WorkCover Queensland collaborates closely with self-insurers to ensure the safety, productivity, and well-being of workers, maintaining a fair and balanced workers’ compensation scheme for both employees and businesses.

As the administrator of the Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation Act 2003, our comprehensive role includes:

• Regulating Queensland’s workers’ compensation scheme.
• Facilitating legal and medical dispute resolutions.
• Educating and promoting awareness of Queensland’s workers’ compensation scheme.
• Administering grants and providing rehabilitation advisory services.
• Conducting workplace rehabilitation and return-to-work accreditation activities.

Utilizing a risk-based approach, WorkCover Queensland employs the Self-insurer performance and compliance framework (PDF, 0.72 MB), outlining:

• How we monitor your performance.
• The standards of service that must be achieved.
• Your legislative and license conditions.

Our collaborative efforts are geared towards working with you to effectively identify and mitigate risks. We will work with you towards identifying and reducing risks.

You should also be aware of the Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation Act 2003 Compliance and Enforcement Policy (PDF, 0.57 MB).

Legislative and administrative requirements

The following documents will guide you through the legislative and administrative requirements for self-insurers.

• Self-insurer performance and compliance framework (PDF, 0.72 MB)
  A framework showing you how your organisation can adopt innovative approaches and manage activities effectively to meet the standards in the legislation.
• Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation Act 2003 Compliance and Enforcement Policy (PDF, 0.57 MB)
  This policy applies to all duty holders (including insurers, employers, workers, services providers) and shows you the principles that underpin the regulatory approach, compliance monitoring and enforcement activities used to help you meet legislative requirements.
• For claims management audit process, tool and IAP template see
  • Self-insurer audit process (PDF, 2.22 MB)
  • Self-insurer mid-licence self-audit improvement action plan (IAP) template (PDF, 0.22 MB)
• Application to add or remove a member to or from a group self-insurance licence (PDF, 0.13 MB)
  This document allows self-insured employers to add or remove an entity from their licence.

Work health and safety performance assessments

• Self-insurance guidance – WHS performance reporting arrangements (PDF, 0.65 MB)
  A guide on the legislative requirements, work health and safety performance standards and reporting required when applying for self-insurance or renewing your licence.
• Self-insurance guidance – WHS auditor appointment procedures (PDF, 0.76 MB)
  OIR accredits work health and safety auditors (self-insurance) for work health and safety performance reporting. This document explains the administrative procedures and appointment conditions that must be met for this accreditation.

Key standards and guidelines

The following documents contain important information and guidelines for self-insurers:

• Self-insurer performance and compliance framework (PDF, 0.72 MB)
• Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation Act 2003 Compliance and Enforcement Policy (PDF, 0.57 MB)
• For claims management performance standards and guidelines see Performance management program Queensland workers' compensation self-insurers. (PDF, 0.65 MB)
• Guidelines for standard for rehabilitation (PDF, 0.58 MB)
• Payment of lump sum compensation to a solicitor’s trust account
• Information about reporting injuries
• Employer reporting – Injury that may be compensable (reportable injuries) (PDF, 0.14 MB)
• Early intervention and employee assistance programs
• Queensland’s guidelines for the evaluation of permanent impairment
• Workers’ compensation insurers’ interface data specification (PDF, 1.7 MB)
• Workers’ compensation insurers’ interface technical specification (PDF, 0.5 MB)
• Workers’ compensation insurers’ interface data specification: data submission process and validation reference guide (PDF, 0.91 MB)
• Workers’ compensation insurers’ data reconciliation (PDF, 0.27 MB)

Licence renewal

Use these forms to renew and adjust your self-insurer licence.

For single employers

• Form 79.1 Application for renewal (PDF, 0.67 MB)

For group employers

• Form 79.2 Application for renewal (PDF, 0.64 MB)

Determining the period of a self-insurance license involves an initial grant for two years, with the option for renewal up to four years based on performance, while poor performance may result in a reduced period. The assessment of your performance encompasses various factors:

• Suitability for holding a license.
• Data performance compared to the scheme and industry.
• Financial position evaluation.
• Findings from claims audit reports.
• Compliance with license conditions.
• Occupational health and safety performance.
• Quality of provided data.
• Resources and systems availability for claims and rehabilitation management.
• Accreditation of a return-to-work program.
• Timeliness of annual levy payments.
• Maintenance of policies and coverage for re-insurance.
• Capability to complete claims liability assessments by approved actuaries.
• Complaint management and responsiveness.

Appeal rights for license-related decisions, such as annual levy calculation or license issuance, renewal, or cancellation, can be pursued in a District or Supreme Court. Additionally, workers and employers within the Queensland workers’ compensation scheme have review and appeal options for claims. Workers can seek help from the Workers’ Compensation Information and Advisory Service or Workers’ Psychological Support Service.

As a self-insurer, mandatory fees include a non-refundable application fee to Workers’ Compensation Regulatory Services, annual levies, and fees to the Office of Industrial Relations for the Work Health and Safety (WHS) performance report. Application and accreditation fees apply for those applying to become a WHS auditor (self-insurance). The full breakdown of fees is outlined in the Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation Regulation 2014 and the Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011.