A Green Slip is a requirement for registering your car in New South Wales. First introduced in 1942,1 it is known in other states and territories as compulsory third party (CTP) insurance and, while it can feel like just another expense of vehicle ownership, this type of car insurance has crucial benefits for drivers and the public.
Along with Pink Slips and Blue Slips, the Green Slip is at the heart of NSW’s vehicle registration system.
Green Slip insurance doesn’t absolve you of the responsibility to drive with care and within the law, but it means that you may not be personally liable for the costs that result if you injure or kill another person while driving.2
What does a Green Slip cover?
A CTP Green Slip doesn’t cover damage to vehicles or property, for example fences, homes or freight carried on a vehicle involved in a car accident. However, it may entitle injured people, regardless of fault (unless you are charged with a serious driving offence), to up to six or 12 months of:2
- Reasonable and necessary treatment and rehabilitation expenses
- Commercial attendant care if you need help around the home while you recover
- A percentage of pre-injury weekly income if the person needs time off work to recover.
Drivers who are not at fault in an accident, but who sustain serious injuries, may be able to claim benefits beyond six or 12 months;2 the severely injured may also be eligible for the NSW Government’s Lifetime Care and Support Scheme.3
If a person dies as a result of the accident, close relatives may be able to claim some expenses.2 Youi Comprehensive car insurance also includes reasonable funeral expenses for the driver of your car if they're killed in the accident.4
Drivers who are charged with a serious driving offence in relation to the accident will not be able to claim benefits under the Green Slip scheme,2 but may be supported by other government services.5
Although the cost of your Green Slip insurance is influenced by a number of factors specific to you and regular drivers of your car (see below), the insurance covers any licensed driver of your vehicle6 along with anyone else – such as other drivers, passengers and pedestrians – involved in the accident.
How much is a Green Slip?
The price of a Green Slip depends on a range of factors, which may include:7
- The vehicle driver’s or owner’s age
- Garaging address
- Any demerit points held by the vehicle driver or owner
- Any history of at-fault accidents
- The vehicle’s age
- Whether the vehicle is covered by other car insurance.7
The premiums offered by each insurer can also vary, although they’re regulated by the NSW State Insurance Regulatory Authority (SIRA) to help maintain premiums that are “fair and affordable for all motorists”.7 You can start a quote for Youi CTP Green Slip insurance here.
Green Slip prices have actually fallen since SIRA last reformed CTP insurance in 2017.8 The annual price has been reduced by an average of $149, from an average of $635 to an average of $486.9
How do I get a Green Slip?
There are a couple of ways to get your Green Slip prior to registering your vehicle. Looking for a Green Slip calculator to compare premiums? SIRA’s Green Slip Check is a free online tool that can give you a good idea of how much your cover might cost.
Green Slip comparison
SIRA’s Green Slip Check is a comparison tool that provides a quick and easy way to compare quotes from different insurers for common vehicle types. Once you’ve made your selection, just click the “buy from insurer” button, and all the details you’ve entered will be auto-filled into the insurer’s website.
A Green Slip quote
You can also go directly to your preferred insurer for a quote. Youi’s CTP Green Slip insurance includes:
- Protection for any compensation claims made against you by anyone who is injured or killed as a result of a motor accident caused by you.10
- Coverage for claims made by any passengers, pedestrians and other road users.10
- Limited coverage for injuries to the driver at fault in a motor accident.10
- Liability for injuries caused by a trailer when attached to the registered vehicle.10
Can I get a three-month Green Slip?
For passenger vehicles and light commercial or utility vehicles, Green Slip premiums are offered for periods of six or 12 months.2
Three-month Green Slips are generally only available for trailers or heavy vehicles of more than 4.5 tonnes GVM (gross vehicle mass includes the allowable weight of cargo, fuel and passengers).11
Can I get a refund on my Green Slip?
If your vehicle has been written off by an insurer, if you’ve taken it to the wreckers, or if it’s been stolen, you can cancel its registration at Service NSW.12 You’ll be issued a receipt that you can take to your insurer, which may issue a partial refund for the unused time on the Green Slip.
If you sell your registered vehicle, the CTP Green Slip insurance goes with it – you could calculate the benefit to the buyer into the sale price.
To recap, a CTP Green Slip is the minimum level of insurance that is required to legally drive on NSW roads, and protects you against compensation claims if you injure or kill someone in an accident. However, depending on your personal circumstances, you might like to consider other types of car insurance for additional layers of protection.
1 Source: NSW Government – CTP Scheme History
2 Source: NSW Government – What is a Green Slip?
3 Source: NSW Government – Caring for people severely injured on the road
4 If a driver of your car sustains a fatal injury as a result of an accident while driving the car with your permission, we will pay $5,000 per contract period to the deceased driver’s estate for the purposes of meeting expenses incidental to a funeral, burial or cremation. For more details, see the Car PDS
5 Source: NSW Government – Government payments and NDIS
6 Source: NSW Government/SIRA – How CTP prices are set - English
7 Source: NSW Government/SIRA – CTP Green Slip prices
8 Source: NSW Government/SIRA – CTP Green Slip reforms
9 Source: NSW Government/SIRA – How much have Green Slip premiums reduced by?
10 Source: Youi – NSW CTP Insurance. You should read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement and Target Market Determination, which contains full details of conditions, limitations and exclusions and consider whether the product is appropriate to you before making any decisions about whether to buy or continue to hold a policy.
11 Source: NSW Government – Short-term vehicle registration
12 Source: NSW Government – Cancelled CTP refunds
