If you have been injured in a motor accident in New South Wales and need assistance with household tasks to support your recovery and return to daily activities, you may be eligible for domestic duties care costs under the Compulsory Third Party (CTP) insurance scheme. This support is available to drivers, passengers, pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists who are injured in a motor accident, including those in Bankstown. The scheme provides financial assistance for essential household tasks that you are unable to perform due to your injuries, provided the need is directly linked to the accident and supported by medical evidence.
What Domestic Duties Are Covered by the CTP Scheme?
The CTP scheme covers reasonable and necessary costs for domestic duties when your injuries prevent you from performing essential household tasks. Eligible tasks include cooking meals, cleaning, doing laundry, shopping for groceries, managing household finances, and providing care for children or dependants. These tasks must be necessary because of your injury and not simply a matter of preference or convenience. For example, if you are unable to stand for more than a few minutes due to a back injury, assistance with meal preparation may be considered necessary.
The scheme does not cover general household maintenance, such as gardening or home repairs, nor does it cover tasks that you could reasonably perform with minor modifications or assistive devices. The focus is on tasks that are essential to maintaining your health, safety and ability to live independently during recovery.
How Are Domestic Duties Care Costs Determined and Paid?
Domestic duties care costs are calculated based on the reasonable market rate for the service, not the personal value of the work. The CTP insurer will assess your claim using a medical report from a registered medical practitioner that confirms your inability to perform the tasks due to your injuries. The insurer may also consider whether alternative arrangements, such as meal delivery or community support services, could reasonably meet your needs.
If your injuries prevent you from performing a task for 52 weeks or more, you may be eligible for ongoing support. However, where a person’s only injuries resulting from the accident are threshold injuries, weekly benefits and treatment and care benefits generally cease after 52 weeks under the Motor Accident Injuries Act 2017, sections 3.11 and 3.28. This means that if your injuries are limited to soft tissue injuries that meet the statutory definition of a threshold injury under section 1.6, benefits may end after 52 weeks unless a claim for damages is made.
What Evidence Is Required to Support a Claim?
To claim domestic duties care costs, you must provide clear and consistent evidence. This includes:
- A medical report from your treating doctor detailing how your injuries limit your ability to perform household tasks
- A written schedule of required tasks, including frequency, duration and the reason for need
- Invoices or receipts for care services you have already paid for
- Evidence of your inability to perform the task, such as a doctor’s note, diary of daily challenges, or video documentation
- Information about your household’s financial situation, if the care is essential for recovery and not available through other means
Keep all correspondence with your insurer, including emails and letters, as they may be relevant if a dispute arises. The insurer may request further evidence or ask you to attend a medical assessment.
How Does the CTP Scheme Support Recovery and Returning to Daily Activities?
The CTP scheme aims to support recovery and help you return to daily life as soon as possible. Assistance with domestic duties is considered part of your rehabilitation and is intended to prevent further deterioration in your health or independence. For example, if you are unable to cook due to a neck injury, receiving help with meal preparation can maintain your nutrition and reduce the risk of complications.
The insurer will assess whether the care is necessary and proportionate to your injury. If your recovery is expected to be longer than 52 weeks, you may need to apply for an extension of benefits. This is not automatic and requires evidence that the care remains essential to your recovery and return to daily activities. The insurer may require a new medical report to assess ongoing need.
What Should You Do Next?
If you have been injured in a motor accident and need help with household tasks, take the following steps:
- Seek medical attention as soon as possible to document your injuries
- Ask your doctor to assess your ability to perform daily tasks and provide a report
- Keep a diary of your daily challenges and how they affect your ability to manage household duties
- Submit your claim to the liable driver’s CTP insurer within 52 weeks of the accident
- Request a review if your claim is denied, as SIRA offers dispute resolution options including mediation and formal review
Every claim depends on its own facts. To request contact about your circumstances, complete the quick, no obligation enquiry form.