Table 7.3: Approval process, application and ongoing costs and duration of licence

s 375 — Workplace Injury Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2013 — Assessment of organisation’s eligibility to apply is undertaken:

• the body corporate must be the ultimate holding company in Australia, and
• must satisfy prescribed minimum requirements as to financial strength and viability.

If eligible, the organisation may apply for approval to WorkSafe Victoria. The application’s assessment may include on-site audits, interviews and inspections. Pre-application eligibility fee must be paid as prescribed in the Schedule 6 of the Act. As at 1 July 2025 this is $1,280 inclusive of GST.

s 70 Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation Act 2003 — The application must:

• be made to the Workers’ Compensation Regulator in the approved form, and
• for a group employer be made by all the members of the group wanting to be licensed, and
• be accompanied by the fee prescribed under a regulation.

s 77 — Regulator must decide an application within 6 months of receiving it. 
s 71 — Regulator may issue or renew a licence to be a self-insurer to a single employer only if satisfied that certain criteria have been met.
s75 — in deciding whether a single employer or group employer is fit and proper, the Regulator may consider any relevant matter and must consider certain matters.

Initial application fee for setting up the licence:

• 15,000 fee units* for single employers, and
• 0,000 fee units* for group employers.

s 70 Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation Act 2003
s 16 Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation Regulation 2014

• A self-insurer must also pay a levy to the Regulator each financial year under s 81 of the Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation Act 2003. The amount a self-insurer must pay is calculated according to the formula in s 17 (Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation Regulation 2014) and is dependent on their estimated claims liability, and the levy rate set by the Regulator.

* From 1 July 2023, 1 fee unit = $1.060

Employer submits application to WorkCover WA in the approved form for either:

• a single self-insurer licence – granted to a single entity
• a group self-insurer licence – granted to a group of employers, consisting of a licence holder and at least one related entity.

WorkCover WA reviews and considers the application against the Application for Self-insurer Licence Guidelines which sets out the criteria and operational conditions of a self-insurer licence, and the circumstances in which a licence may be suspended or cancelled.

There is no application fee. However self-insurers are required to make a financial contribution (a levy) to WorkCover WA for the following statutory funds:

•  The General Account (the agency operating account)
• The Default Insurance Fund (which covers liabilities associated with uninsured employers, insolvent insurers and self-insurers, and acts of terrorism)
• The Insurance Commission of Western Australia’s Motor Vehicle and Workplace Accidents (Catastrophic Injuries) Fund which covers liabilities associated with catastrophically injured workers who are participants in the Insurance Commission’s catastrophic injuries support scheme.  

The amount that a licenced self-insurer is required to contribute to each fund (if a levy is required) is based on the self-insurer’s proportionate share of notional premium income, or the minimum contribution amount of $40,000, whichever is greater.

An employer must apply to WorkCover Tasmania Board with the approved self-insurer form (Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988, s104) with:

• a completed financial indicators form
• a desktop review of financial information by an independent expert
• copies of the organisation’s last 3 annual reports
• evidence of high level safety management practices
• evidence of high level injury management practices
• evidence of high level claims management practices, and
• evidence of the organisation’s capacity to meet the necessary data reporting requirements.

Permit conditions
How to apply for a permit to insure (self-insurer)

No application fee. However, the applicant is responsible for paying all expenses associated with applying for a self-insurer permit, including expenses associated with:

• providing required financial information
• providing a National Audit Tool report by a certified auditor or evidence of JAZ-ANZ certification against AS/NZ 4801:2001 or the National Audit Tool, and
• seeking approval of an Injury Management Program.

Once a permit is granted, there are ongoing expenses.

• Requirement to make annual contributions to the WorkCover Tasmania Board and the Nominal Insurer Fund.

No cost. The only fee for employers is for an actuarial assessment to be provided to NT WorkSafe’s actuary. Once approved, a self-insurer will be required to pay an amount determined by the Authority as a contribution towards:

• administration costs of the Work Health Court
• administration costs of the Supreme Court associated with proceedings under the Act
• costs incurred by the Authority in providing a mediation service, and
• costs incurred by the Territory in relation to the Authority’s (NT WorkSafe) performance of its functions under the Return to Work Act or other Act and in relation to promoting health and safety. — s121A.

They are also subject to contribution to the Nominal Insurer based on notional market share if requested.

Eligibility to apply for a licence: Commonwealth Authority or by Ministerial declaration and provided that the Minister is satisfied that it would be desirable for the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 to apply to employees of a corporation that:

• is, but is about to cease to be, a Commonwealth authority, or
• was previously a Commonwealth authority, or
• is carrying on business in competition with a Commonwealth authority or with another corporation that was previously a Commonwealth authority.

If the corporation is so declared by the Minister, the corporation is then eligible to apply to the Commission for a licence.

Process for applying to become a self-insurer is in s102 Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988:   Once a corporation is declared eligible by the Minister, it may apply to the Commission for a licence. To grant a licence, the Commission will consider whether:

• it has sufficient resources to fulfil the responsibilities under the licence
• it has the capacity to ensure claims will be managed in accordance with the Commission’s standards for claims management
• it has the capacity to meet the Commission’s standards for the rehabilitation and work health and safety of its employees
• granting the licence will not be contrary to the interests of the corporation’s employees whose affairs fall within the licence’s scope

because of the applicant’s past conduct it is unlikely that the applicant would meet the standards set by the Commission for claims management, rehabilitation and prevention. 

The Commission must also have regard to further eligibility criteria set out in the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Directions 2019.

To be accredited in the Accredited Employers Programme (AEP), a new employer applying to join the AEP (prospective employer) and an existing Accredited Employer (employer) both need to meet the following requirements: 

• Financial
• Claims and injury management
• Health and safety, which can be met through either: 
  • completing the Health and Safety section of the Assessment; or 
  • providing a valid ISO 45001 certificate.

A prospective employer can initiate entry into the AEP at any stage throughout the year. After submitting the application along with the supporting documents, the prospective employer needs to successfully meet the financial requirements before proceeding further with the application. Once the financial requirements are met, the prospective employer can proceed to complete the rest of the accreditation requirements including claims and injury management, and health and safety. 

ACC will then review all the information received from the prospective employer and the assessor, to determine whether the employer meets the accreditation requirements of the Programme, whether they are suitable to be in the Programme, and makes a final decision about accepting the prospective employer into the Programme.

Employer notifies all staff in writing about their intention to join and consults with employee representatives about intention to join.

No application fee

• Pay the pre-entry audit costs.
• Employers must also pay to ACC a discounted annual levy and the cost of the liability cap they have chosen. The amount is based on legislated formula and depends on the product options chosen. 

Approval may be for one to 3 years.

Annual reviews are undertaken to ensure entry (including prudential) requirements are being maintained.