💡 Top tip for employers
If you're in the ACT, NT, TAS or WA, workers compensation premiums may vary between insurers. That means it's particularly important to compare policies.
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If an employee falls sick due to their job, or is injured while at work, workers compensation insurance will cover their lost wages, medical expenses, rehab services - and more.
If you're an employer and you don't have workers compensation insurance, you could face huge fines and even jail time. Here's what you need to know and how to get a quote.
Workers compensation doesn't have to be complicated. Fill your details in the form below and a broker will come back to you with your options. Easy.
Choose the tab with your state to see who needs workers compensation, whether you might be exempt, and where you can find more information.
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If you're in the ACT, NT, TAS or WA, workers compensation premiums may vary between insurers. That means it's particularly important to compare policies.
State | How insurers work out the cost |
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NSW | For 2020-2021, the average premium rate is 1.4%. This means you multiply the amount you spend on remuneration by 1.4% to get a rough idea of your workers comp premium. However, the premium rate can vary depending on industry. The more dangerous the industry, the higher the premium rate. Your premium may also be impacted by your claims history. |
VIC | For 2020-2021, the average premium rate is 1.272%. This means you multiply the amount you spend on remuneration by 1.272% to get a rough idea of your workers comp premium. However, the premium rate can vary depending on industry. The more dangerous the industry, the higher the premium rate. Your premium may also be impacted by your claims history. |
QLD | For 2020-2021, the average premium rate is 1.2%. This means you multiply the amount you spend on remuneration by 1.2% to get a rough idea of your workers comp premium. However, the premium rate can vary depending on industry. The more dangerous the industry, the higher the premium rate. Your premium may also be impacted by your claims history. |
WA | For 2020-2021, the average recommended premium rate is 1.638%. This means you multiply the amount you spend on remuneration by 1.638% to get a rough idea of your workers comp premium. However, the premium rate can vary depending on industry. The more dangerous the industry, the higher the premium rate. Your premium may also be impacted by your claims history and even which insurer you choose. It's particularly important to compare prices if you live in WA. |
TAS | For 2020-2021, the average recommended premium rate is 2.22% of wages. This means you multiply the amount you spend on remuneration by 2.22% to get a rough idea of your workers comp premium. However, the premium rate can vary depending on industry. The more dangerous the industry, the higher the premium rate. Your premium may also be impacted by your claims history and even which insurer you choose. It's particularly important to compare prices if you live in TAS. |
ACT | For 2020-2021, the average receomended premium rate is 2.33%. This means you multiply the amount you spend on remuneration by 2.33% to get a rough idea of your workers comp premium. However, the premium rate can vary depending on industry. The more dangerous the industry, the higher the premium rate. Your premium may also be impacted by your claims history and even which insurer you choose. It's particularly important to compare prices if you live in ACT. |
SA | For 2020-2021, the average receomended premium rate is 1.2%. This means you multiply the amount you spend on remuneration by 1.2% to get a rough idea of your workers comp premium. However, the premium rate can vary depending on industry. The more dangerous the industry, the higher the premium rate. Your premium may also be impacted by your claims history. |
NT | Each business is assigned a rate relative to the risk of their industry. Your gross annual spend on wages is then multiplied by this rate to get your premium. However, your premium may also be impacted by claims history or even which insurer you choose. |
Workers compensation claims are decided on a case by case basis and rules vary between states. Here's a general overview.
What's covered | More info |
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| Employees are generally covered if they're on-site |
| Employees are covered in NSW, VIC, QLD and NT. |
| The ACT covers commutes without restrictions. |
| Employees can still make claims for illnesses and injuries that happen outside the workplace, but they'll have to prove their employment was a main contributing factor. |
| Employees are covered while undertaking work-related travel. Conditions are stricter in VIC than in other states. |
Workers compensation won't cover everything. Here are a few things that are always excluded, regardless of which state you're in.
Exclusion | More info |
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| This includes being under the influence of drugs or alcohol, committing a crime. However, death and serious injury benefits may still apply |
| Employees can't make a claim for death, injury or illness that was self-inflicted. |
| If the employee lied about pre-existing conditions, they may be excluded from making a related claim. |
The vast majority of employers in Australia will need workers compensation insurance. That includes employers for business and non-business reasons.
If you have employees who work across multiple states, you should get workers compensation for the state they are usually based in.
If that's not clear, you can continue through the following tests until you reach an answer.
Test | Key question |
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A | Where does the worker usually work? |
B | Where is the worker usually based? |
C | Where is the employer's principal place of business? |
D | If the employee works on a ship, where was it most recently registered? |
Yes! Workers compensation premiums are tax deductible, as long as you claim them in the same year. It can be written off as a revenue expense, just like business insurance.
Possibly, yes. The employee would have to prove that their job was the main contributing factor to contracting COVID-19 but it's certainly possible.
In fact, according to NSW's Workers Compensation Independent Review Office, some jobs will be presumed as the cause of the worker's COVID-19 - unless it can be proved otherwise.
These jobs include those in the retail industry, healthcare sector, aged care facilities, public transport, hospitality, education, emergency services, construction, and cleaning.
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