Claim deadline checker

Malaysia does not run every road accident claim on the same clock. Your deadline depends on a few facts about the accident.

How this checker works

Start with where the accident happened, because Sabah and Sarawak have their own limitation rules and the tool shows no date for Sabah, Sarawak or “not sure”.

Then answer the questions below. Several deadlines can apply at once, because they belong to different claims or different people: the family’s dependency claim after a death, the injured person’s own claim, a Motor Insurers’ Bureau claim, or a claim against a government vehicle.

The checker shows every one that applies. The earliest date is the one to plan around.

The questions the checker asks

1. Did the accident result in a death. If yes, a dependency claim by the family generally must be brought within three years of the date of death, treated as an absolute limit.^[2] This is a separate claim from the injured person’s own claim, with its own date.
2. Was the at-fault vehicle owned by the government or a public authority. If yes, a shorter 36-month deadline can apply instead of the usual periods.^[3] This is worth confirming directly, since ownership is not always obvious.
3. Was the other driver uninsured, but you have their vehicle’s registration number. If yes, a claim to the Motor Insurers’ Bureau generally must be made within three years of the accident.^[4]
4. Was the injured person under 18 at the time of the accident. If yes, time generally does not start running until they turn 18, giving them six years from that birthday for their own injury claim.^[5]
5. None of the above. For an accident in Peninsular Malaysia, your ordinary personal injury claim generally has six years from the date of the accident.^[1] This is the default that most claims there fall under. In Sabah and Sarawak the period under their own ordinances differs, so a lawyer must confirm it.

Treat the deadline as a last date

Whichever deadline applies, it is the outer limit, not a target. Evidence and witnesses fade long before these periods end.

What to do next

Claim deadlines explained sets out every situation side by side in one table. Which claim route fits you helps you confirm the wider path your claim is on.

If a deadline is close, an independent lawyer can take on your claim and work out the date that applies. Send the accident date, where it happened, whether anyone was injured (yes/no) and the police report status.