Workers compensation is a type of insurance that provides protection for:

• workers who become ill or are injured because of work, and
• the business or organisation where they work.

If a worker is injured at work, workers compensation can provide payments:

• to cover some wages for workers who can’t work because of an illness or injury
• for medical expenses and rehabilitation costs.

Employers must take out workers compensation insurance from an authorised insurer.

Workers compensation laws and requirements are different depending on where you are in Australia.

To learn about what is required in your state or territory, including help finding an authorised insurer, contact your local workers compensation regulator.

If there has been a workplace injury, learn more about dealing with a workplace injury or illness including:

• workers — making a workers compensation claim
• businesses and organisations — how to manage and support injured workers.

Employees

Businesses that have employees must have workers compensation insurance.

Even if there is just one employee, or they have employees just for a short period — employers are required by law to have workers compensation insurance.

Independent contractors

Some independent contractors are covered by workers compensation insurance arrangements.

These are called deemed workers. A deemed worker is defined by the relevant workers compensation insurance legislation that applies in each state or territory. Some states only deem certain types of independent contractors as workers for workers compensation. For example, if the independent contractor works in a particular occupation.

If you are an independent contractor and you are:

• covered by workers compensation insurance for a particular project — you may still want to consider your own insurance arrangements. For example, accident and sickness insurance may be useful to protect against lost income, or insurance for death, illness or disability. Learn more about business insurance.
• employ your own workers —you will generally be required to hold workers compensation insurance.

Volunteers

Volunteer workers are often not covered by workers compensation insurance arrangements.

There are some exceptions for volunteers who perform emergency service work or who work in other occupations that are covered.

Who is covered will depend on the workers compensation scheme in the relevant state or territory. Businesses and organisations should know this before volunteers start.

You can find out by checking with your state or territory workers compensation insurance regulator.

There is also information about workers compensation coverage for volunteers on the Safe Work Australia website.
 

Voluntary worker insurance

If volunteers are not covered by workers compensation insurance arrangements in a particular workplace, organisations and businesses can choose to take out separate voluntary worker insurance.

Having voluntary worker insurance is good practice. It can help protect both the organisation and volunteer if they become ill or injured because of their voluntary work. It can also help attract more volunteers to your organisation.

Students and interns on work experience placements

Each state and territory has different insurance requirements for organisations who host students and interns to do unpaid work on work experience programs.

Some states require workers compensation or public liability insurance to be held by:

• the educational institution of the student
• the state or territory government’s department of education facilitating the work experience placement
• the host organisation or business who will be receiving the work experience placement
• the student (or their family) for certain types of work experience, for example, involving interstate travel.

Businesses and organisations should check insurance arrangements before students or interns start.

To find out, contact your state or territory workers compensation insurance regulator and speak to the relevant educational institution.

State and territory workers compensation regulators

• Australian Capital Territory — Contact WorkSafe ACT to learn more about workers compensation insurance
• New South Wales — Contact the State Insurance Regulatory Authority to learn more about workers compensation insurance
• Northern Territory — Contact NT WorkSafe to learn more about workers compensation insurance
• Queensland — Contact WorkCover Queensland to learn more about workers compensation insurance
• South Australia — Contact ReturnToWorkSA to learn more about workers compensation insurance
• Tasmania — Contact WorkSafe Tasmania to learn more about workers compensation insurance
• Victoria — Contact WorkSafe Victoria to learn more about workers compensation insurance
• Western Australia — Contact WorkCover WA to learn more about workers compensation insurance