How do I claim on my car insurance after an accident — and how is comprehensive different from CTPL?
Last updated: 2026-07-11 · Educational content; not legal advice.
Short answer
Which policy pays depends on what was damaged. CTPL (Compulsory Third Party Liability) only covers death or bodily injury you cause to third parties; it does NOT pay for your own vehicle. To repair your own car, or for theft, fire, or your own losses, you need a separate comprehensive motor policy. After an accident: secure the scene and get a police report, notify your insurer promptly (comprehensive policies impose short notice deadlines), and file your claim with proof. For any resulting payout, RA 10607 (the Amended Insurance Code) Section 249 requires a non-life insurer to pay within 30 days after proof of loss is received and the loss is ascertained, and Section 250 imposes interest at twice the Monetary Board ceiling for unjustified delay.
Two different claims can arise from one crash: (1) the third-party claim, handled under CTPL by the at-fault vehicle's CTPL insurer (including the no-fault indemnity for injury/death); and (2) your own-damage claim, handled under your comprehensive policy. Read your comprehensive policy for the notice period (often just a few days), the accredited-repair-shop rules, and the deductible/participation you must shoulder. Gather the police report, photos, your driver's license and OR/CR, and the repair estimate. If the insurer denies or delays without just cause, that engages the unfair-claim-settlement rule (Section 247) and the interest penalty (Section 250), and you can escalate to the Insurance Commission.
Primary sources
Frequently asked
CTPL vs comprehensive — what's the difference?
CTPL is mandatory and liability-only: it pays for death or bodily injury you cause to third parties, not for your own vehicle. Comprehensive is optional and broader: it covers your own vehicle's damage (collision), and usually theft, fire, and third-party property damage and liability. You can hold both — CTPL to register the car, comprehensive to protect it.
What steps do I take right after a crash?
Make sure everyone is safe and get medical help; secure the scene and take photos; get a police report (essential for both third-party and own-damage claims); exchange details with the other party; and notify your insurer promptly — comprehensive policies commonly require notice within a few days, so do not delay. Then file the claim with your documentation.
How quickly must the insurer pay my own-damage claim?
Under RA 10607 Section 249, a non-life insurer must pay within 30 days after your proof of loss is received and the loss is ascertained (by agreement or arbitration); if not ascertained within 60 days, within 90 days of receipt. Unjustified delay triggers interest at twice the Monetary Board ceiling under Section 250, and you can complain to the Insurance Commission.
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Your rights as a policyholder or HMO member — what to do when an insurance claim is denied or delayed, how long an insurer has to pay a valid claim and the interest it owes for unreasonable delay (RA 10607, the Amended Insurance Code), the 2-year incontestability clause on life policies, HMO coverage and pre-existing-condition denials (now regulated by the Insurance Commission under EO 192 s.2015), what CTPL motor insurance covers and the no-fault indemnity, premium grace periods and lapsed policies, cash surrender value when you cancel, and how to file a complaint with the Insurance Commission.