cause to other people's property. CTP is mandatory and covers injury only.
So does CTP cover damage to the other person's car? It does not. Third party property cover is a separate, optional policy, and comprehensive cover usually includes it. Comprehensive cover does not replace CTP either. You need both if you want injured people, your car and the other driver's car all protected.
Step 1: Work out which CTP system your state runs
Your state or territory decides how CTP works, who sells it and how injured people access benefits. Start here, because every later step depends on the answer.
Identify your state's CTP system type. States generally run one of two models:
- Choice-based systems. You pick a licensed private insurer. This applies in NSW (where CTP is known as a Green Slip), Queensland, South Australia and the ACT (where it is called Motor Accident Injuries, or MAI, insurance).
- Government-run or registration-bundled systems. CTP is included in your registration payment and managed by a government body. This applies in Victoria (TAC), Western Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory.
The second distinction is how a person gets benefits. Under an at-fault scheme, an injured person generally has to show another driver was responsible before accessing certain payments. Under a no-fault scheme, treatment and income support are available regardless of who caused the crash, and the details vary by state.
Benefits differ by state too. In the ACT, for example, the MAI scheme provides funeral expense cover of up to $15,000, as reported by Choice in 2026.
Cost also depends on where you live. One 2026 summary reports typical annual CTP costs for private vehicles ranging from roughly $275 in South Australia to as high as $606 in certain Melbourne areas. Treat those as indicative only, since premiums change each year and vary by vehicle type and location.
Check your state's official CTP regulator or road authority page to confirm which model applies to you before you compare anything.
Step 2: Can you choose your CTP insurer?
Only in some states. In NSW, Queensland, South Australia and the ACT, you can choose between licensed private insurers. In Victoria, Western Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory, a government scheme provides the cover and you have no insurer to choose.
Use an official comparison tool if you are in a choice-based state. In NSW, the government's Green Slip price checker lets you compare insurers for your vehicle. Queensland's regulator publishes a similar comparison for registration-period pricing. Start there rather than with a general search engine, because official tools list every licensed insurer and show current prices.
The insurers below hold licences in at least one choice-based state. Availability varies by state, and none is officially endorsed by the schemes.
- NRMA Insurance provides CTP in NSW and SA, and MAI insurance in the ACT.
- AAMI offers CTP in NSW and SA, and MAI insurance in the ACT.
- GIO is licensed in NSW and the ACT.
- Allianz provides CTP in NSW, Queensland and SA. In Queensland, you can choose Allianz when you register, or switch online during the registration period.
- QBE offers CTP in NSW, Queensland and SA, and is one of three licensed CTP operators in the Queensland market.
- Youi sells Green Slips in NSW only.
- Suncorp is one of the three licensed private CTP insurers in Queensland. Per maic.qld.gov.au, its prices there are identical to its competitors for the same vehicle class and registration period.
That Queensland detail matters. Where insurers price identically, price cannot separate them, so you need other measures. Step 3 covers how to weigh them.
Step 3: Compare CTP insurance cost and insurer performance
CTP insurance cost depends mainly on where you live, what you drive and, in some states, your age and claims history. Regulated schemes also cap how far insurers can vary their prices. Queensland's regulator reports that CTP affordability in 2024-25 sat at 19.4% of the state's average weekly wage, which shows how much of a typical weekly income the cover represents.
The cheapest quote is not automatically the best choice. Premiums tend to sit in a narrow band within a state, so the gap between insurers is often small. What differs more is how they treat injured people after a crash.
Because price sits in a narrow band, a practical way to pick is to match the insurer to your own situation. If you are a low-kilometre driver with a clean record, quotes will be close, so let claim acceptance and complaint data decide. If you have a claims history or a younger driver on the policy, run the quote for each driver profile, since that is where prices spread furthest. If you use the vehicle for work, check that the policy class matches how you use it.
Look at three measures:
- Claim acceptance. The NSW regulator, SIRA, reports that NSW CTP insurers accepted about 97% of statutory benefit claims in the year to June 2026. AAMI recorded one of the highest rates among the insurers.
- Complaints. SIRA recorded 426 formal complaints about NSW CTP insurers in the 12 months to June 2026. Compare each insurer's share of complaints with its share of active claims. An insurer whose complaint share runs well above its claim share is drawing more disputes than its size would suggest, while one whose complaint share sits below its claim share is drawing fewer. Youi had the lowest complaint share in the year.
- Customer service. Youi scored 79.8% in NSW and Allianz scored 74.3%, both above average.
Check SIRA's current tables before you rely on these figures. The cheapest insurer changes by state, vehicle and year, and price is only one part of the decision.
Insurer pricing is moving too. One industry summary reports a 10% rise in private CTP gross written premiums in the 2026 financial year, a decade-high growth rate. Prices you saw last year may not hold.
Step 4: Buy your CTP insurance and register (CTP insurance NSW and beyond)
In NSW, you must buy your Green Slip before you register. The registration cannot be completed without it. This is the point in CTP insurance NSW that catches people out, so arrange it first.
Work through it in this order:
- Confirm your state's system from Step 1 and whether you can choose an insurer.
- In a choice-based state, run your vehicle through the official comparison tool and shortlist insurers on price and the performance measures above.
- Buy the policy and check that the vehicle details and the cover period are correct.
- Complete or renew your registration with your road authority.
- Keep proof of cover. Your insurer or the registry will confirm it electronically in most states, but save the policy documents in case of a dispute.
Other states handle timing differently. In Victoria, Western Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory, CTP is bundled into your registration payment, so there is nothing separate to buy.
Queensland sits between the two. You choose an insurer when you register, or switch online during the registration period. Queensland insurers no longer offer the optional At-Fault Driver Cover add-on, so you will not see it when you compare policies. If you want protection for your own injuries when you are at fault, look at other cover, such as income protection or life insurance.
In NSW, NRMA still includes a free "at-fault driver protection" add-on that pays a lump sum for serious injuries such as paraplegia. Check the current policy terms before relying on it.
What happens with CTP insurance claims after an accident?
CTP insurance claims work differently depending on your state's scheme. The steps below apply in general, but check your regulator's guidance for exact deadlines and forms.
Right after a crash, make sure everyone is safe, call emergency services if anyone is hurt, and exchange details with the other driver. Report the crash to police where required. Seek medical attention even for minor symptoms, because injury claims depend on records that link treatment to the crash.
Then notify the relevant CTP insurer or scheme. In an at-fault scheme, your insurer is the one who deals with a claim from an injured person if you caused the crash. In a no-fault scheme, injured people generally claim treatment and income support directly, whoever caused the crash.
Time limits apply, and missing them can reduce or end a claim. Lodge early and keep copies of every form, receipt and medical report.
A useful habit is to build a simple file from day one. Write down the date, time and place of the crash, the other driver's name and registration, and the names of any witnesses. Add photos of the scene, the police event number if you have one, and every medical appointment linked to the crash. If a dispute comes up later, this record is what your insurer or the regulator will ask to see.
Legal help is common in some schemes. In South Australia, the average rate of legal representation for claimants is about 30%, so a good share of claimants seek advice before settling. In NSW, SIRA reports a 97% acceptance rate and 426 formal complaints. Most claims proceed, but disputes still arise.
If you are unhappy with how a claim is handled, complain to the insurer first. If that does not resolve it, escalate to the state regulator or the relevant ombudsman. Complaint data is published for NSW, so read it before you choose an insurer as well as after a problem.
When a broker is the better way to arrange cover for a business
If you run a fleet, a building business or a mix of specialist vehicles, a self-serve comparison covers only part of the job. ABS Insurance Brokers is an Australian-owned insurance brokerage that sources and arranges specialist insurance policies for builders, construction businesses, and general commercial clients. Registration CTP itself stays with your state scheme or chosen insurer.
Prices and plan limits verified as of November 2026.
FAQs
Is CTP insurance the same as comprehensive car insurance?
No. CTP is compulsory and covers injury to other people only. Comprehensive cover is optional and protects your own vehicle, plus damage you cause to other people's property. It does not replace CTP, so a registered vehicle needs the compulsory cover whatever other policy you hold.
Does CTP cover damage to the other person’s car?
No. CTP pays for personal injury, not for vehicles or property. Damage to another person's car is covered by third party property cover or comprehensive insurance, both optional. If you hold neither, you may be personally liable for repair costs after a crash you cause.
Can I choose my CTP insurer?
Only in some states. You can choose a licensed private insurer in NSW, Queensland, South Australia and the ACT. In Victoria, Western Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory, CTP is bundled into registration and managed through a government scheme. Use your state's official comparison tool where choice exists.
Who is the cheapest car insurance in Australia?
For CTP, there is no single answer. The cheapest insurer changes by state, vehicle and year, and in places like Queensland, insurers price identically for the same vehicle class. Compare current official quotes, then weigh claim acceptance and complaint data before you decide.
What are the big 5 insurance companies?
There is no official top-five list for CTP. Which insurers hold licences depends on your state, and market share and complaint data change each year. Check your state regulator's current tables to see which insurers operate where you live and how they perform.
What is a CTP for if I already have comprehensive cover?
Comprehensive cover protects your car and other people's property, but it does not pay for injuries to people. CTP fills that gap. The law requires it on every registered vehicle, so an injured person is looked after whether or not you hold any optional policy.
Conclusion
CTP insurance covers injury to other people, and how you buy it depends on your state. Where you can choose an insurer, compare claim acceptance and complaint data alongside price, then keep your proof of cover.
Before you decide, confirm which system your state runs, buy before registration if you are in NSW, and save your policy documents. If you drive for work or run several vehicles, check what your state scheme covers and what it leaves out before you buy anything extra.
