You can be excused if you missed the recent important changes regarding RTW in NSW. At ABILITY GROUP we’ve got this and outline the key changes as well as how these changes impact NSW Category 1 and Category 2 businesses. If this makes no sense to you, then you should read more.
icare’s latest announcement regarding the ongoing NSW workers compensation reforms hit the market earlier today. icare’s latest changes take effect in 2017 and will impact how businesses, and brokers, approach workers compensation in NSW. icare is “moving closer to our customers, putting their needs at the centre of everything we do”. The latest changes will transform workers compensation insurance in NSW by controlling how businesses (customers) buy and renew their policies via a new online portal.
We have already heard significant speculation regarding what these changes mean and how the industry will evolve as result. So what do these changes mean and therefore what can our clients and brokers expect?
In January we communicated Upcoming NSW Workers Compensation Changes and how these were likely to impact medium to large NSW businesses. On 18th May 2015, Vivek Bhatia (CEO of WorkCover NSW) confirmed these changes and ABILITY GROUP believe they represent the most dramatic changes in 20+ years. So what are the changes?
From 30 June 2015 onwards, the premium calculation for businesses with a NSW premium > $30,000 (i.e. medium and large businesses) change completely. In short the new premium formula is intended to reward businesses with fewer claims and a strong return to work performance. Businesses however that struggle with claims are expected to be penalised. The sweeping changes also impact what is included in premium claims costs, the view of industry, size, etc.
At the end of 2014 WorkCover NSW provided their Report Card on the numerous changes made during the last 12-18 months for small businesses. As these changes have driven such positive outcomes across the 260,000 small business employers in the NSW scheme, WorkCover NSW recently announced similar changes for medium to large businesses following the 2015 NSW state election.
The important changes for medium to large NSW businesses adopt the key principles of delivering easy to understand premiums, providing safer workplaces, improving return to work, recovery at work for injured workers, reducing red tape and delivering sustainability plus certainty. To understand more about these important proposed changes read more…
On the 3rd of June, NSW WorkCover announced the latest changes designed to further improve the scheme effective 30 June 2014. A key change is an approximate 25% reduction in Industry Cost of Claims Rate (ICCR) rates. If a business has not had a similar % improvement in claims performance, then they will possibly face significant 2014/15 premium increases. Additional changes relate to maximum premium caps and extended instalment options. We recommend all medium to large businesses contact their broker or ABILITY GROUP to determine likely financial impact to their business.