​ROAD ACCIDENT FUND (RAF) CLAIMS | CLAIMS FAQs

The following are entitled to make a ​claim:

• A person who sustained a bodily injury in the accident (except a driver who was the sole cause of the accident);
• A dependent of a deceased breadwinner;
• A close relative of the deceased who paid for​ the funeral; and
• A claimant under the age of 18 years must be assisted by a parent, legal guardian or curator ad litem.
• See the Claims procedure section for detailed information on submitting a claim.

• Identified claims (claims where the identity of the driver or owner of the guilty motor vehicle is known) must be lodged with the Fund within 3 years from the date of the accident and must be finalised within 5 years from the date of accident.
• Hit and Run claims (claims where the identity of the driver or owner of the guilty motor vehicle is unknown) must be lodged with the Fund within 2 years from the date of the accident and must be finalised within 5 years from the date of accident.
• Claims in terms of an undertaking certificate issued in terms of section 17(4)(a)(ii) of the Act must be lodged and finalised within 5 years from the date on which services were rendered to the injured.

• The claimant can submit claims in terms of the undertaking.

• Subject to the terms and conditions of the undertaking certificate, the injured, or the supplier, may claim the costs of accommodation in a hospital or nursing home or treatment of or rendering of a service or supplying of goods to the injured.
• Where emergency medical treatment is provided to the injured (that is treatment to save the injured's life or a bodily function) the Fund's liability to compensate the injured or the supplier, as the case may be, is determined in accordance with a prescribed tariff.

All accounts (tax invoices), must be fully specified. This means that the account must indicate exactly what service/treatment has been received. It must also reflect the date of the service or treatment, as well as the name and physical address of the service provider. It is not enough to only submit a receipt as proof that you have incurred an expense.

Check the contents of each account, which intended for submission as a claim. Make sure that the goods/service reflected in the account has been received. If satisfied, sign each account, that has been submitted to the Fund for reimbursement. Write the Road Accident Fund claim reference number and/or Link number as quoted in the undertaking document, clearly on each claim. Post claims, together with any receipts as well as all other substantiating documentation, to the following address:

Always bear in mind that you remain personally liable towards the service provider, and that you have to pay the account rendered by that service provider. In the event that you require the Fund to pay the service provider direct, you must give such authorization in writing.

This will depend on the type of the claim which is submitted as indicated below: 

• If you already have a savings, transmission or cheque account you do not have to open another account. 
• If it is the first time that you are claiming the bank indemnity form must be completed by yourself, and taken to the bank to verify the bank account detail. The original form must be returned to the Funds offices as indicated on the form. 

• • When specifically excluded in the undertaking, the undertaking does not cover the costs of any compensation to which you would be entitled in terms of the provisions of the Workmen's Compensation legislation, the Defence Force Act, 1957, (Act No 44 of 1957), or another Act of Parliament governing the said Force.

• Yes, if for example you were 20% to blame for the accident, the Fund will reduce your claims with 20% and pay you or the service provider 80% of the assessed costs you incurred.
• If this situation applies to your case, we would like to urge you to plan ahead, before incurring any particular costs, so as to ensure that you will be able to pay for your own share of the costs from your own money, as the Fund will only reimburse you to the extent of its share.

• The Road Accident Fund must be offered a reasonable period of time in which to assess its liability in respect of the claims lodged, enter the claims into the relevant computer system, perform the necessary enquiries, and thereafter arrange for Electronic Funds Transfer directly into your, or other nominated bank account.
• You will be advised by way of a letter which claims have been admitted, how the amount of money paid into the bank account was made up, which claims require further explanation and which claims have been rejected as not being accident related or a claim in terms of the Undertaking.

• Once you have specified quotations, contact the Undertakings Department by correspondence or per telephone, to find out whether the Fund regards the costs as both accident related and reasonable, and how much the Road Accident Fund will reimburse you, before you decide to incur said costs.

• No, all that is required is that you must have incurred the obligation to pay the service provider. This means that a binding contract must have been concluded between yourself and the service provider. A quotation is therefore not sufficient proof that the costs have been incurred.

• The Fund is prepared to pre-authorise any treatment that you might require. The Fund is prepared to pay doctors and hospitals directly.
• This would also assist you as you will have full knowledge, in advance of precisely what the Fund is covering. Any payment made by the Fund will not exceed the amount that would have in normal circumstances been paid to you.

• The Fund employs Information officers at all branch offices of the Road Accident Fund to assist claimants free of charge. However a claimant may still decide to employ a lawyer. The lawyer will be entitled to charge a fee for professional services rendered.