The Road Accident Fund is an insurance fund supported by government in order to compensates victims of road accidents within South African.
The RAF covers pedestrians, passengers and drivers who are involved in car accidents. There are two ways in which you can claim for the RAF cover after you’ve been a victim of an accident, if eligible. Firstly, you can do it on your own through the RAF lawyers and secondly you can appoint your own lawyers to handle matters for you.
Law for All states that the driver of vehicle can lodge a claim when another driver contributed to the accident, or an unidentified driver and vehicle caused the accident.
It further states that other people who can claim include:
- Dependents of a deceased victim.
- A parent or legal guardian of a minor child (a child under 18 years of age must be assisted by a grown up).
Following are steps on how to claim from the Road Accident Fund, as supplied by Law and All.
Step 1: Gather all the necessary and relevant documents and evidence to substantiate your claim, including:
- RAF Claim Forms.
- Police report, sketch plan and case number.
- Personal details.
- Details of other people involved in the accident.
- Copies of hospital records and other medical documents relating to injuries.
- Proof of medical expenses.
- Proof of earnings and loss of income (e.g., salary slips)
- Motivating statements by medical and legal experts.
- Proof of damage to vehicles and nearby structures.
- Witness Statements.
- Proof of marriage (if claim by spouse).
Step 2: Complete and submit the required RAF Claim Forms
- Visit the RAF’s website to download the required claim forms. Claimants need to complete prescribed statutory Claims Form RAF 1, which details basic information on the claimant, the vehicles and drivers involved in the accident, the date and place of accident and the amounts claimed.
- The drivers involved in the accident must provide details of the incident on an Accident Report Form RAF 3.
- If a claim is submitted for general damages, a Serious Injury Assessment Report RAF 4 must also be submitted to confirm that the injuries are serious.
- Claims can unfortunately not be submitted via email. Hard copies must be sent to the RAF. The documents can be faxed, but the originals must still be provided.
- It’s important to ensure that all forms are filled in correctly, and to keep copies of all the documents submitted to the RAF.
- The RAF will make contact if any documents are missing, but it’s best to send all the required information to avoid unnecessary delays.
STEP 3: The RAF will investigate the Claim
- Once the RAF receives the forms and supporting documents, it will register a claim on its system and conduct investigations, it has 120 days in which to do so.
- The RAF may require additional documents or information and require a claimant to visit a medical practitioner of their choice to assess the extent of the injuries sustained in the accident.
- Essentially, the RAF will determine whether the claim is valid and if there are merits to the case. It will also determine the amount of damages and hopefully present a settlement offer.
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