Declaring the wages for your business is an important part of renewing your accident insurance policy and a key responsibility as an employer.
Wages means the total amount paid to a worker as wages, salary, or other earnings having monetary value.
When do I need to renew my policy?
Renew your WorkCover Accident Insurance policy by declaring your wages and paying your premium between 1 July and 30 September each year.
Key dates
- From 1 July – declare your wages early using online services or over the phone and take advantage of a payment plan if you need it
- 31 August – wage declarations due
- 16 September – if you pay in full by this date and your wages were declared on time, you’ll receive a discount on your premium
- 30 September – your full premium payment is due by this date if you don't have a payment plan
What do I need to declare?
It’s important to know who you need to cover so you can declare your wages accurately.
WorkCover needs details of:
- your estimate of wages you’ll pay this financial year
- your actual wages from the last financial year
We also consider your estimate of the last financial year’s wages (you’ll have given us this amount at your last renewal). We do this so we can work out if there was a difference and whether we need to adjust your current premium.
Explore the sections below to find out what types of payments should be included or excluded.
You need to declare the following payments when you renew your policy:
- all PAYG gross salary and wage payments
- all superannuation payments, including super salary sacrifice
- any fringe benefits or other entitlements that have a monetary value
- all payments made to any individual contractors that are considered workers (excluding GST).
Learn more about what amounts paid to workers should be declared as wages in the Wages Definition Manual (PDF, 0.34 MB).
Some payments are not assessed so you shouldn’t include them when you declare wages. These are:
- any amounts reimbursed for work-related expenses
- lump sum termination payments
- excess period payments
- any compensation payment reimbursed by WorkCover
- any payment made to Directors, Trustees or Partners.
Your policy will not cancel automatically. This is because all Queensland employers have an obligation to hold a worker’s compensation insurance policy.
If you have a WorkCover policy but don’t declare any wages, we will assume you have continued to employ workers and will estimate an increase in the wages you may be paying.
You must tell us if you want to cancel your policy.
If you’re no longer employing workers, you’ll need to cancel your policy online using WorkCover Connect or by calling us on 1300 362 128.
Find out how the government's JobKeeper Payment Scheme, Workforce Retention Bonus Grant top-up payments, and the JobMaker Hiring Credit affect weekly compensation and your wages declaration in relation to premium calculation.
Declare your wages and pay your premium quickly and easily using WorkCover‘s online services.
Certificate of currency
In June, we will email you an Interim Certificate of Insurance, that will cover you from 1 July until 30 September. This is to give you clear coverage during the policy renewal season.
Once you have paid your premium for the new financial year or committed to a payment plan, you will receive your Certificate of Currency, which will cover you for the full financial year (from 1 July until 30 June).
You must declare your wages from 1 July and pay your premium to ensure your insurance cover is maintained.
You can access your certificate online at any time using WorkCover Connect:
- Login to WorkCover Connect
- Go to Insurance > Certificate of Currency
Verification of cover
In the same way as the Certificate of Currency, the Interim Certificate of Insurance provides cover under the Workers’ Compensation and Rehabilitation Act 2003 for the policyholder’s:
- legal liability for compensation; and
- legal liability for damages.
This interim certificate is valid for a fixed time to allow for the standard policy renewal and payment period. Once payment has been made, the Certificate of Currency is issued, which will be valid for the full financial year.
Related links
- Wages Definition Manual (PDF, 0.34 MB)