In the Event of a Traffic Accident

If you were involved in a traffic accident in which you sustained bodily injury, the SAAQ is there to help you. Here is the procedure to follow to report your accident.

• 1 What you should know

  • • Other websites

      • Commission des normes, de l'équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail⁠ ⁠
      • Crime Victims Compensation Act⁠ ⁠

  • • Laws and regulations

      • Automobile Insurance Act⁠ ⁠
      • Crime Victims Compensation Act⁠ ⁠
      • Act to promote good citizenship⁠ ⁠

  Under the public automobile insurance plan, all Quebecers are covered in the event of a traffic accident in Québec or anywhere else in the world, regardless of whether they were responsible.

  If you sustained bodily injuries in an accident

  You must take the following actions as quickly as possible:

  • see a physician and ask him or her to complete the initial medical report
  • phone us to report your accident and open your claim file
  • phone your private insurer about the property damage to your vehicle

  Accidents not covered

  Certain types of accidents are not covered by the public automobile insurance plan.

  Traffic accidents that occur in the exercise of employment duties

  If the accident occurred while you were exercising the duties of your employment, you must report your accident to the Commission des normes, de l'équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail⁠ ⁠.

  Traffic accidents resulting from a criminal act

  If your aggressor used a vehicle against you, you may file a claim for compensation:

  • with the Commission des normes, de l'équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail⁠ ⁠, which is responsible for the Act to assist persons who are victims of criminaloffences and to facilitate their recovery⁠ ⁠

  or

  • with the SAAQ, which is responsible for the Automobile Insurance Act⁠ ⁠

  Phone us to find out about the procedure that applies to your case.

  Traffic accidents that occur while providing emergency assistance to another person

  If you were injured in a traffic accident while providing emergency assistance to another person, you may file a claim for compensation:

  • with the Commission des normes, de l'équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail⁠ ⁠, which is responsible for the Act to promote good citizenship⁠ ⁠

  or

  • with the SAAQ, which is responsible for the Automobile Insurance Act⁠ ⁠

  Phone us to find out about the procedure that applies to your case.

  You have a maximum of 3 years from the date of the accident to file a compensation claim to the SAAQ.

  In the case of a hit-and-run, you may be entitled to compensation for property damage.

2 What you must do

2 Your answers

Important!

Were you injured?

Yes

No

Confirm your choice

• 3 Consulting a physician

  • • Costs

      • If you are required to pay for the initial report, we will reimburse those fees up to a maximum of $35 on presentation of the receipt. The physician can also invoice his or her professional fees directly to us.

  • • Other websites

      • Network clinics⁠ ⁠

  When you see a physician, make sure he or she completes the initial report and gives it to you as soon as possible.

  Finding a physician

  Unfortunately, the SAAQ cannot help you find a physician or get an appointment more quickly. If you do not have a physician, refer to the list of network clinics in your area⁠ ⁠.

• 4 Compensation Claim

  • • Online services

      • Claim for Compensation
      • Reimbursement of Expenses and Document Submission

  You may claim:

  • an income replacement indemnity
  • an indemnity for the loss of a school year or semester
  • an indemnity for care expenses
  • the reimbursement of certain expenses

  To find out the maximum amounts payable by the SAAQ following a traffic accident, refer to the Compensation Table (PDF, 168.3 KB)⁠ ⁠ ⁠.

  Filing your compensation claim

  Online

  Use our online service to file your compensation claim.

  Using the paper form

  If you prefer to file your claim using the paper form, you must first call us to open a file and be given a claim number. You will need this number to complete the required compensation claim documents.

  Select the form that applies to your situation

  Disability lasting 8 days or longer

  • Claim for Compensation for an Inability to Perform Activities and Compensation for Accident-Related Expenses (PDF, 1.0 MB)⁠
  • Guide to the Claim for Compensation for an Inability to Perform Activities and Compensation for Accident-Related Expenses (PDF, 369.2 KB)⁠

  Disability lasting 7 days or less

  • Claim for Compensation for Accident-Related Expenses (PDF, 558.3 KB)⁠
  • Guide to the Claim for Compensation for Accident-Related Expenses (PDF, 162.5 KB)⁠

  Other ways of obtaining the claim for compensation form

  • You can ask the person who opens your claim file to mail it to you.
  • You can go to one of our service outlets and request it.

  You have a maximum of 3 years from the date of the accident to file a compensation claim to the SAAQ.

  In the case of a hit-and-run, you may be entitled to compensation for property damage.

  Enclosing the required documents with your claim

  • The initial medical report
  • Proof of the accident, such as the accident report or a copy of the joint report of the traffic accident.
  • Supporting documents, such as receipts for expenses incurred

  Remember to write your claim number on all documents you enclose with your claim.

  Additional documents to enclose with your claim, depending on your situation

  These documents will be required if you are unable to work for more than 7 consecutive days after your accident.

  If you are a salaried employee

  • The Attestation of Income by the Employer (PDF, 353.1 KB)⁠ ⁠ form

  If you were scheduled to begin new employment within 6 days after the date of your accident…

  You will be deemed to be holding that employment at the time of the accident.

  If you are self-employed

  You must send us, for each of the past 3 years:

  Resident of Québec

  • your provincial income tax returns
  • your notices of assessment
  • your Business or Professional Income and Expenses forms from Revenu Québec⁠ ⁠ or your statement of income (income and expenses)

  Resident of other Canadian provinces

  • your federal income tax returns
  • your notices of assessment
  • your Statement of Business or Professional Activities forms from Revenue Canada⁠ ⁠ or your statement of income (income and expenses)

   Non-resident of Canada

  • an official document issued by your country of origin confirming your income for the past 3 years

  If you are a full-time student and age 16 or older

  You must have the Attestation of School Attendance form completed. This form is provided to you with the claim for compensation form.

  If you were receiving Employment Insurance benefits or an employment assistance allowance

  You must have the Confirmation of Employment Insurance Benefits Lost or Confirmation of Employment-Assistance Allowance Lost form completed. This form is provided to you with the claim for compensation form.

  If you work without pay in a family business

  If you are no longer able to perform your usual work in the family business, you are entitled to a reimbursement of the labour costs incurred to hire someone to replace you for the first 180 days after your accident.

  Submitting your documents

  Online

  Use our Reimbursement of Expenses and Document Submission online service

  By fax

  1 866 289-7952

  By mail

  Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec
  Case postale 2500, succursale Terminus
  Québec (Québec) G1K 8A2

  If you file your claim online or by fax…

  You are not required to mail us the original documents.
  Remember to write your claim number on all your documents (receipts, invoices, etc.).

• 5 Processing the claim and decision

  • • Delivery time frame

      • 10 business days after receiving your compensation claim

  • • Forms

      • Direct Deposit (PDF, 234.1 KB)⁠

  • • See also

      • Contesting a Decision
      • What Is Not Covered by the Public Automobile Insurance Plan

  Once you have filed your compensation claim along with the required documents, we will send you a receipt confirmation on which the name of the compensation officer assigned to your case will be indicated.

  If necessary, your compensation officer will contact you within 10 business daysDay of the week normally considered a work day, excluding statutory holidays.   after receiving your compensation claim to inform you about the steps and processing times involved in your file.

  If your claim is accepted, your compensation officer will indicate to you, in writing, the indemnities to which you are entitled and the amounts you will receive.

  If you disagree with a decision by your compensation officer, phone him or her for additional explanations. If you still disagree with the decision, you have the right to contest that decision.

  Direct deposit of the indemnities

  The SAAQ can deposit your indemnities directly into your bank account. If you choose this option, complete the Direct Deposit (PDF, 234.1 KB)⁠ form and remember to enclose a cheque marked “VOID.”

• 6 No action is required on your part

  Based on your replies, you do not appear to have a claim to file for the time being.

  You have a maximum of 3 years as of the date of the accident, the onset of injury or the death of an accident victim to file a compensation claim with the SAAQ.