Road Accident Fund Claim Forms and Process 2024

In South Africa, The Road Accident Fund provides compensation to individuals injured in road accidents. This article outlines the process and forms involved to make a RAF claim in 2024.

Understanding how to claim for the Road Accident Fund can help you or your loved ones who are involved in a road accident. The RAF can help you get the compensation you deserve.

RAF is established by the government to offer compensation to people who are involved in motor vehicle accidents due to negligent driving. This compensation covers funeral costs, medical expenses, loss of income and general damages depending on the situation of the accidents and its severity. 

Who is eligible to claim RAF?

Road Accident Funds are provided to a wide range of individuals across South Africa. The eligibility criteria for RAF is comprehensive which is designed to include many individuals. Here we will discuss about eligibility criteria to claim RAF in detail:

Injured Individuals:

Any South African citizen or permanent resident can claim RAF if injured in a road accident inside the territory of South Africa. The injured can file a claim with the RAF including pedestrians, passengers, cyclists, drivers and motorcyclists. The RAF claim can be filed regardless of whether the individual was directly involved with the accident or not.

Read also: UIF Registration and Contribution Steps For Employers

Dependents of the deceased Victims:

Dependents of individuals who have died in a road accident can claim RAF. These dependents include children, spouses and other family members who were financially dependent on the person that passed away in a road accident. The claim can be made for loss of support and funeral expenses.

Foreign Nationals:

Foreigners living in South Africa who get injured during road accidents are eligible to claim RAF. This is indeed a great step by the government that sends a positive message to the world that South Africa treats visitors in their country just like its residents. It is essential that foreign claimants file their report only if they are still inside the country. 

Read also: Easily Register on uFiling: A 7-Step User-Friendly Guide

Drivers:

The drivers can claim the RAF even if they were partially responsible in the road accident. They may still be eligible for a partial compensation through the RAF.

Minors:

If a minor is a victim of a road accident in South Africa, Parents or legal guardians can apply for the RAF claim on their behalf. This ensures that the rights of minors and children are also protected in a situation of road accidents.

Types of compensation RAF provides

The RAF provides compensation that is of various types to all individuals using South African roads. The program ensures that anyone who gets injured on South African road in an accident must be compensated for.The various types of losses that RAF covers include:

Medical Expenses:

The RAF covers almost all medical expenses for individuals who got into an accident. These medical expenses include ongoing medical care, surgeries, emergency treatment, medications prescribed, hospitalization fees and all forms of therapies to help with the injuries caused by the accident. RAF ensures that all medical expenses are to be compensated without putting a burden on the road accident victim.

Loss of Income:

There are road accident victims who are unable to return to their work due to the injuries that occurred. RAF compensates them for the loss of income while they are recovering from their injuries.

Funeral Costs:

RAF claims also provide expenses related to the burial of deceased victims. This also ensures that the family of the deceased does not have to go through funeral responsibilities giving them time to mourn.

General Damages:

In case of serious injuries, RAF provides additional compensation. This benefit covers damages purchasing of medical devices for the individual who got serious injuries during the accident. This may help improve the quality of life for the seriously injured.

RAF Claim Forms and Required Documentation

In order to file a claim with the RAF you need to complete specific forms and provide documents required. Below are the necessary documents required to file a claim in RAF:

RAF 1 Form (Claim Form)

This is the main form for submitting your claim to the RAF. It includes information like personal details, descriptions of injuries sustained and the details of the accident.

RAF 4 Form (Serious Injury Assessment)

This form is to submit your claim to the RAF regarding any serious injury sustained. This form must be completed by a professional doctor explaining the severity of the injuries sustained by the victim of the road accident.

Medical Documentation

This document basically includes all documents and receipts for the treatments given to the accident victim after the accident. These documents are basically evidence that the victim is actually injured and the medical expenses will be claimed.

Proof of Earnings

If you want to claim for the loss of income to RAF then you must provide proof of income such as payslips or working contracts that have your employment information.

Death Certificate and proof of Dependency

If you want to make a claim as a dependent of the deceased, you must submit documents such as a death certificate for the deceased and the proof of dependency documents such as your birth certificates or marriage certificate.

Police Report

A police report must be submitted stating the details of the accident. This report is important because it can describe the circumstances of the accident and also plays a vital role in the outcome of the claim. 

Process to submit the claim

Step #1

Gather all the necessary documents and information provided above such as police reports, medical records and the specific forms required.

Step #2

Fill out the forms RAF 1 and RAF 4. Make sure to fill the forms accurately and double check the information written on the forms. Any inaccuracy can cause delay in the process.

Step #3

Submit your documents directly to the RAF or you can ask your attorney to do it on your behalf. In many cases people choose an attorney to make sure the process goes smoothly without errors.

Step #4

Now that you have submitted your claim. All the information given will be verified by the RAF and an amount will be negotiated by the RAF team also known as settlement amount. If both parties agree, the amount for the claim will be settled.

Step #5

Once your RAF claim has been approved, RAF will process your payments. The payment will cover certain damages and medical expenses due to the road accidents.

Read also: How Can I Apply for UIF Maternity Benefit During Leave

Checking the Status of RAF claims

There are various methods to check the status of your RAF claims. The most common methods you can use are:

RAF call center:

You can call the RAF call center and consult about the status of your RAF claim. RAF representatives will assist you with your requests and provide you the necessary information.

Online Inquiry:

You can also visit the official portal of RAF online which is accessible 24\7. Navigate to the section of status check and you will be able to monitor RAF claim status at all times. You can also obtain additional information on the website if needed.

Consulting with your attorney:

If you have chosen to file for RAF claims through an attorney then you can keep in contact with the attorney and regularly ask the status of your claim. The attorney can ask for RAF status on your behalf.

Visiting RAF office:

You can locate a nearest RAF office and visit them to consult about the status of your RAF claim. Many complications are easier to deal with in person. The RAF team will brief you regarding your claims.

FAQs:

Conclusion

To conclude, Road Accident Fund claims forms and process 2024 might seem like a complex process. It involves a detailed process but to make it convenient you must understand the necessary forms and the eligibility criteria to claim for the RAF. More importantly you must ensure that all the information you have given is accurate.

In case you are not able to navigate through this system then you can consider legal assistance to navigate the process effectively. RAF is always available to provide the support required to individuals claiming for medical expenses, loss of loved ones and loss of income.