The WA Mining Expo is more than a trade show. It is the centrepiece of Western Australia’s mining industry calendar. With vendors, suppliers, and thought leaders from around the globe, the event offers a snapshot of the innovation and complexity driving WA’s mining sector today.
For Elliott Insurance, attending isn’t about handing out business cards and hoping for a few leads. It is about staying connected to the industry and understanding, firsthand, the evolving risks and pressures facing our mining clients.
This year, one conversation kept coming up: Workers Compensation.
What We Heard from the Industry
Across dozens of discussions with employers, risk managers, and site supervisors, three common themes emerged around Workers Compensation. These weren’t theoretical concerns. They were real, urgent issues impacting businesses right now.
- Confusion
The rules are changing, and many employers feel like they’re chasing a moving target. While most are committed to doing the right thing, there’s growing uncertainty around their rights and responsibilities during a claim.
“The goalposts keep shifting. We’re trying to support our workers, but we also don’t want to be taken advantage of.”
- Fraudulent or Inflated Claims
A number of attendees shared frustration about employees who know how to work the system. They feel insurers are quick to settle, even when there are red flags, and that the Workers Compensation Act gives them little room to challenge suspect claims.
“It only takes one employee who knows the loopholes to milk a claim. We’re footing the bill, and the insurer just wants to close the file.”
- Poor Insurer Response Times
Several conversations pointed to a noticeable drop in communication and support from insurers since the recent changes to the WA Workers Compensation Act. Delays in information, claim updates, and return-to-work planning are leaving employers in the dark and out of pocket.
Bringing the Conversation Back to Our Clients
We had Cale Millett, our Head of Workplace Risk and Injury Management, flat out across the expo speaking to attendees and unpacking these challenges. As he put it, he was “busier than a one-armed bricklayer in Gaza.”
Since the event, we’ve had a steady stream of enquiries. Not just from new contacts we made at the expo, but from existing clients who are facing the same problems.
What We’re Doing About It
If you’re struggling with similar concerns around Workers Compensation from unclear responsibilities to premium blowouts or insurer delays we’re here to help.
Whether it is a one-off consultation or a complete review of your risk and injury management programme, our team can provide clear, strategic advice based on what’s happening in the market right now.
Call us today to continue the conversation. Your Workers Comp programme doesn’t have to be a liability.
— The Elliott Insurance Green Broker Team
