Insurables — Australian business risk, sourced and dated

Statutory scheme · South Australia · SA

Return to Work (South Australia)

The South Australian work injury scheme, funded by employer levies and administered by the state corporation.

Data as at · refreshed by scripts/seed-graph.mjs

What the scheme requires

  • Who must insure: Businesses employing workers who usually work in or are based in SA must register with ReturnToWorkSA within 14 days of employing — including interstate businesses with SA workers. Registration is not needed if total worker pay is under $16,806 for 2026-27. SA · effective 2026-08-13 ReturnToWorkSA · 2026-08-13
  • Premium basis: Premium is based on annual remuneration (wages, super, allowances), the employer's industry premium rate (SAIC classification) and income support costs for time-lost claims in the previous year. The average premium rate for 2026-27 is 1.85%; rates are published on rtwsa.com. SA · effective 2026-08-13 ReturnToWorkSA · 2026-08-13
  • Certificate of currency process: The certificate of registration (also called a certificate of currency) is downloaded through ReturnToWorkSA's online services portal from 1 June each year and is valid until 30 June the following year; it shows employer name, trading name and employer number. SA · effective 2026-08-13 ReturnToWorkSA · 2026-08-13
  • Small employer exemption: Employers paying workers less than $16,806 in total for the 2026-27 financial year do not need to register; if a worker is injured, the employer must report the injury, register and pay the minimum premium ($200 for 2026-27 plus GST and WHS fee). SA · effective 2026-08-13 ReturnToWorkSA · 2026-08-13

Who administers it

  • ReturnToWorkSA — The South Australian work injury insurance and return-to-work scheme corporation.

The cover this scheme deals with

  • Workers compensation insurance — Statutory cover for injury to workers, arranged through each state or territory scheme rather than on the open market.

What this scheme does not do

Scheme cover and a business’s own insurance answer different questions. A workers compensation scheme responds to injury and illness suffered by a business’s own workers; it does not cover injury to members of the public, damage the business causes to someone else’s property, or the business’s own assets.

Sources