Seeing a Chiropractor After a Car Accident in Victoria: How TAC Claims Work

If you've just been in a car accident, first of all, I'm sorry. Even a small bump can leave you shaken, and it's often the next morning, when your neck won't turn properly, that it really hits you. Then the questions start. “Do I need to see someone?” “Will the TAC cover it?” “Where do I even begin?”

Take a breath. The steps are simpler than they seem: see your doctor, report the accident to the police, and lodge your TAC claim. And if your neck or back is still sore, it helps to know the TAC can pay for chiropractic care in the first 90 days without needing approval first. Let me walk you through it.

Should I go to a chiropractor after a car accident?

Seeing a chiropractor after a car accident can be a sensible part of recovery once a doctor or hospital has ruled out serious injury. Chiropractors in Victoria commonly assess and treat whiplash-type neck pain, back pain and headaches after crashes, and the TAC can help pay for chiropractic care in the first 90 days without prior approval.

You don't need a referral to see a chiropractor, but the order matters. I'd always rather you see your GP or go to hospital first. A medical assessment rules out fractures and other injuries that need different care, and it gives you the written injury documentation your TAC claim needs anyway.

Don't wait on these. Go to emergency or call 000 if you have severe or rapidly worsening neck pain, numbness, tingling or weakness in your arms or legs, a severe headache, confusion, drowsiness or vomiting, any loss of consciousness, changes to your vision or speech, or loss of bladder or bowel control.

Why does neck pain often show up the next day?

Whiplash is an injury to the soft tissues and joints of the neck, caused by the head being thrown rapidly forward and back or side to side. Adrenaline masks a lot at the scene, so people often tell me they felt fine on the day, then woke up stiff and sore, with pain creeping into the shoulders, upper back or base of the skull. Headaches, reduced neck movement and poor sleep are common, too.

The research is fairly consistent about what helps. A clinical practice guideline found that manual therapy combined with self-management advice and exercise is effective for both recent and persistent neck pain, and draft Australian whiplash guidelines from SIRA favour active care over passive treatment alone. That's how I approach accident care: hands-on treatment where it helps, and exercises from week one so you're doing more for yourself.

TAC claim eligibility: Who can make a claim?

TAC claim eligibility covers people injured in an accident caused by a moving vehicle, such as a car, motorcycle, bus, train or tram, that happened in Victoria. Victorians injured interstate in an accident involving a Victorian-registered vehicle can also claim. Drivers, passengers, pedestrians and cyclists can all be eligible, and fault usually doesn't affect eligibility.

You can also lodge for immediate family members on the same form, and claims for a diagnosed mental injury are possible, too. If you were driving for work, the TAC asks you to consider a WorkSafe claim first. Our work injury and WorkCover page explains that side.

How do you lodge a TAC claim?

You have 12 months from the accident, or from when an injury first becomes evident, to lodge. Don't leave it that long. Here's the process as the TAC describes it:

1. Report the accident to police and keep the report number. If you don't have one, the TAC needs the officer's name, badge number and station.
   

2. Get your injuries documented in writing. A hospital discharge summary, a signed Certificate of Capacity, a medical certificate listing your injuries, or a letter from your doctor or allied health professional all work. A certificate that only says you're unfit for work may not be accepted.
   

3. Gather the details, including what happened, other drivers, witnesses, registration numbers, your employment details and your bank details.
   

4. Lodge the claim. The TAC accident claim form is now an online lodgement form that takes up to 25 minutes. You can also call 1300 654 329 on weekdays, or ask a hospital Patient Liaison Officer to lodge it if you were admitted.

Once you have a claim number, give it to every health provider you see.

What will the TAC pay for when you see a chiropractor?

The TAC can pay the reasonable cost of chiropractic care for transport accident injuries, at its published rates, when the chiropractor is AHPRA-registered. In the first 90 days after the accident, no prior approval is needed. After 90 days, your chiropractor must request approval, usually through an Allied Health Treatment and Recovery Plan, before further funded treatment.

TAC rule	What it means for you
First 90 days after the accident	Treatment can start without TAC approval.
After 90 days	Your chiropractor submits a treatment and recovery plan, and the TAC must approve it before more funded sessions.
No treatment for 6 months	Approval is needed again before funded treatment restarts.
Chiropractic plus physio or osteo for the same injury	Generally not funded at the same time, except in exceptional circumstances.
Spinal X-rays	A maximum of two spinal X-ray items per injury.

Sources: TAC chiropractic services policy and chiropractor guidelines.

The doubling-up rule catches people out most. Someone starts with a physio near work, then books in with me closer to home, and one set of invoices isn't covered. Changing practitioners is completely fine. Just tell both of us so the handover is clean.

The 90-day review isn't something to fear, either. The TAC wants treatment that's outcome-focused and builds your independence. I agree. A good plan has clear goals, measurable progress and an end point you can see.

How much does a chiropractor cost in Australia?

How much a chiropractor costs in Australia depends on the clinic, because each practice sets its own fees. At Cherrett Chiropractic in Clyde North, an initial consultation is $59 and a standard treatment is $80, or $70 on a care plan. For accepted TAC claims in Victoria, the TAC pays up to $82.53 for a standard chiropractic consultation.

The TAC raised its chiropractic fees by up to 41 per cent on 1 September 2026 to reduce gap payments, so older articles quoting lower figures are out of date. It pays either directly to your provider or by repaying you through myTAC when you upload a receipt. If a clinic charges more than the TAC rate, you may need to pay the difference.

At our clinic, your first visit is split into two appointments: an initial consultation ($59) and a findings-and-recommendations visit ($75) where I explain what I found and what I suggest. Standard treatments are $80 per visit, or $70 on a care plan, and I only recommend a care plan when it suits your condition. Private patients can claim on the day through their extras cover, and Afterpay is available. See our pricing page for details, or our guide on whether private health insurance covers chiropractic.

How the TAC pays for your appointments, and whether anything is left for you to cover, depends on your claim and how it's billed. The easiest way to know is to ask us when you book. Have your claim number handy, call (03) 5915 9895, and we'll walk you through what to expect.

The mistakes I see most often after a crash

• Waiting to see if it settles. Some neck pain does. Pain that's still there after a week or two, or that's spreading, deserves an assessment.
  

• Not claiming because "it was only minor". People skip the claim after low-speed crashes, then need treatment months later. Lodging early costs nothing.
  

• Resting too much. Protecting a sore neck is natural, but long periods of stillness tend to make stiffness worse.

If you've been in a crash recently

Start with your GP or the emergency department, report the accident to police, and lodge your TAC claim. Then, if your neck, back or headaches are still bothering you, book an assessment at our Clyde North clinic. 

Before I treat anyone after a crash, I take time to understand the accident itself and examine you properly, and I'll write to your GP if anything needs medical input. See our car accident and whiplash care page, or read what should actually happen at your first chiropractic visit for more information.

For questions about your claim itself, the TAC is on 1300 654 329.

This article is general information about chiropractic care and the TAC process in Victoria, current as of October 2026. It isn't legal advice or a substitute for an individual assessment. TAC policies and fees can change, so check tac.vic.gov.au for the latest.