Apply for a licence to self‑insure

Application requirements

After a Ministerial declaration has been granted, Comcare will provide detailed advice on how to apply to the SRCC for a self-insurance licence.

A self-insurance licence application must:

• define the scope of the licence
• be signed by the organisation's Principal Officer
• include the applicant's organisational structure, ABN, location and number of employees
• address the primary criteria in the section 7A Ministerial direction
• include details of the company or authority’s:
  • financial and insurance details
  • consultation processes
  • rehabilitation management
  • benefit delivery arrangements
  • preventative measures
  • arrangement to secure liabilities
  • claims management system.

The full requirements for a self-insurance licence application, what it must contain, the documents to be supplied, and the matters the SRCC considers in evaluating an application are set out in the:

• Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988 (SRC Act)
• Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Regulations 2019 (SRC Regulations)
• Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Directions 2019.

Once all this information is provided, Comcare will assess the application on behalf of the SRCC who will then formally consider the self-insurance licence application, usually at its next quarterly meeting.

See Assessing licence applications for information about how applications are evaluated.

Timeframe

The SRCC must receive the application and any materials relating to the self-insurance licence application or extension at least 12 weeks before the SRCC meeting where it will be considered.

This timeframe is in accordance with our evaluation principles for applications and extensions.

We strongly encourage potential applicants to make contact with Comcare well before this time to ensure all assessments can be planned in a timely way.

The assessment process is detailed and comprehensive. You should allow as much time as possible (minimum 12 weeks) between lodging an application and the date of the meeting. Individual applications may require further assessment, extending out this timeframe.

For more information, see Timeframes and protocols and SRCC meeting dates.

Application fee

When applying for a licence to self-insure, a licence application fee is payable to Comcare, as the agency which undertakes the assessment work on behalf of the SRCC.

The fee covers assessments, such as audits and financial reviews.

The fee is charged to the applicant when the process is complete. Comcare can explain the application fee arrangements in more detail.

Publishing of licence applications

Organisations intending to apply for a self-insurance licence need to be aware that the application will be on the public record from the time it is received by the SRCC.

We list self-insurance licence applications received by the SRCC in line with our evaluation principles.