A collision can leave you with neck pain, headaches, stiffness or back pain that takes weeks to settle. In Alberta, physiotherapy after a motor vehicle accident is usually funded through auto insurance rather than through a workplace health plan. Here is how that coverage works and what you need to do to start treatment.
Section B applies regardless of fault
Every standard Alberta auto insurance policy includes Section B accident benefits. These benefits pay for reasonable medical treatment after a collision, and they apply regardless of who was at fault. You claim through your own insurer, even when another driver caused the crash. Passengers, and pedestrians or cyclists struck by a vehicle, can also claim.
Sprains, strains and whiplash fall under the treatment protocols
Alberta’s Diagnostic and Treatment Protocols Regulation (DTPR) sets out a pre-approved pathway for the most common collision injuries: sprains, strains and whiplash-associated disorder (WAD). If your injury fits one of those categories, a set number of physiotherapy visits is approved in advance — 10 or 21 visits, depending on the severity of the injury — without a separate authorisation from the insurer for each appointment. Since November 2020 the protocols also cover the clinically associated effects of those injuries, whether physical or psychological.
The pathway is time-limited, so the sooner you are assessed, the more of it is available to you. Injuries that fall outside the protocols, such as fractures, disc injuries or concussion, are still claimable under Section B, but they are handled through the insurer rather than through the pre-approved pathway.
Common injuries we see after collisions include whiplash, acute and chronic neck pain, headaches and back and spine injuries.
Starting treatment: the practical steps
- Report the collision to your insurer. Do this even if the damage seems minor and even if you are not sure you were injured. Reporting opens the claim and generates the claim number the clinic needs.
- Ask for the accident benefits paperwork. Your insurer will send an AB-1 Notice of Loss and Proof of Claim form. Section B has reporting deadlines, so return it promptly and ask your adjuster to confirm which deadline applies to your claim.
- Get assessed. Book a physiotherapy assessment as soon as you are able. The assessment identifies which injuries you have, whether they fall inside the protocols, and what treatment is appropriate.
- Give the clinic your claim details. The clinic needs your claim number, insurer, adjuster name and contact, date of the collision and policy number to bill the insurer directly.
- Begin treatment and keep the paperwork moving. Your physiotherapist reports progress to the insurer through the claim, and attending consistently keeps the file straightforward.
What to bring to your first appointment
- Claim number and insurer name
- Adjuster’s name, phone number and email
- Date of the collision
- Policy number
- Any reports from a physician, walk-in clinic or emergency department
- Government-issued photo identification
- Details of any extended health benefits you also hold
When the pre-approved visits run out
Recovery does not always fit inside the number of visits set out in the protocols. If symptoms continue, your physiotherapist can report on your progress and request further treatment through the insurer. Section B also includes a funding allocation for physiotherapy beyond the protocols; that amount is set by regulation and your adjuster can confirm what remains on your claim. Extended health benefits through an employer can sometimes be used alongside Section B, and the clinic can tell you how the two are coordinated.
Direct billing
Most motor vehicle accident treatment is billed directly to the auto insurer once the claim is open and the clinic has the claim details, so you generally do not pay up front for protocol visits. Where a portion is not covered, the clinic will tell you the amount before treatment so there are no surprises. Our billing and pricing page sets out how this works.
Common questions
Do I need a lawyer to get physiotherapy after a car accident?
No. Section B treatment benefits are part of your own insurance policy, and you can access them by reporting the claim yourself. Questions about settlements or claims against another driver are legal questions, and a lawyer is the right person to answer those. A physiotherapy clinic can only assist with the treatment side of the claim.
How soon should I be assessed?
As soon as you reasonably can. The treatment protocols are time-limited from the date of the collision, and early assessment also establishes a clear record of your injuries on the claim file.
I felt fine at the scene. Should I still be checked?
Whiplash and soft tissue symptoms often appear a day or two after a collision, once the initial adrenaline has settled. If stiffness, headaches, dizziness or pain develop later, it is worth being assessed and telling your insurer.
Will claiming Section B affect my premium?
That depends on how fault is determined and on your insurer’s rating rules. Your broker or insurer is the right source for that answer.
What if I was a passenger, a pedestrian or on a bicycle?
Accident benefits still apply. Which policy responds depends on the circumstances, so report the collision and ask the insurer to confirm which policy covers your treatment.
Booking an assessment in NE Calgary
Genesis Physiotherapy is located at 7555 Falconridge Blvd NE #23, inside the Genesis Centre in NE Calgary. To arrange a motor vehicle accident assessment, see our motor vehicle accident physiotherapy page or contact the clinic.
This article is general information for Alberta residents. It is not legal advice and it is not a substitute for an individual assessment. Coverage amounts, visit allocations and timelines are set by regulation and can change — confirm the current details with your insurer or at alberta.ca.
