Photo: Eberack, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0The MVA Fund
How to claim after a road accident in Namibia
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Who the MVA Fund covers
Section 24(1) of the Act: a person who suffers loss because of injury to himself or herself, or because of the death or injury of another person, "caused by or arising out of the driving of a motor vehicle by any person, including the person himself or herself, in Namibia" is entitled to the benefits of the Act. The driver who caused the accident can therefore claim too, subject to the Act's exclusions.
The Fund derives its income from the fuel levy and has no other source of funding (MVA Fund FAQ). Drivers do not buy a policy for this cover: it is paid at the pump.
What the MVA Fund pays
| Benefit (MVA Act, section 24(4)) | Maximum |
|---|---|
| Medical treatment, injury management, rehabilitation and life enhancement, per injured person | N$1,500,000 |
| Injury grant (cash compensation for injury) | N$100,000 |
| Loss of income | N$100,000 a year, if you paid tax on your income (otherwise capped at the income-tax threshold) |
| Loss of support (dependants of a person killed) | Worked out on an income of at most N$100,000 a year |
| Funeral benefit, per person killed | N$7,000 |
The same amounts are listed on the Fund's benefits page. They have been in the Act since 2008; in March 2025 the Fund consulted stakeholders on amendments that would move them into regulations (legislative amendments 2025). That is a consultation, not law.
The Fund does not pay when, among other exclusions, the injured person was driving under the influence of alcohol, had no valid driving licence, was committing a serious criminal offence, gave false information or was in the country illegally (MVA Fund benefits).
Visitors and foreigners
A person in Namibia on a visitor's permit gets medical treatment and injury management for the time he or she is in Namibia; for a non-resident who is killed, the award is the funeral benefit (section 24(6)). The Fund adds that a foreigner with a valid work or study permit on the day of the crash qualifies for all the other benefits (MVA Fund FAQ).
Deadlines: one year to claim, 14 days to report
| Rule | Deadline | Section |
|---|---|---|
| Lodge the claim | 1 year from the date the claim arose | 34(1) |
| Claim lodged in time and in the proper form | Prescribes 2 years from the date the claim arose | 34(2) |
| Minors, people detained under mental health law, people under curatorship | Prescription does not run against them | 34(3) |
| Driver and owner report an accident in which someone else was hurt or killed | 14 days, on the prescribed form (fine up to N$5,000 or 6 months) | 30(1)–(2) |
| The Fund objects to the validity of a claim | Within 60 days of receiving it, or the claim is deemed valid | 28(2) |
| You do not respond to a notice of the Fund without good reason | 90 days, or the right to claim is lost | 34(4) |
Work out your dates with the MVA claim deadline calculator. The Fund says complete funeral claims are settled in less than 30 minutes and other complete claims are processed within 30 days (FAQ).
How to claim
- After the crash, call the MVA Fund emergency number 9682: the Fund's call centre sends an ambulance and opens your file (claiming process).
- You receive an MVA Fund reference number and a case manager, who gives you the claim form.
- Fill in the MVA Fund claim form (or the funeral claim form) with the claim checklist and the consent to release medical records, all on the Fund's forms page.
- Hand it in at the head office or a service centre. The Fund assesses the claim, pays the injury grant and draws up a rehabilitation plan if needed.
Head office: Erf 8730, Church Street, Windhoek, +264 61 289 7000, info@mvafund.com.na (contact). Service centres in Otjiwarongo, Keetmanshoop, Otavi, Ongwediva, Walvis Bay, Katima Mulilo and Rundu (service centres).
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Frequently asked questions
How long do I have to claim from the MVA Fund?
One year from the date the claim arose (section 34(1) of the MVA Act). Prescription does not run against minors, people detained under mental health legislation or people under curatorship.
Does the MVA Fund pay for my car?
No. The Fund pays for injury and death only. Damage to vehicles and property needs private motor insurance.
How much is the MVA Fund funeral grant?
N$7,000 per person killed in a motor vehicle accident (section 24(4)(e)).
Can a tourist claim from the MVA Fund?
A visitor gets medical treatment and injury management while in Namibia, and the funeral benefit if killed. Foreigners with a valid work or study permit qualify for all benefits.
What is the MVA Fund emergency number?
9682. The head office is on +264 61 289 7000.
Sources
- Motor Vehicle Accident Fund Act 10 of 2007 (Government Gazette No. 3970, 28 December 2007) — MVA Fund copy
- Motor Vehicle Accident Fund Act 10 of 2007 — annotated text, Legal Assistance Centre
- MVA Fund — MVA Fund benefits
- MVA Fund — Frequently asked questions
- MVA Fund — Claiming process
- MVA Fund — Forms (claim form, funeral claim form, claim checklist)
- MVA Fund — Contact us
- MVA Fund — Service centres
- MVA Fund — Legislative amendments 2025 (stakeholder consultation, 24 March 2025)