Premium compliance
Learn how we identify and penalise employers who don't hold adequate workers’ compensation insurance.
WorkCover Queensland has Authorised Persons who can carry out administrative compliance actions to identify and administratively penalise employers who don't hold adequate workers’ compensation insurance.
WorkCover uses sophisticated data matching systems to link to Federal and State Government agencies. Under-insured or uninsured employers may also be identified through online wage audits, employer site visits or various education and awareness campaigns undertaken by WorkCover throughout the year.
For employers who are uninsured or under-insured, WorkCover can recover unpaid premium along with a penalty equal to 100% of the unpaid premium. Also, if WorkCover has paid compensation or damages for an injury sustained by a worker when the employer was uninsured or under-insured, WorkCover can also recover the amount of the payment made together with a penalty equal to 50% of the payment.
In addition, WorkCover will refer certain matters for uninsured and under-insured employers to Workers’ Compensation Regulatory Services for investigation and possible prosecution.
WorkCover compliance activity 2025-2026 to 30 September 2025
| Activity | Number | Amount recovered |
| Employer wage audits | 151 | $6,711,195 |
| Premium raised for uninsured/underinsured employers | 746 | $4,181,129 |
| Employer site visits | 52 | $101,196 |
| Action against uninsured employers where a claim was made | 152 | $2,885,384 |
| Classification reviews | 23 | $512,946 |
| Total | 1124 | $14,391,850 |
Wage audits completed by industry
| Industry | Wage audits |
| Construction | 39 |
| Accommodation and food services | 31 |
| Health care and social assistance | 24 |
| Transport, postal and warehousing | 12 |
| Manufacturing | 9 |
| Retail trade | 6 |
| Administrative and support services | 5 |
| Agriculture, forestry and fishing | 5 |
| Other services | 4 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 4 |
| Wholesale trade | 3 |
| Electricity, gas, water and waste services | 2 |
| Financial and insurance services | 2 |
| Arts and recreation services | 1 |
| Information media and telecommunications | 1 |
| Labour hire | 1 |
| Mining | 1 |
| Public administration and safety | 1 |
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