One of the most common questions after an Ontario accident is: how long will this take? The honest answer is that it depends heavily on the nature of your injuries, whether your insurer disputes anything, and how quickly you move through the initial application process.
The Initial Application Phase: 0–60 Days
Within 7 days: Notify your insurer the accident occurred. Within 10 business days: Your insurer must send you the application forms (OCF forms). Within 30 days of receiving forms: Return completed application. Within 10 business days of receiving your application: Insurer must respond with a determination on accident benefits.
In practice, initial benefit decisions often take 3–6 weeks after your forms are received.
Minor Injury Claims: 3–6 Months
For injuries classified under the Minor Injury Guideline (MIG), the claim is typically short. The $3,500 treatment limit is often reached within a few months of treatment. If there are no disputes, the claim closes when treatment ends or the cap is reached.
Non-Catastrophic Injury Claims: 6 Months to 2+ Years
For more serious injuries, the claims process is longer. Treatment, ongoing assessments, and potential disputes about benefit levels can extend a non-catastrophic claim considerably. Income replacement benefits continue while you are off work, which can extend the claim timeline significantly.
Disputed Claims: Add 1–3 Years
If your insurer denies a benefit or disputes your injury classification, formal dispute resolution through FSRA adds significant time:
Internal review: 1–4 weeks FSRA mediation: typically scheduled within 3–6 months of application Arbitration (if mediation fails): can add another 6–18 months
Disputed catastrophic impairment cases can take 3–5 years to fully resolve.
The 104-Week Transition: A Critical Milestone
At the 2-year mark, your eligibility test for income replacement benefits changes. This is a critical point in the timeline where many claimants see their IRB reduced or eliminated without having been prepared for it. If your claim is approaching the 104-week mark, that should prompt a review of your situation.
Knowing where your claim stands in the timeline — and what milestones are coming — is exactly what a free review is designed to help with.