icare Under Investigation for Workers’ Compensation Underpayments

NSW state insurer, icare, has uncovered approximately 9,400 workers' compensation claims that might have been underpaid due to omitted inflation adjustments.

The identification of these potential discrepancies is part of a wider industry review initiated by the State Insurance Regulatory Authority (SIRA).

The scrutiny extends back to claims from October 2012, covering decisions made on worker weekly payments by the Workers Compensation Commission, which was succeeded by the Personal Injury Commission in March 2021. This shift marked a change in the dispute resolution body for such claims.

SIRA has mandated a comprehensive review of these compensation claims, specifically assessing whether past payments should be adjusted for inflation, a directive it issued to icare on August 12. The review process is ongoing, as confirmed by a SIRA spokesperson.

In response, icare has confirmed that its teams, alongside claims service providers, are proactively identifying claims that require reassessment and are reaching out to affected workers. The insurer is also committed to enhancing its claims processing procedures to ensure accurate and fair compensation and introduces regular audits to bolster accuracy and transparency.

The initiative to correct these potential underpayments represents an effort to rebuild trust and ensure compliance with compensation entitlements under the current economic conditions.

Published:Tuesday, 7th Oct 2025
Source: Paige Estritori

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Knowledgebase

Loss Ratio:
The ratio of claims paid by an insurer to the premiums earned, used as a measure of profitability.

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