ACC may be able to assist you after you have a claim for hearing loss injury accepted.
What help can I get?
Depending on your particular needs, we may be able to help with:
- special equipment, such as a hearing aid
- related consumables, such as batteries
- other support, such as communication programmes to help you learn more effective ways to communicate in everyday situations
- relevant and helpful advice, such as protecting your hearing.
You may also be eligible for an independence allowance or lump sum payment. See Independence allowance and Lump sum payment for more information.
What do I need to do to get help?
- Talk to ACC about what kind of help we may be able to provide.
- Complete the ACC001 Request for assistance form, listing details of equipment or assistance that you require.
- Attach any medical certificates, accounts, receipts or other proof you have to support your claim.
- Usually, you will have been asked to complete a questionnaire and had an assessment when your claim is first being assessed for cover. This will be used to assess your application for assistance.
Important:
It is important not to incur any costs before you talk to us. ACC cannot guarantee payment for consultations or hearing devices that we have not arranged.
How am I eligible?
To be eligible for treatment or help with hearing loss, you must meet certain criteria, including:
- your claim for hearing loss has been accepted for cover by ACC as a personal injury
- you have an assessed need for rehabilitation as a direct result of the hearing loss injury
- the treatment or help is necessary, appropriate and the most cost-effective option likely to help you achieve independence in your daily life.
It is important for us to be certain that the assistance you have asked for is required as a result of the type of hearing loss injury you have been covered for, and best meets your needs.
Important:
Your actual entitlement depends on your individual circumstances. Please contact us to confirm if you are eligible, or to identify other ways in which we can help. See Contact ACC Claims for our contact information.
How long might ACC take to determine if I am eligible?
The majority of hearing loss claims are assessed for cover within four months of being lodged. It may take this long to make a decision because of the time it takes to get a report from an ENT specialist. The specialist’s report is also required when we assess the type of assistance ACC can provide.
If it is not possible to make a decision within four months, ACC will extend the timeframe. You will be told about the extension as soon as possible.
What happens next?
ACC will make a decision about what help we can give you when all the information requested, such as questionnaires and assessment reports, has been received and considered. Then we will contact you and let you know if your application has been accepted.
If your claim is declined, we will tell you why.
If it is agreed that you need a hearing aid or other specialised equipment, we will work with you and the audiologist to make sure you receive the right equipment; this usually involves a trial of the equipment. ACC can also help with the supply of hearing aid batteries, if we provide you with a hearing aid.
It is important to act on any hearing conservation and protection advice provided during your assessment and, if you are working, to talk to your employer about it. For more information, see Noise induced hearing loss.
Note:
If you are unhappy with the decision, you can ask for it to be reviewed. See What if I have problems with a claim?
Related legislation
Accident Compensation Act 2001
- Section 81: Corporation’s liability to provide key aspects of social rehabilitation (external website)
- Schedule 1, Clause 13: Aids and appliances (external website)
For more information, see Hearing Association of New Zealand Inc (external link).