Our story

We’re changing the way people think about insurance and care.

At icare, we provide insurance and care services to the businesses, people and communities of NSW. Whether a person is severely injured in the workplace or on our roads, icare supports their long-term care needs to improve quality of life, including helping people return to work.

We provide workers compensation insurance to more than 329,000 public and private sector employers in NSW and their 3.2 million employees.

In addition, we insure builders and homeowners, provide treatment and care to people severely injured on NSW roads; and protect more than $266.6 billion of NSW Government assets, including the Sydney Opera House, the Sydney Harbour Bridge, schools and hospitals.

Who is icare?

Our schemes

We operate and provide services for the NSW Government's insurance and care schemes, which include: 

  • Workers Insurance provides workers compensation insurance to more than 329,000 employers in NSW and their 3.2 million employees.
  • Lifetime Care provides treatment and care to people who have a severe injury such as a spinal cord or traumatic brain injury caused by a motor vehicle accident in NSW.
  • CTP Care provides treatment and care to people who have a motor accident injury with long-term needs and an ongoing NSW CTP claim.
  • Workers Care Program is for people in Workers Insurance, with an injury the same as the Lifetime Care Scheme.
  • Dust Diseases Care compensates and supports workers who have developed a dust disease from occupational exposure in NSW.
  • Home Building Compensation Fund helps homeowners to rectify incomplete or defective works done by a builder or tradesperson.
  • Insurance for NSW provides workers compensation insurance to 205 public sector agencies and their 330,000 workers across NSW. We also protect more than $266.6 billion of the state's assets, including the iconic Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge, as well as critical government infrastructure like schools and hospitals.
  • Sporting Injuries insurance provides cover for registered players and officials of sporting organisations that have insurance cover through icare sporting injuries insurance scheme.

Our business

  • Over 3.2 million workers protected across more than 329,000 NSW businesses. icare acts for and provides services to the Workers Compensation Nominal Insurer (Workers Insurance). It is the single largest workers compensation insurer in NSW.
  • $266.6 billion of the State's assets covered. icare Insurance for NSW is the largest public sector self-insurer in Australia. It administers a number of managed funds for NSW government agencies and their employees.
  • Over 1,659 Lifetime Care participants receiving treatment, rehabilitation and care services. Lifetime Care provides care for people who are severely injured in motor accidents in NSW, regardless of who was at fault.
  • $119.4 million in benefits paid to people with work-related dust disease. icare Dust Diseases Care provides compensation for people with work-related dust diseases and their dependants, as well as ongoing assistance to support their quality of life.
  • $86.7 million in Home Building Compensation Funds (HBCF) paid. icare HBCF provides a safety net for homeowners if building contractors are unable to honour their commitments due to insolvency, death or suspension of license.

Our structure

icare was formed in September 2015 through the commencement of the State Insurance and Care Governance Act

This Act also enabled the creation of two other government organisations to promote a simple, efficient and engaging experience for the people of NSW:

  • State Insurance Regulatory Authority (SIRA): an independent insurance regulator
  • SafeWork NSW: an independent workplace safety regulator.

The separation of these insurance functions was recommended through reviews and inquiries to resolve the inherent conflict between regulatory and service delivery functions and created a clear distinction between regulation and operations.

icare operates as a Public Financial Corporation governed by an independent Board of Directors that delivers insurance and care services to the people of New South Wales.

Our Board is directly accountable to The Hon. Sophie Cotsis, NSW Minister for Industrial Relations and Minister for Work Health and Safety. The Minister appoints the Board, which in turn appoints the Chief Executive Officer, who employs all our people.

Our commitment

We're committed to protecting, insuring and caring for the policy holders and broader community through a fair, respectful and empathetic experience that is focused on the person, not the process.

Our commitment to you

Inclusion and diversity

We’re committed to building a culture of inclusion and diversity of thought.

Our Inclusion and Diversity Strategy 2017-2019 outlines our principles based approach and is supported by detailed action plans that challenge us to consider inclusion and diversity in everything we do.