Injuries in New Zealand report acts as call to action
We’ve released the ‘Injuries in New Zealand’ report, designed to provide insights into how we’re getting injured and help New Zealanders take practical action to reduce harm and support faster recovery.
We accepted more than two million injury claims last year.
Behind every one of those claims was an injured New Zealander unable to participate in their everyday life, ACC Chief Executive Megan Main says.
“An injury changes how you live, your ability to work, how you support your family and your involvement in your community,” she says.
But it doesn’t stop there.
“Injuries also reduce capacity across New Zealand’s workforce, affecting the health of our entire economy.”
Injuries in New Zealand – Insights from 2025: How we’re getting hurt and how you can make a difference
Key insights from ‘Injuries in New Zealand’ report
Home
Around 50 per cent of injuries take place at home, making these injuries a significant contributor to overall harm and demand on the scheme.
Last year, 37,000 home injuries resulted in 6.4 million days of weekly compensation and $2.7 billion in lost productivity, costing the scheme $934 million.
Falls are the leading cause of injury in the home, often occurring during routine activities like getting in and out of bed, moving through the house or carrying out daily tasks.
Sport and recreation
In 2025, sport and recreation injuries resulted in over 480,000 claims, leading to 2.5 million days of weekly compensation, $1 billion in lost productivity and $389 million in costs to the scheme.
Trends in how people live and stay active are having an impact, with gym and fitness-related injuries increasing.
These injury claims increased by 10 per cent last year, making them the largest contributor of sport and recreation claims, surpassing rugby.
Work
In 2025, workplace injuries resulted in 4.7 million days of weekly compensation, costing the scheme $815 million.
That time away from work, as a result of workplace injuries, contributes to an estimated $2 billion in lost productivity each year.
These injuries most commonly occur in higher-risk industries such as agriculture, manufacturing and construction, where work involves greater exposure to machinery, vehicles, manual handling and working at height.
When people are injured at work, the impact is immediate, placing pressure on workforce capacity and productivity, and the individual themselves.
Road
Road injuries make up a small proportion of ACC claims, but their impact is significant.
In 2025, they accounted for less than two per cent of injury claims, but 11 per cent of total costs, reflecting the severity and complexity of these injuries.
The average cost per road injury claim is $14,500 – nearly ten times higher than sports injuries and three times that of workplace injuries.
In 2025, road injuries resulted in 1.3 million days of weekly compensation, costing the scheme $201 million, and contributing $549 million of lost productivity across the economy.
More information on our injuries
For more information on how New Zealanders are getting injured and what you can do about it, you can read the ‘Injuries in New Zealand’ report on our website.
