Accident Compensation Corporation
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| Accident Compensation Corporation Te Kaporeihana Āwhina Hunga Whara |
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| Agency overview | |
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| Jurisdiction | New Zealand |
| Headquarters | Shamrock House, 81 Molesworth Street, Wellington
Coordinates: 41°16′30″S 174°46′40″E / 41.274876°S 174.777701°E |
| Minister responsible | Hon. Dr.Nick Smith, Minister for ACC |
| Agency executive | Dr Jan White, Chief Executive |
| Website | |
| http://www.acc.co.nz/ | |
The Accident Compensation Corporation (Māori: Te Kaporeihana Āwhina Hunga Whara) is a New Zealand Crown Entity responsible for administering the Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation, and Compensation Act 2001.[1] The Act provides support to citizens, residents, and temporary visitors who have suffered accidental injuries.
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[edit] Features
ACC is the sole and compulsory provider of accident insurance for all work and non-work injuries. The ACC Scheme is administered on a no-fault basis, so that anyone, regardless of the way in which they incurred an injury, is eligible for cover under the Scheme. Due to the Scheme's no-fault basis, people who have suffered personal injury do not have the right to sue an at-fault party, except for exemplary damages.[2]
The ACC Scheme provides a range of entitlements to injured people, from contribution towards the cost of treatment, to weekly compensation for lost earnings (paid at a rate of 80% of a person's pre-injury earnings), and even home or vehicle modifications for the seriously injured. The entitlements offered by the Scheme are subject to various eligibility criteria. ACC, as a Crown Entity, is responsible to a Cabinet Minister via its Board of Directors. The current Minister responsible for ACC is Hon Dr Nick Smith.
| "Our pledge is to prevent injury, to provide the best treatment and care if injury occurs, and to quickly rehabilitate people back to work or independence at a price that offers high value to levy payers and all New Zealanders." |
| The Accident Compensation Corporation pledge |
[edit] History
ACC is rooted in the 1900 "Worker's Compensation Act", which established a limited compensation scheme for workers who had suffered injuries where there was no directly responsible party.
In 1967, a Royal Commission report ('The Woodhouse Report') recommended that this compensation should be extended to all injuries on a no-fault basis. Following this report, on 1 April 1974 the Accident Compensation Commission was established, to operate the 1972 Accident Compensation Act, and the 1973 Amendments.
The Annual Report (1989/90) of the Accident Compensation Commission[3] proposed that the distinction between "accidents" (which is covered[4]) and "illness" (which is not) should be dropped. But this proposal was not taken up. In 1992 the Accident Compensation Commission changed its name to the "Accident Compensation Corporation".
From 1 July 1999 the Fourth National government allowed private insurance operators to provide work-related accident insurance, and ACC was briefly exposed to competition. Due the election of the Fifth Labour government, this change was repealed, and as of 1 July 2000, ACC was re-instated as the sole provider of accident insurance cover.
[edit] 2009 non earners account shortfall
In late 2008, it was found by the incoming National government that ACC has a short fall in the non earners account of $300 million per year. As a result of this, ACC received a $300 million bailout from the New Zealand government.
[edit] See also
- Tort reform
- Peter Cane, Atiyah's Accidents (2006) Cambridge University Press
[edit] Notes
- ^ Injury Prevention, Rehabilitation, and Compensation Act 2001
- ^ see, Donselaar v. Donselaar [1982] 1 NZLR 97, confirmed by Auckland City Council v. Blundell [1986] 1 NZLR 732
- ^ Annual Report (1989/90) of the Accident Compensation Commission, p.5
- ^ see Fenton v. Thorley [1903] WN 149 for an old definition
[edit] External links
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