WorkCover WA featured in The West Australian for Safe Work Month
As part of National Safe Work Month, WorkCover WA is educating employers about the importance of their business’ safety net – workers compensation insurance.
Our feature article, alongside print and digital advertisements in The West Australian on 30 September 2025, reinforce the importance of employer compliance with their legal obligations – to protect both their workers and their business.
Read the full article and view the advertisement below.
Workers compensation insurance: A vital safety net
A workplace injury can be devastating, and one incident has the potential to ripple into all facets of a worker’s life.
The workers’ compensation scheme in Western Australia is designed to ease the burden of workplace injuries on both workers and employers.
Every worker who suffers a work-related injury or illness is entitled to claim workers compensation to cover loss of earnings, medical expenses and other reasonable expenses.
This National Safe Work Month, as we work towards minimising safety risks in the workplace, WorkCover WA CEO Chris White has one key message for employers – do not forget your safety net.
“Part of being a safe workplace is ensuring you have a current policy of workers’ compensation insurance to cover your workers,” he said. “It’s more than just a legal tick box – it ensures your workers can access compensation if they need it.”
It is mandatory for all employers to hold a current policy of workers’ compensation insurance.
The penalties for failing to do so are significant – up to $10,000 per uninsured worker, or $50,000 per uninsured worker if the employer is a company.
These figures, while substantial, pale in comparison to the cost of a claim which arises while an employer is uninsured.
“A single claim can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars,” Mr White said.
“Without workers compensation insurance, an employer is liable to pay the full cost.”
“For employers, workers compensation insurance protects not only their workers but also the financial future of their business.”
As the regulator of the workers compensation and injury management scheme, WorkCover WA monitors compliance with this key insurance obligation through a data-sharing arrangement with the Australian Taxation Office.
From proactive education campaigns to investigations of serious breaches resulting in infringement or prosecution, WorkCover WA’s compliance activities culminated in an additional 5,667 policies of insurance taken out in the last financial year.
“Our aim is for every employer in this state to know having workers compensation insurance is a fundamental part of running their business – to view it as an asset, rather than a strain,” Mr White said.
Unfortunately, many employers are still unaware they’re making a costly mistake by not having a valid policy of insurance.
Often, they will only discover their mistake when an injury occurs or when they are contacted by WorkCover WA.
“We regularly see uninsured employers who believe their business insurance package includes workers compensation insurance, or who confuse workers compensation insurance with public liability insurance,” Mr White said.
“Another common misconception is employers believing their cover will automatically renew every year – it doesn’t.”
Employers must ensure this safety net is in place for their business.
“If you’re reading this and you’re not completely certain you have a policy in place, check if you have a Certificate of Currency issued by one of the seven insurers licensed to provide workers compensation insurance in WA,” Mr White said.
“If you don’t have a policy, get one as soon as possible. If you do have a policy, take note of your policy period, so you can ensure it is renewed each year, and keep your contact information with your insurer up to date.”
For more information, call WorkCover WA’s Advice and Assistance Service on 1300 794 744. To access additional resources for employers and workplaces, visit workcover.wa.gov.au
