The ACC Partnership Programme gives employers significant discounts on their ACC levies, in exchange for taking responsibility for their employees’ work injury claims. Under the Programme, an employer’s existing levies can be reduced by up to 90%. However, responsibilities include the delivery of all statutory entitlements, such as weekly compensation for lost earnings.
Who can apply?
Any employer can apply for entry to the ACC Partnership Programme, although it is more suitable for large employers whose levies exceed $250,000 per year.
How the Programme works
If you join the Programme, and become an ‘accredited employer’, you effectively agree to act on behalf of ACC for your employee’s work-related injuries.
We review your participation in the Programme each year to ensure you continue to meet the Programme’s criteria.
There are two cover options to choose from - the Partnership Discount Plan, and the Full Self Cover Plan. Both options have an identical application and assessment process.
Partnership Discount Plan
If you join the Partnership Discount Plan, you assume responsibility for the management and costs of your employees’ work-related injuries and illnesses for a nominated claims management period.
At the end of the selected claims management period, if an injured employee is still receiving entitlements, financial and management responsibility for the claim will be transferred to ACC. Some residual liability may exist in respect of gradual process claims.
Full Self Cover Plan
If you join the Full Self Cover Plan, you assume responsibility for the management and costs of your employees’ work-related injuries and illnesses for the life of the claim, limited to the stop loss level you have chosen
At the end of the selected claims management period, if an injured employee is still receiving entitlements, financial and management responsibility for the claim will be transferred to ACC at a calculated price.
High Cost Claim Cover
The Full Self Cover Plan gives you the option of choosing High Cost Claim Cover.
This additional cover allows you to limit your payments for claims arising from a single event.
You can select a High Cost Claim Cover excess level of $250,000, $500,000, $750,000, $1 million, $1.5 million, $2 million or $2.5 million per event.
If the accumulated claim payments resulting from a single event reach the nominated level, any further claim payments arising from the event will be reimbursed by ACC.
Definition of ‘a single event’
An event is a discrete and time-bound incident (excluding gradual process claims), which results in entitlements for one or more employees.
Stop loss limits
These limit your claims liability costs, protecting you against any unexpectedly high total injury costs incurred during a cover period.
They are compulsory for the Full Self Cover Plan, but optional for the Partnership Discount Plan.
You can choose a stop loss limit from a range between 160% and 250% of the ’risk’.
Calculate your possible savings
You can get a rough indication of your potential savings under the ACC Partnership Programme, by using our online calculator.
Note:
In addition to the levy discounts under each cover option, extra discounts may be calculated based on the result of your health and safety audit.
More accurate information is available from your ACC account manager.
What are the risks?
Employers should be aware of all the implications of joining the ACC Partnership Programme.
As an example, if you join and one of your employees suffers a fatal or permanent disability injury, you could end up providing financial support to the claimant or their surviving dependants.
You would carry this responsibility for the period agreed to as part of your ACC Partnership Programme contract with ACC.
What are the benefits?
In addition to the levy savings you make by joining the Programme, you can have a direct input into managing the claim, and in reducing overall costs.
Both employers and employees benefit from effective injury prevention and management.
Well managed claims reduce work-related injury costs, including ACC levies, and promote the early and safe return to work of employees after an injury.
ACC’s role
If you join the ACC Partnership Programme, you’re not on your own. ACC can help by providing:
- advice through your ACC account manager
- specialised ACC Partnership Programme information and support, including access to an e-learning training package
- injury prevention advice
- advice on rehabilitation management
- interpretation of legislation.
We will continue to provide associated services required by legislation, such as:
- disputes and complaints resolution and review
- assessment of lump sum compensation
- fraud management advice.
Joining the ACC Partnership Programme
Find out about applying to join the ACC Partnership Programme and the criteria you’ll need to meet in order to be accepted.
Informe
Members of ACC’s Partnership Programme can access ACC’s claims management resources through Informe.
You will need to enter the username password assigned to you when you joined the programme.
If you are unsure or experiencing any problems please contact the Partnership Programme on (04) 918 7061.
Last updated: 18 May 2010