You've accepted an offer.
Here is what happens next.
Accepting a settlement brings the claim to an end. It is important to understand what that means — both before and after acceptance.
What acceptance means
Accepting a settlement offer through the OIC portal is a binding and permanent act. It is worth understanding exactly what that means before clicking accept.
Once a settlement offer is accepted through the OIC portal, the claim is concluded. There is no cooling-off period. There is no mechanism to reopen it — not if symptoms worsen, not if you later recall financial losses that were not included and not if you feel the figure was too low. The finality of settlement is absolute.
This is why the timing of acceptance matters more than the figure itself. Accepting a settlement while symptoms are ongoing permanently closes the right to claim for their continuation. The process allows a claimant to ask that an offer remain open while recovery continues — insurers are accustomed to this request and the portal accommodates it.
The settlement covers everything agreed in the final offer: the tariff injury payment and any financial losses that were raised and included. If financial losses were not raised before settlement, they cannot be recovered after it. The settlement figure is the complete and final resolution of the claim — not a partial payment with further amounts to follow.
Payment
Payment follows acceptance automatically. The process sets the timescale — it is not the insurer's discretion.
Once a settlement offer is accepted through the OIC portal, the insurer is required to make payment within 10 business days. Most claimants receive payment within this window — many faster. The 10-day requirement is a process obligation, not a target.
Payment is made by bank transfer. There is no cheque, no interim step and no further action required from the claimant. The insurer is notified of the acceptance automatically through the portal and the payment process begins from that point.
If payment is delayed, there is a process for following it up. If 10 business days pass after a confirmed acceptance without payment arriving, contact the insurer through the portal and keep a record of that contact with the date. In most cases a brief delay has a routine explanation — a bank processing issue, account verification or an internal processing step. Most are resolved quickly once raised.
If the insurer does not respond to a payment query within a reasonable period, the OIC portal has an escalation route for this situation. Using the portal's formal mechanism — rather than chasing informally — creates a documented record.
Personal injury compensation — both the tariff injury payment and financial losses recovered as part of a claim — is not subject to income tax or capital gains tax in the United Kingdom. It is not treated as income. It does not need to be declared on a self-assessment tax return.
Interest earned on compensation if it is placed in a savings account is taxable in the normal way — but the compensation itself is not. This applies regardless of the amount received.
The most important question before accepting is not the figure
It is whether your symptoms have fully resolved. A settlement that is accepted while symptoms are ongoing permanently extinguishes the right to claim for their continuation. A figure that feels fair today may look different in six months if recovery takes longer than expected. The process allows claimants to wait. That option exists for a reason.
If symptoms continue after settlement
Settlement permanently closes the OIC claim. There is no mechanism to reopen it — but understanding why does not make the position less important to understand before accepting.
The OIC process operates on a full and final settlement basis. When a claimant accepts an offer, they are agreeing that the figure represents complete resolution of the claim arising from that accident. The insurer cannot later reduce the payment and the claimant cannot later seek more. This finality is a feature of the system — it provides certainty for both parties.
This is why the medical report's prognosis period matters so much. If symptoms are expected to continue for longer than the report records, the tariff value produced will be lower than the injury actually warrants. Correcting the report before approval — through the portal query process — is the point at which that problem can be addressed. Not after settlement.
In very limited circumstances — where a settlement was reached due to fraudulent misrepresentation, duress or a fundamental mistake about the nature of the injuries — it may be possible to challenge a settlement. These circumstances are narrow and difficult to establish. They go well beyond what general guidance covers and require regulated legal advice.
For most claimants, settlement is simply final. The practical protection against this is understanding the process before accepting — not seeking to undo acceptance after the fact.
If you settled and had a solicitor
For claimants who were represented, settlement involves a deduction before payment arrives.
If a solicitor managed your claim on a no win, no fee basis, their success fee is deducted from the settlement before you receive the remainder. The success fee is a percentage of the total settlement — typically between 25 and 50 per cent of the injury compensation element, plus VAT. The exact figure will have been set out in your conditional fee agreement at the start of the retainer.
If there is a disagreement about fees, there is a formal complaints process. Raise it with the solicitor directly first. If it cannot be resolved, the Legal Ombudsman handles complaints about solicitor charges and can order a firm to reduce or repay fees where a complaint is upheld. Their service is free to use.
Settlement is permanent. The process gives you time.
You are not required to accept an offer under time pressure. Symptoms still present. Financial losses not included. Prognosis that felt too short. All of these are reasons to negotiate before accepting — not reasons to accept and hope. The portal is built for this.
Last reviewed: 17 March 2026
ClaimTalk provides general guidance only. Not legal advice. Not affiliated with the Official Injury Claim portal or any government body.
ClaimTalk cannot respond to questions about individual claims. If you need advice specific to your situation, a regulated solicitor is the appropriate route.