Road Traffic Accident Compensation Calculator UK 2025 — What Is Your Claim Worth?
Road traffic accidents are the most common source of personal injury claims in England and Wales. Whether you were a driver, passenger, cyclist, or pedestrian — if the accident was not your fault, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries, lost earnings, and other financial losses. This calculator estimates your claim value using the Judicial College Guidelines and the 2021 whiplash tariff.
General damages are estimates based on the Judicial College Guidelines (17th edition) and whiplash tariff. Actual awards depend on medical evidence and individual circumstances. Special damages require receipts and evidence. Always instruct a specialist personal injury solicitor — most work on a No Win No Fee (CFA) basis. Time limit: 3 years from the accident.
How RTA Compensation is Calculated
Road traffic accident compensation consists of two parts — general damages (compensation for pain, suffering and loss of amenity — PSLA) and special damages (compensation for actual financial losses). Together these form your total claim value.
The OIC Portal — Small RTA Claims
Since May 2021, most low-value RTA personal injury claims (up to £5,000 general damages, accident on or after 31 May 2021) must be submitted through the Official Injury Claim (OIC) portal operated by the Motor Insurers Bureau. The portal is designed for litigants in person (claimants without solicitors) for straightforward whiplash claims, though solicitors can also use it. For claims exceeding this value or involving more serious injuries, the pre-action protocol and litigation process apply.
Whiplash Tariff — Fixed Amounts for Soft Tissue Injuries
| Injury duration | Tariff amount |
|---|---|
| Up to 3 months | £240 |
| 3–6 months | £495 |
| 6–9 months | £840 |
| 9–12 months | £1,320 |
| 12–15 months | £2,040 |
| 15–18 months | £3,005 |
| 18–24 months | £4,215 |
The whiplash tariff applies to soft tissue injuries of the neck, back, and shoulder in road traffic accidents. More serious injuries (fractures, nerve damage, psychological injury) are valued using the full Judicial College Guidelines and are not subject to the tariff ceiling.
The Motor Insurers Bureau — Uninsured Driver Claims
If the driver who caused your accident was uninsured or cannot be traced (hit and run), you can claim compensation from the Motor Insurers Bureau (MIB). The MIB is a company funded by all UK motor insurers specifically to compensate victims of uninsured and untraced drivers. There is no cap on MIB personal injury compensation. You must report the accident to the police and to the MIB within strict time limits — early notification is essential.
Frequently Asked Questions
For simple whiplash claims through the OIC portal, you can self-represent. For anything more complex — multiple injuries, medical issues, significant lost earnings, disputes about liability — a specialist personal injury solicitor is strongly advisable. Most take RTA claims on a No Win No Fee (Conditional Fee Agreement) basis, meaning you pay nothing if you lose and typically nothing upfront even if you win.
If you contributed to the accident — for example, by pulling out without looking properly or not wearing a seatbelt — your compensation will be reduced by the percentage of your contributory negligence. Not wearing a seatbelt typically reduces an award by 25%. If liability is disputed, it is often split (e.g. 80/20 or 50/50) and your compensation is reduced accordingly.
Yes — passengers can always claim against the at-fault driver's insurance regardless of which vehicle they were in. If you were in the car of the driver who caused the accident, you claim against their insurance. If there were two vehicles and both drivers were at fault, you may have claims against both. Being a passenger does not reduce your entitlement unless you knew the driver was uninsured or drunk.