The Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) provides comprehensive, no-fault personal injury cover for all New Zealand residents and visitors to New Zealand. If you or someone you care for is injured, get treatment as soon as possible. Don’t wait until you feel better, as this can often make the injury worse and your recovery longer.
Our scope of practice covers most injuries, including simple fractures, and normally you will receive treatment here and be discharged home. We do not treat major trauma such as head injuries, fractured femurs (thigh bone) or multiple injuries. If you or a person you are caring for has suffered these injuries the Emergency Department is the most appropriate place for them.
We will help you fill out an ACC claim form and send it to them. You will need to pay at least part of the cost of the first visit to a health professional; we can claim the rest back if your claim is accepted (it may not be, see later).
If you need to take time off work because of your injury, discuss this with the doctor. They will complete a medical certificate for you, if they confirm that you do need time off work.
When ACC receives your claim form, they’ll contact you by phone or letter to let you know if your claim is accepted. To help them decide if the injury is covered, a lot of information must be supplied on your ACC claim form. Most of this information is already on our system but we may need to ask you some questions. Remember that you have a role in the decision-making process, by providing us (and ACC) with as much information as you can about your situation to enable a timely decision on cover and assistance.
If you were brought here by the ambulance service within 24 hours of being injured, ACC will cover the transport costs in the majority of cases.
