What Is a WICA Claim? How Injured Workers Get Compensated in Singapore

By Ganesan Nachiappan · Associate, DL Law Corporation · Advocate & Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Singapore

What is WICA in Singapore?

WICA is the Work Injury Compensation Act 2019 — the Singapore law that allows employees injured at work, or who contract an occupational disease, to claim compensation from their employer’s insurer without having to prove fault. It replaced the older Work Injury Compensation Act and came into force on 1 September 2020.

A WICA claim is the fastest, cheapest route to compensation for a workplace injury in Singapore. You do not need to sue. You do not need to prove your employer was negligent. You just need to show the injury happened in the course of your employment.

Who is covered by WICA?

WICA covers all employees under a contract of service or apprenticeship in Singapore, regardless of salary level, nationality, or work pass status. This includes:

• Singapore citizens and PRs
• Work permit, S Pass, and Employment Pass holders
• Part-time and contract workers
• Domestic workers — covered for medical expenses and lump-sum compensation, though some provisions differ

WICA does not cover the self-employed, independent contractors, or members of the SAF, SCDF, or Singapore Police Force (who are covered under separate schemes).

What can you claim under WICA?

There are three categories of compensation under the Act.

1. Medical leave wages

For each day of paid medical leave or hospitalisation leave certified by a doctor, you are entitled to wages. The Act specifies the amount: full Average Monthly Earnings (AME) for the first 14 days of outpatient leave or 60 days of hospitalisation leave, and two-thirds of AME after that. The cap is 14 days of outpatient + 60 days of hospitalisation in total, or one year from the date of accident, whichever is shorter.

2. Medical expenses

Reasonable medical expenses incurred for treating the work injury are covered. This includes doctor consultations, hospitalisation, surgery, physiotherapy, and prescription medication. The cap is currently $45,000 or one year from the date of accident, whichever is reached first.

3. Lump-sum compensation

This is paid for permanent incapacity or death. The amount is calculated using a statutory formula based on your Average Monthly Earnings and your degree of permanent incapacity as assessed by a doctor.

The current compensation limits under the Act for accidents on or after 1 January 2024 are:

• Death — minimum $76,000, maximum $225,000
• Total permanent incapacity — minimum $97,000, maximum $289,000
• Partial permanent incapacity — a percentage of the total permanent incapacity amount, based on the degree of incapacity assessed

Compensation amounts are reviewed periodically. Always check the latest Ministry of Manpower (MOM) figures for the accident date that applies to your case.

What injuries qualify for a WICA claim?

A WICA claim covers two scenarios:

• Accidents arising out of and in the course of employment — injuries sustained while doing your job, including while travelling for work purposes.
• Occupational diseases — diseases listed in the Second Schedule to the Act, such as noise-induced deafness, lead poisoning, and certain musculoskeletal disorders, where the disease arose because of the work performed.

Common WICA-eligible injuries we see in our practice include falls from height, machinery injuries, vehicle collisions during work duties, burn injuries, back and shoulder strains from repetitive lifting, and noise-induced hearing loss.

How to file a WICA claim — the process

Step 1 — Report the accident

You must inform your employer of the accident as soon as practicable. Your employer is legally required to report the accident to MOM if it results in more than three days of medical leave, hospitalisation of at least 24 hours, or death. Reporting is done via MOM’s iReport system.

Step 2 — See a doctor and obtain medical certification

Seek medical attention immediately. Keep all medical certificates, receipts, and reports. The doctor will document your injury, treatment, and any medical leave issued. This documentation is the foundation of every WICA claim.

Step 3 — Employer notifies the insurer

Your employer is required to maintain WICA insurance for manual workers and non-manual workers earning $2,600/month or less. The employer notifies their insurer of the accident, and the insurer becomes responsible for processing the claim.

Step 4 — Medical assessment by a designated doctor

Once your condition has stabilised, you will be referred to a designated doctor for assessment. The doctor determines the degree of permanent incapacity, if any, using the standard tables. This assessment drives the lump-sum compensation calculation.

Step 5 — Notice of Assessment issued by MOM

MOM issues a Notice of Assessment (NOA) setting out the compensation amount payable. Both the worker and the employer/insurer have 14 days from the date of the NOA to file an objection. This deadline is strict.

Step 6 — Payment or objection

If neither party objects within 14 days, the NOA becomes final and the compensation is paid. If you object — for example, because the percentage of incapacity assessed seems too low — your objection is heard by the Assistant Commissioner for Labour, with appeal rights to a Commissioner and ultimately to the High Court.

WICA claim vs personal injury (common law) claim

This is the most important decision in any work injury matter. You cannot pursue both — once you accept WICA compensation, you give up your right to sue in tort for the same injury under section 33 of the Act. So choose carefully.

For most workplace accidents — especially where the worker’s earnings are modest and the injury is not catastrophic — WICA is the better route. The compensation is fixed, the process is faster, and the worker bears no risk of losing.

For serious injuries with long-term consequences — paralysis, traumatic brain injury, loss of limb, permanent disability that severely affects future earnings — a common law claim may yield significantly higher damages. But it requires proof of negligence, takes longer, and carries litigation risk.

A WICA claim is the default. A common law claim is the considered alternative. The right answer depends on the injury, the evidence, the worker’s earnings, and the employer’s insurance position. Get advice before electing.

What if your employer disputes the claim?

Common employer disputes include:

• The injury did not arise out of employment — for example, the employer says the worker was on a personal frolic when injured.
• The injury existed before employment — pre-existing condition disputes.
• The worker is not an employee but an independent contractor — a common defence in the gig economy.
• The percentage of incapacity assessed is too high — typically raised by the insurer.

These disputes are decided by the Commissioner for Labour, with rights of appeal. Workers facing a contested claim should get legal advice — the burden of evidence and the procedural rules favour the prepared party.

Common WICA mistakes that cost workers compensation

• Not reporting the accident promptly — late reports raise questions about whether the injury really happened at work.
• Treating the injury at unregistered clinics or without medical certificates — without documentation, claims fail.
• Accepting the first NOA without checking — once 14 days pass, you cannot reopen the assessment.
• Signing a settlement offer outside the WICA process — some employers offer informal settlements that fall well below the statutory amount. Always check the statutory entitlement first.
• Choosing WICA when a common law claim would yield far more — and vice versa.

Speak with our personal injury team

If you have been injured at work and need to understand your options, we can advise on whether WICA or a common law claim is the right path for your case, file the claim, deal with the insurer, object to a Notice of Assessment if the percentage is wrong, and represent you on appeal if needed.

We have represented claimants in High Court appeals under the Workmen’s Compensation Act (the predecessor to WICA) and continue to handle WICA matters across construction, manufacturing, F&B, security, and domestic worker injuries.

Call (65) 6557 0215 or email contactus@dllclegal.com. We typically respond within minutes during business hours.

This article is general information about WICA in Singapore and is not legal advice. Compensation amounts and procedural rules change — always confirm the current figures with MOM or a lawyer before acting. For advice on your specific injury, consult an Advocate & Solicitor.

Statutory references: Work Injury Compensation Act 2019 (No. 27 of 2019), sections 3, 11, 24, 33 and Second Schedule. Subsidiary legislation: Work Injury Compensation Regulations 2020. Compensation limits cited apply to accidents on or after 1 January 2024.