When do CTP weekly payments start, and what does 28 days affect?

Weekly statutory benefits are income support, not a payment merely for being injured. During the early entitlement periods, the claimant generally needs to have been an earner and to have suffered a total or partial loss of earnings because of the accident injury. Medical certification, wage evidence and any post-accident earnings therefore matter together.

The insurer also determines PAWE and applies the statutory percentage, maximum or minimum rules and any relevant post-accident earnings or earning-capacity figure. A valid claim form without earnings evidence may start the claim process but may not be enough to finalise the weekly amount.

The statutory percentage is a separate step from deciding the payment start date. Subject to the detailed Act provisions, weeks 1–13 generally use 95% of PAWE for total or partial loss, less applicable post-accident earnings. During weeks 14–78, total loss generally starts from 80% of PAWE, while partial loss generally uses 85% of PAWE less the greater of applicable post-accident earnings or post-accident earning capacity. These percentages do not prove work incapacity or decide later entitlement periods.

SIRA Motor Accident Guidelines Part 4 explains that a statutory benefits claim should be given within 28 days if weekly payments are sought from the day after the accident. The same significance applies to a claim against the Nominal Defendant for an uninsured or unidentified at-fault vehicle.

Lodging on day 20 does not prove that every day from the accident is payable. The medical certificate may show a later incapacity date, the person may have continued receiving normal earnings, or the insurer may dispute earner status or causation. The 28-day step protects the timing position; the substantive entitlement still needs evidence.

The insurer may be waiting for a Certificate of Fitness, payslips, an employer earnings statement, tax or business records, bank records or confirmation of post-accident work. Where the Act requires interim payment because the correct first-period amount cannot yet be determined, the interim amount is governed by the Act and Guidelines rather than an estimate chosen by the claimant.

SIRA Motor Accident Guidelines clause 4.44 says weekly payments must commence as soon as possible and no later than 10 business days after the insurer accepts liability for statutory benefits. Clause 4.45 requires a written PAWE notice explaining the calculation and review rights. If the first-period amount cannot yet be finalised, the interim-payment rules apply; clause 4.48 requires any resulting top-up within 10 business days after the correct amount is determined.

Worked example, with assumptions: an accident occurs on 1 August, the claim is lodged on 20 August, incapacity is medically supported from 2 August, and the insurer accepts liability on 5 September. Clause 4.44 ordinarily requires commencement no later than 10 business days after 5 September. Because lodgement was within 28 days, arrears may potentially run from 2 August if earner status, accident causation and earnings loss are established. This does not guarantee that every intervening day is payable.

Ask the insurer in writing what remains outstanding, whether an interim payment will be made and the period for which any arrears are being calculated. A payment schedule should identify the PAWE figure, statutory rate, post-accident earnings or capacity used, covered weeks and deductions. Those components should not be collapsed into a single unexplained net number.