09/10/2026
𝗥𝗔𝗙 𝗖𝗟𝗔𝗜𝗠𝗦: 𝗞𝗡𝗢𝗪 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗖𝗘𝗦𝗦. 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗧𝗘𝗖𝗧 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗥𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗦.
A road accident can change your life in an instant. The aftermath can feel overwhelming but understanding the claims process is an important place to start.
𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗺 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗱? 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄.
𝐔𝐬𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦
Claims must be lodged using the prescribed form, with the required information and supporting medical documentation. Following the Supreme Court of Appeal’s ruling, the RAF confirmed the return to the more flexible 2008 RAF 1 form. Submit by hand or registered post and keep copies and proof of submission.
𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬
For injury claims, the general deadline to lodge is three years from the accident where the responsible driver or vehicle owner is identified. Where they are unidentified, as in some hit-and-run cases, the general deadline is two years. Ensure that you keep track of the date of your accident, and act quickly, if you miss the deadline to claim, your case may be rejected.
Exceptions apply, and there are separate deadlines for court proceedings. Get advice early on the dates that apply to your claim.
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐨𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭?
The RAF ordinarily has a 120-day investigation period before summons may be served, unless it rejects the claim earlier. There is no guarantee that your claim will be settled or paid within that period.
𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐛𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫?
Have the reasons reviewed before assuming you cannot proceed. Courts have recognised that substantial compliance with the legal lodgement requirements can be sufficient and have set aside unlawful additional requirements.
This does not make every incomplete claim valid, but it does mean a rejection should be assessed rather than simply accepted as the final word.
Keep your medical records, submission receipts and all RAF correspondence. Evidence of when you first attempted to lodge may also be important if your submission is disputed.
𝗨𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱? 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗕𝗭 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼@𝗯𝘇𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆𝘀.𝗰𝗼.𝘇𝗮 / 𝟬𝟭𝟮 𝟳𝟴𝟲 𝟬𝟲𝟵𝟱 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗥𝗔𝗙 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗺, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽𝘀.
𝘎𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺. 𝘌𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘪𝘮 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘸.
