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Accident Compensation Act 2001

Code of ACC Claimants' Rights, and claims - Claims process

56: Steps Corporation takes to action claims for cover

You could also call this:

“How ACC checks and decides on your claim for help after an accident”

When you make a claim for cover, the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) has to take some steps. This is what they do for most claims, except for complicated ones.

ACC needs to look into your claim as soon as they can. They have to do this within 21 days after you make your claim. They will pay for this investigation themselves. They will look into your claim as much as they need to make a decision.

After looking into your claim, ACC will do one of two things. They will either make a decision and let you know about it, or they will decide they need more information before they can make a decision. If they need more information, they will give themselves more time and tell you about this delay.

If ACC doesn’t make a decision within 21 days and they haven’t asked for more information, there are special rules about what happens next.

If ACC needs more information, they will ask you or someone else for it. If they ask someone else, they will tell you about this. After they get the extra information, they will make their decision and let you know.

Even if ACC needs more information, they must make a decision about your claim within 4 months of when you first made it.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM100983.

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Crime and justice > Victim support Health and wellbeing > Healthcare services
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55: Responsibilities of claimant to assist in establishment of cover and entitlements, or

"Your duties when asking ACC for help after an accident"

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57: Steps Corporation takes to action complicated claims for cover, or

"What ACC does when you make a tricky claim"

Part 3 Code of ACC Claimants' Rights, and claims
Claims process

56Steps Corporation takes to action claims for cover

  1. This section applies to a claim for cover that is not a claim described in section 57 (complicated claims).

  2. The Corporation must take the following steps as soon as practicable, and no later than 21 days, after the claim is lodged:

  3. investigate the claim—
    1. at its own expense; and
      1. to the extent reasonably necessary to enable it to take the following steps in this subsection; and
      2. either—
        1. make its decision on the claim and give notice of it under section 64; or
          1. decide that it cannot make its decision on the claim, or any other decision, without additional information, extend the time for making its decision, and tell the person making the claim about the extension.

          2. Except where it decides under subsection (2)(b)(ii) that it needs additional information, section 58 applies if the Corporation does not make its decision within 21 days after the claim was lodged.

          3. If subsection (2)(b)(ii) applies, the Corporation must take the following steps as soon as practicable:

          4. make a reasonable request to the person, or decide to make a request to another person, for the additional information; and
            1. if the Corporation makes a request to another person for the additional information, tell the person making the claim about the making of the request and its nature; and
              1. make its decision on the claim and give notice of it under section 64.

                1. In any case dealt with under subsection (4), the Corporation's decision on the claim must be made within 4 months of the claim being lodged.