Supporting injured international visitors

Lodging claims and cover

Most of our injured visitors require treatment following a physical injury. Claims can however be lodged for support following sexual abuse, treatment injury, and mental injury caused by physical or treatment injury. 

If the visitor has an appropriate New Zealand address and/or phone number, then these can be noted on the ACC45 claim lodgement form. Otherwise, the overseas home address and number should be used.  

When using overseas contact details, claim cover is best confirmed either by the kiritaki getting in touch with us, or by a health provider using our online services. 

Lodging claims

What we can’t cover

For an injury to be covered, the accident must have happened in New Zealand. There are some specific accident locations that our legislation excludes cover for. We can’t provide cover for accidents resulting in injuries that occurred: 

• while travelling to or from New Zealand, even if it was within our waters or airspace 
• while on a gangplank, airbridge, or similar equipment, either getting on or off a ship, aircraft, or other vessel 
• while on the same vessel the visitor arrived on while travelling around New Zealand. For example, a visitor arriving via cruise ship is injured by slipping in the shower on the same ship, even if it was in port. 

If a person suffers an injury more than 12 nautical miles from New Zealand, they are considered to be outside of New Zealand. In this case they would not be covered under the scheme. 

We may be able to provide cover for injuries in the following case: 

Example: John arrived from overseas on a cruise ship. He transferred to a different boat for a fishing charter. He was injured within our boundary and then returned to New Zealand to disembark.  

Cover can be complex. Contact us if you’re unsure whether to lodge a claim. Provide detail of the accident event and location so we can assess the claim for cover. 

If a resident of New Zealand has an injury while overseas, we may be able to provide cover when they return to New Zealand. You can lodge a claim with us as normal.  

Financial compensation and ongoing support

Many visitors will come from counties where suing is normal practice. Having ACC means we have forgone the right to sue in New Zealand.  

Injured visitors should be encouraged to contact their travel insurance provider to understand what financial support they may be able to access. 

Paying for treatment or rehabilitation

Under our legislation, injured visitors must receive the same support as our residents. Health providers may ask for their usual co-payment. 

All costs that may be incurred by the kiritaki should be discussed with them as part of usual informed consent practices. 

Where there are both injury and medical needs, we can only fund the injury-related part. There is more information about medical care on Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora’s website. 

Eligibility for publicly funded health services – Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora 

Leaving New Zealand

Support from us ceases when an injured visitor leaves the country. 

If a visitor has significant or life changing injuries, we may consider approving a limited amount of Telehealth to provide continuity of care. This should be discussed with the recovery team of the kiritaki as part of their discharge planning. 

Usual immigration requirements apply to injured visitors. Any difficulty leaving should be raised with Immigration New Zealand by the injured kiritaki (or their representatives). 

We are unable to assist with international travel for injured visitors. Kiritaki should talk with their insurance company or travel agent should the need transport to their home county. 

Returning to New Zealand

If an injured visitor returns to New Zealand, they may seek further treatment on their claim while here. Treatment providers must be confident that any services provided are due to the accident or injury accepted for cover. 

Find more information about getting public health care in New Zealand on the Immigration website.  

Getting public health care in New Zealand | Immigration New Zealand