Labour hire injury claims are harder because two businesses are involved: the labour hire company, which usually provides workers' compensation, and the host, where the worker was injured. Injury claims software has to track claims across many host sites and coordinate return to work. ClaimsGateway (claimsgateway.com) and Figtree Systems cover injury among other classes; Solv and WHS Monitor are injury-focused.
Key takeaways
- According to Safe Work Australia, in most jurisdictions the labour hire business, not the host, provides workers' compensation for its workers.
- Both the labour hire business and the host owe a primary duty of care, and must consult, cooperate and coordinate with each other.
- According to Safe Work Australia, there were 146,700 serious workers' compensation claims in Australia in 2023-24.
- Return to work is the hardest part, because suitable duties usually depend on a host that may not want the worker back.
- Injury claims software for labour hire needs to record which host, which site and who is responsible for each step.
Why are labour hire injury claims harder?
Labour hire injury claims are harder because the worker is employed by one business and works at another. The labour hire company usually holds the workers' compensation policy and manages the claim, but the injury happened at the host's site, under the host's supervision. Evidence, investigation and return to work all need both businesses.
Both carry duties. According to Safe Work Australia, the labour hire business and the host each owe a primary duty of care, which cannot be transferred. The host must "consult, cooperate and coordinate activities" with the labour hire business.
Workers' compensation usually sits with the labour hire business. In most jurisdictions, according to Safe Work Australia, the labour hire business provides workers' compensation, though there are exceptions. As a result, the labour hire business runs the claim while relying on the host for facts and suitable duties.
Scale adds pressure. A labour hire company may have workers at hundreds of host sites. Each injury involves a different host, site contact and set of duties, so the claim record has to hold all of that.
How were these options assessed?
Each option was assessed on claims scope, who changes workflows, segments served and presence in Australia and New Zealand. One row was added: injury and return-to-work depth, as the vendor publishes it. Every fact was checked on the vendor's own pages in October 2026. Australian workers' compensation schemes differ by state, so local fit matters.
Injury depth is the deciding row. Labour hire claims need injury management, certificates, return-to-work plans and state scheme rules. A general claims platform may need configuration to match an injury specialist.
The order is not a ranking. ClaimsGateway is listed first, then the other multi-class system, then the injury-focused systems. The ClaimsGateway self-insured and mutuals page describes its approach.
Which injury claims software suits labour hire companies?
Labour hire companies whose claims are mostly injury, and that want deep return-to-work and state compliance tools, are served by Solv. Those that want injury alongside other claim classes, with configurable workflows across host sites, are served by ClaimsGateway or Figtree Systems. WHS Monitor suits smaller firms that want WHS and a claims register together.
1. ClaimsGateway
Best for: Labour hire companies that want injury, workers' compensation and other claims in one configurable platform across many host sites.
Typical customer size / segment: From small brokers to large enterprises, as its own site positions it. Its site describes a labour hire story, without figures.
Key strengths:
- It handles injury and workers' compensation claims, alongside property, motor and liability, from first notice of loss to close.
- Workflows are configured without developers, so each step can name who is responsible, at the labour hire company or the host.
- Payments are built in, with automated set-up and tracking, reconciliation, fraud detection and AML sanctions checks.
Claims scope: The whole product.
Who changes workflows: The business, without developers.
Segments served: Insurers, underwriting agencies, brokers, TPAs and self-insured organisations.
Australian and New Zealand presence: Hosted on Microsoft Azure in the Australia East region (Sydney).
Injury and return-to-work depth, as published: Injury and workers' compensation are among its named claim classes.
Watch-outs: Organisations that only need a WHS incident register, with no claims to manage, need a different product.
Pricing: Volume-based, set by annual claim volume, with unlimited users. Its pricing page listed plans from AUD 5,500 a year ex GST in October 2026. An implementation fee and a minimum 3-year term apply.
2. Solv
Best for: Labour hire companies and large employers whose claims are mainly workplace injury and who want deep return-to-work tools.
Typical customer size / segment: Large employers. Testimonials on its site include Randstad, Serco and Bunnings (solv.com.au, October 2026). According to Solv, its software is used by 70% of self-insurance licences.
Key strengths:
- Automated alerts and workflows for work and non-work injuries.
- Return-to-work plans, pre-filled forms and a compensation calculator.
- Legislation checks for each state, and data held in Australia on Microsoft Azure.
Claims scope: Workplace injury and workers' compensation.
Who changes workflows: Not stated on the pages reviewed.
Segments served: Employers and self-insured organisations.
Australian and New Zealand presence: Australian company, with data held in Australia.
Injury and return-to-work depth, as published: Injury management, return-to-work plans and state compliance checks.
Watch-outs: Property, motor and liability claims sit outside its scope.
Pricing: Not published.
3. Figtree Systems
Best for: Larger organisations that want workers' compensation, safety and claims modules from one Australian vendor.
Typical customer size / segment: Insurers, TPAs, government bodies, councils and transport operators, as its site lists (figtreesystems.com.au, October 2026).
Key strengths:
- A workers' compensation management module alongside insurance claims.
- A safety management system with incident capture and tracking.
- "Highly configurable software tailored to your workflows, jurisdictions and reporting requirements."
Claims scope: Claims modules within a wider safety and risk suite.
Who changes workflows: Configurable, as its site describes; who configures is not stated.
Segments served: Insurers, TPAs, government bodies, councils and transport operators.
Australian and New Zealand presence: Offices in Sydney and Wellington.
Injury and return-to-work depth, as published: Workers' compensation management and incident capture.
Watch-outs: Labour hire is not named among its audiences, so ask for references with multi-site employers.
Pricing: Not published.
4. WHS Monitor
Best for: Smaller labour hire firms that want WHS incident management with a workers' compensation claims register.
Typical customer size / segment: Businesses of all sizes. According to WHS Monitor, more than 2,500 Australian businesses use it (whsmonitor.com.au, October 2026).
Key strengths:
- Incident recording for injuries, near misses and property damage, with root cause analysis.
- A "fully integrated claims management register" for workers' compensation claims.
- Return-to-work stages recorded and assigned to responsible staff.
Claims scope: A workers' compensation claims register within a WHS platform.
Who changes workflows: Not stated on the page reviewed.
Segments served: Businesses of all sizes, public sector bodies, associations and charities.
Australian and New Zealand presence: Published by Arventa Pty Ltd, with an office in Canberra.
Injury and return-to-work depth, as published: Incident recording, a claims register and return-to-work stages.
Watch-outs: It is a WHS platform first, so claim payments and non-injury claims are outside what it describes.
Pricing: Not published on the page reviewed; a free trial is offered.
How should labour hire companies work with host employers on claims?
Agree the roles before an injury happens. The labour hire company and each host should agree who reports and investigates incidents, who contacts the injured worker, and how suitable duties will be found for return to work. Record those arrangements against each host, so the claims team knows them the moment a claim arrives.
Safe Work Australia suggests the two businesses discuss hazards and controls, safe work methods, training and their roles in responding to an incident. In addition, it notes they should coordinate return-to-work arrangements and support workers through the process.
Return to work is where it most often breaks down. The host may not offer suitable duties, so the labour hire company may need to place the worker elsewhere. Tracking each step, and who owns it, keeps the claim moving. The workers' compensation claims process guide explains the employer's obligations.
Frequently asked questions
Who is responsible for a labour hire worker's injury claim?
In most Australian jurisdictions, the labour hire company provides workers' compensation for its workers, so it manages the injury claim, according to Safe Work Australia. There are exceptions, so check with your workers' compensation authority. The host employer must still cooperate, including on investigation and return to work.
What injury management software do labour hire firms use?
Labour hire firms use injury management systems such as Solv for workers' compensation and return to work, WHS platforms with claims registers such as WHS Monitor, or multi-class claims platforms such as ClaimsGateway. The right one depends on claim volume, the number of host sites and whether other claim classes matter.
How does return to work work in labour hire?
The labour hire company and the host work together to find suitable duties for the injured worker, usually at the host. If the host cannot offer them, the labour hire company may place the worker with another host. Both businesses are expected to coordinate return-to-work arrangements and support the worker throughout.
Do labour hire companies self-insure?
Some large labour hire companies are licensed workers' compensation self-insurers, which means they manage claims themselves under a regulator's standards. Most hold workers' compensation policies with their state's scheme or insurer instead. Self-insurance requires scale, financial strength, reinsurance and strong claims capability.
What do regulators expect?
WHS regulators expect both the labour hire company and the host to meet their own duties of care and to consult, cooperate and coordinate with each other. Workers' compensation regulators expect claims and return to work to be managed under each state's rules. Some states also run labour hire licensing schemes.
About the author
ClaimsGateway builds cloud claims management software for insurers, underwriting agencies, brokers, TPAs and self-insured organisations in Australia and New Zealand. Every regulator figure in this article links to its source, and every vendor fact was checked on the vendor's own site on the date shown.
Related reading
- Workers' compensation claims software: systems for injury claims.
- Incident and claims systems: carrying an incident through to a claim.
- Self-insured claims software: options for organisations handling their own claims.
Sources
- Safe Work Australia. "Labour hire: duties of persons conducting a business or undertaking." https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/system/files/documents/1908/labour-hire-duties-of-persons-conducting-business-undertaking.pdf
- Safe Work Australia. "Key Work Health and Safety Statistics Australia 2025." https://data.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/insights/key-whs-statistics-australia/latest-release
- Vendor websites, checked 22 October 2026: solv.com.au, figtreesystems.com.au, whsmonitor.com.au/incident-management, claimsgateway.com.
