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How long does physiotherapy take after a car accident?
It depends on the injury, but Alberta’s rules give a useful guide. Under the Diagnostic and Treatment Protocols, a minor sprain, strain or grade I whiplash is pre-authorized for up to 10 treatments, and a grade II whiplash or more severe sprain for up to 21, all within 90 days of the accident. Many people need less. Your physiotherapist assesses you at the first visit and tells you where you fall.
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The short answer
Alberta’s Diagnostic and Treatment Protocols Regulation (DTPR) sets out what treatment is pre-authorized after a collision, so that people with the most common injuries can start care without waiting for an insurer’s approval:
- First- or second-degree sprain, strain, or whiplash-associated disorder grade I (WAD I): up to 10 treatments.
- Third-degree sprain or WAD II: up to 21 treatments, combining physiotherapy, chiropractic and adjunct therapies such as massage.
- Window: treatment within 90 days of the date of the accident.
Within those limits, a physiotherapist, chiropractor or physician can authorize treatment directly.
This page describes the rules for accidents up to December 31, 2026. Alberta’s Care-First system replaces them for accidents on or after January 1, 2027; see the section below. This page will be reviewed in December 2026.
The protocol numbers are a ceiling, not a prescription. What your recovery actually looks like depends on the grade of injury, how soon you start, and what else is going on, which the rest of this page explains.
What a typical recovery looks like
In our experience at Next Step, written as ranges rather than promises: a minor strain or WAD I injury commonly settles within the first few weeks with a handful of visits and a home program. A WAD II injury, where there is reduced neck movement and tenderness as well as pain, more often takes a couple of months, and a portion of people have symptoms that persist beyond the 90-day window and continue under Section B benefits. Everyone is different, and the first assessment is where you get an estimate that applies to you rather than to an average.
Why starting early matters. The protocols were written to get people moving in the first days after a collision because that is what the evidence on whiplash supports: staying active, restoring normal neck movement early and avoiding prolonged collar use are associated with better recovery. Waiting to see whether it settles on its own tends to lengthen the course, not shorten it.
What Section B covers if you need more
Every Alberta auto insurance policy includes Section B accident benefits, which pay for medical and rehabilitation treatment regardless of who was at fault. The medical and rehabilitation limit is $50,000 per person for expenses within 2 years of the accident. For injuries outside the protocols, physiotherapy has a $750 allocation that your physiotherapist can use without insurer approval; beyond that, the insurer approves further treatment. Some other services have their own caps: $1,000 for chiropractic, $350 for massage therapy and $350 for acupuncture. Treatment beyond the protocol limits, or after 90 days, continues under Section B with the insurer’s approval, which your physiotherapist requests with a treatment plan and progress report.
Sources: College of Physiotherapists of Alberta, Updates to auto insurance in Alberta (2020 amendments); Alberta Superintendent of Insurance, Bulletin 02-2020.
What you pay, and what to bring
For protocol treatment you pay nothing at the visit. Next Step bills your Section B insurer directly. To your first visit, bring your claim number (your insurer gives you this when you report the accident), the insurer’s name, the date of the collision, and the police file number if there is one. If you have not yet reported the accident to your insurer, do that first; the claim number is what lets us bill them.
If you also have extended health benefits, they are not touched by a protocol claim, so your yearly physiotherapy maximum stays available for other things.
Concussion, dizziness and headaches after an accident
The sprain and strain protocols cover neck and back injuries. Concussion, dizziness, visual problems and persistent headaches are assessed separately and treated under Section B rather than the fixed protocol numbers. A vestibular and concussion assessment looks at the inner ear, eye movement, neck and balance together, because after a collision these commonly overlap. See our concussion physiotherapy and dizziness treatment pages. Tell your physiotherapist at the first visit if you have any of these symptoms, even if the neck pain is what brought you in.
What changes on January 1, 2027
Alberta is replacing its current auto insurance system with Care-First for accidents that happen on or after January 1, 2027. The province describes treatment such as physiotherapy under Care-First as unlimited for as long as it contributes to recovery, with income replacement of up to $125,000 a year, and the right to sue narrowing to cases involving serious driving offences. The regulations that will set out how treatment is authorized and billed had not been published when this page was written. Accidents before January 1, 2027 stay under the current protocols and Section B rules described above. Source: alberta.ca, Care-First auto insurance. This section will be expanded when the regulations are released.
Do I need a lawyer? That is your decision and we do not give legal advice. What we can tell you is that whether or not you make a claim beyond Section B, the physiotherapist’s assessment and progress records are the documents any claim relies on, which is one more reason to be assessed early and attend consistently.
To book, call (587) 855-4559 or use the online booking form. No referral is needed.
Clinically reviewed by Roopreet Kaur, Registered Physiotherapist, Next Step Physio & Neurorehab Clinic. Last reviewed October 2026.
FAQ
Coverage and approval
Does car insurance cover physiotherapy in Alberta?
Yes. Section B accident benefits on every Alberta auto policy cover treatment regardless of fault, and the Diagnostic and Treatment Protocols pre-authorize the first 10 or 21 treatments for sprains, strains and whiplash.
Do I need the insurer's approval before starting physiotherapy?
Not within the protocol limits. A physiotherapist can authorize up to 10 or 21 treatments directly within 90 days of the accident. Beyond that, treatment continues under Section B with the insurer's approval.
Will this change in 2027?
Yes. For accidents on or after January 1, 2027, Alberta's Care-First system replaces the current protocols and Section B rules. Accidents before that date stay under the current system.
Recovery
How soon after a car accident should I start physiotherapy?
As soon as you can. The protocol window is 90 days from the accident, and the evidence on whiplash favours early, active treatment.
What if I am still in pain after 90 days?
Treatment can continue under Section B benefits with the insurer's approval. Your physiotherapist sends a progress report and treatment plan to request it.
How many physiotherapy sessions do I get after a car accident in Alberta?
The protocols pre-authorize up to 10 treatments for a minor sprain, strain or WAD I whiplash and up to 21 for a WAD II or third-degree sprain. Many people need fewer.
