Agent performance 2024-25

Background

The combined information here and in our Annual Report does not purport to be all-inclusive or contain all information which employers may require to make an informed assessment as to the selection of an agent.

Agent performance on specified measures is significantly impacted by the different sectors present within their employer portfolios. Each agent has a unique portfolio of clients by size, industry and injury mix. Individual agent results do not reflect comparative performance in each client segment individually. Employers should make their own independent assessment of the capabilities of each agent and, where appropriate, seek professional advice.

The market allocation of agents may differ between years due to employers transferring agents and/or from entries or exits to self-insurance or other schemes. These movements can impact the performance trend indicated here and in our Annual Report.

Authorised agents

Allianz

Allianz Australia Workers’ Compensation (Victoria) Limited

DXC

DXC Integrated Services Victoria Pty Ltd

EML

EML Vic Pty Ltd

GBS

Gallagher Bassett Services Workers Compensation Vic Pty Ltd

Market share

Market share year ended 30 June 2025

Notes:

* Policies refers to the employers with WorkCover Insurance managed by each agent.
^ Remuneration refers to the salaries and wages (including superannuation) paid by employers managed by each agent.
# Premium refers to the premium payable for the 2024-25 year for employers managed by each agent.

Due to rounding, market share may not equate to 100%.

Agent fees

The authorised agents operate under an Instrument of Appointment issued by WorkSafe pursuant to the Workplace Injury Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2013. They are remunerated for acting on behalf of WorkSafe in the issuing of WorkCover insurance, collection of premium and the administration of claims.

The agent remuneration model includes performance-based incentives designed to improve return to work and service to injured workers while driving quality case management and Scheme sustainability. It also allows for the reduction of an agent’s remuneration upon the occurrence of an event such as a failure to meet performance criteria.

Remuneration paid to agents is disclosed as authorised agent fees in the financial statements in WorkSafe’s Annual Report in the comprehensive operating statement and in notes to the comprehensive operating statement.

Agent incentives for 2024-25

Each year, WorkSafe sets a number of performance measures for the agent panel. These measures are intended to align agent performance with WorkSafe’s goals of delivering improved outcomes for injured workers including improvements in return to work and service, while driving quality case management.

Each year, WorkSafe sets agent performance measures and targets with consideration to historical experience, current performance, strategic imperatives and emerging trends. The overall aim is achievable performance targets that drive agent performance and improve outcomes for injured workers.

Agents can earn payments capped at a specified level for achieving the targets for the defined measures. The payments are measured as a percentage of the Agent Premium-based Fee which agents are paid for the portfolio of WorkCover registrations they manage for the year. Where an agent does not meet the set targets, they may incur a remuneration reduction.

For the 2024-25 year, WorkSafe offered agents maximum incentive payments of up to 20% of their Agent Premium-based Fee. The total penalty that could apply where an agent failed to achieve the minimum requirements of all measures was 9.5% of the Agent Premium-based Fee.

As a guide, a one per cent incentive or penalty equates to approximately $2.5 million across all four agents collectively. The amount that agents will either earn in incentives or repay in remuneration reductions will depend on their Agent Premium-based Fee and their performance.

WorkSafe has three focus areas for the performance incentives offered to agents:

• Recovery and return to work (also published in the WorkSafe Annual Report 2024-25)
• Service (published below)
• Scheme sustainability (published below)

Recovery and return to work

Substantial improvements in return to work performance for mental injuries compared to the 2023-24 financial year, especially for those returning to work within 24 months. Physical injury return to work performance has remained broadly stable. Agents were assessed on the proportion of injured workers that returned to work and achieved a sustained return to work after six months, one year and two years. Each agent has a unique portfolio of clients by size, industry and injury mix. Individual agent results do not reflect comparative performance in each client segment. The tables below show the recovery and return to work results as at 30 June 2025 compared to those in the previous year.

Results for the year ended 30 June 2025

% returned to work within six months

% returned to work within 12 months

% returned to work within 24 months

Each year, WorkSafe assigns weightings to the agent incentive performance focus areas for the coming year. The weightings are the proportion of the maximum incentive payment that is available for each focus area. The following chart provides a comparison of the measures for 2023-24 to 2025-26. The vertical axis shows the maximum potential incentive an agent can receive in relation to each focus area, as a percentage of the Agent Premium Fee Base.

The decision to increase the total maximum incentive payment amount for 2025-26 took into consideration historical experience, current performance, strategic imperatives and emerging trends. It aligns with ambitious 2025-26 performance targets.

Recovery and return to work continues to be our highest weighted performance focus for 2025-26. It has the highest weighting because returning to work as soon as it is safe to do so is a core part of our legislative objectives with personal health, economic and social benefits for those impacted by a work-related injury. The measures are the same as they were for 2024-25, but with increased weighting. The measures account for over half of the incentive program reflecting WorkSafe’s strategic imperative of a 10% improvement in return to work rates over the next five years.

Service

To measure agent performance in relation to service, WorkSafe conduct an independent survey of injured workers each year. This measure sets a minimum expectation on positive feedback received from injured workers and provides agents a financial incentive to exceed that minimum standard. Agent service is also measured by a number of other indicators (shown later in this page). However, the survey is the only measure used to determine if agents receive an incentive payment for this focus area. As an independent survey, the results are objective. Participants are randomly selected by WorkSafe and invited to assess service provided at key points in their recovery journey. Phone and online surveys are deployed concurrently to optimise insights, with results and feedback used to enable service improvement.

The online Moments that Matter survey provides a real-time indication of injured worker sentiment. Differences in results and targets between phone and online surveys reflect differences in questions, survey release timing and respondents.

The tables below show the service results as at 30 June 2025 compared to those in the previous year.

Results for the Year ended 30 June 2025

Results for the Year ended 30 June 2024

* Long-term injured workers are those that have been unable to work due to their workplace injury for more than 670 days.

^ Agent results shown against Service Delivery Corporate KPI. The agent remuneration model utilises performance-based components which may differ from the Corporate KPI target.

During 2024-25, WorkSafe implemented a new approach for employers to provide feedback regarding the quality of service provided by agents. The new survey reflected preferences from independent research conducted with employers from a cross section of employee sizes and industries.

The new online survey was piloted from April 2025 and provides more flexibility and convenience for employers to respond. The survey seeks employer feedback across four common key themes experienced by employers as they support their workers with their return to work journey. Results and key feedback themes are being collated as the research continues into 2025-26.

The following chart shows agent performance for 2023-24 and 2024-25 incentive for each WorkSafe agent.

Each year, WorkSafe assigns weightings to the agent incentive performance focus areas for the coming year. The weightings are the proportion of the maximum incentive payment that is available for each focus area. The following chart provides a comparison of the measures for 2023-24 to 2025-26. The vertical axis shows the maximum potential incentive an agent can receive in relation to each focus area, as a percentage of the Agent Premium Fee Base.

The decision to increase the total maximum incentive payment amount for 2025-26 took into consideration historical experience, current performance, strategic imperatives and emerging trends. It aligns with ambitious 2025-26 performance targets.

The weighting for our Service performance has a moderate increase for 2025-26. There is an additional measure in 2025-26 for a focussed work practice to reduce disputes.

Sustainability

To address WorkSafe’s sustainability focus area, agents are required to collect premium amounts billed to employers. This measure provides agents with an incentive to collect premium on time and work constructively with employers to manage any overdue debt.

This measure assesses the level of premium collected by each agent as a proportion of the amount of premium billed to employers, for the year ending 30 June 2025.

The scheme debt collection average for 2024-25 was stable compared to the previous year’s premium collection results. All agents exceeded the minimum collection target for the year.

Results for the year ended 30 June 2025, including a June 2024 comparison

The scheme debt collection average for 2024-25 was stable compared to the previous year’s premium collection results. All agents exceeded the minimum collection target for the year.

The following chart shows agent performance for 2023-24 and 2024-25 incentive for each WorkSafe agent.

Each year, WorkSafe assigns weightings to the agent incentive performance focus areas for the coming year. The weightings are the proportion of the maximum incentive payment that is available for each focus area. The following chart provides a comparison of the measures for 2023-24 to 2025-26.  The vertical axis shows the maximum potential incentive an agent can receive in relation to each focus area, as a percentage of the Agent Premium Fee Base.

The decision to increase the total maximum incentive payment amount for 2025-26 took into consideration historical experience, current performance, strategic imperatives and emerging trends. It aligns with ambitious 2025-26 performance targets.

Sustainability performance has an increase in weighting that aligns with WorkSafe’s strategic imperatives to maintain a financially sustainable scheme and maintain premiums at nationally competitive levels. There are no outcome-based performance measures in this group that relate to claims or claim costs. The increase in 2025-26 relates to new and expanded focussed work practices to ensure long-term injured workers have the appropriate access to entitlements.

Other agent performance metrics

The following metrics are closely monitored, and reported on yearly, but are not part of the agent financial incentive model.

Duration for which injured workers remain in receipt of weekly payments

This assesses the proportion of injured workers who after lodging an accepted claim, remain in receipt of weekly payments after 13 weeks, 26 weeks, 52 weeks and 134 weeks. Each agent has a unique portfolio of clients by size, industry and injury mix. Individual agent results do not reflect comparative performance in each client segment individually.

Duration - % of workers on weekly payments at

Note: a lower percentage represents higher performance.

Conciliation non-compliance complaints upheld

This measure sets out the number of valid complaints made by injured workers in a financial year, where an agent has failed to comply with an outcome issued by the Workplace Injury Commission within a reasonable timeframe.

Conciliation – non-compliance complaints

Decision making quality

The quality of agent decisions is reviewed/audited in terms of whether they:

• are supported by reasonable, appropriate and sufficient evidence
• afford injured workers procedural fairness in assessing entitlements
• have not wrongfully disentitled injured workers
• are communicated to the injured worker accurately, clearly and in a timely manner.

The table below records the proportion of the decisions which pass the quality decision making review. Note that where a decision fails a review, the decision is reassessed.

In 2024-25, WorkSafe audited 2,428 scheme decisions across all agents. The decisions reviewed encompassed initial eligibility, medical, second entitlement reviews (130 weeks) and pre and post 130-week decisions. A sample of decisions from each of these areas is examined each month and reviewed against the legislative requirements and the prescribed principles of decision making to determine if a quality decision has been made. The reviews found 96.9% of decisions (compared to 97.7% in 2023-24) were ‘good quality’ decisions, in line with the quality decision making principles. The outcome of the reviews and key learnings are provided to agents to enhance future decision making.

Quality decision making (QDM) - Year ended 30 June 2025

Timelines

Measures the proportion of agent determinations of requests for reinstatement of weekly payments and for decisions regarding medical and like treatments that are completed within 28 days.

Year ended 30 June 2025

Payments processing

This measures the proportion of agent payments to injured workers, providers and employers made within specific timeframes.

Year ended 30 June 2025

Reductions applicable to 2024-25

EML incurred a remuneration reduction of $308,060 for the agent’s failure to achieve the minimum standard for timeliness of employer reimbursement for the 2023-24 year pursuant to clause 10.3 of Schedule D of the Agency Agreement.