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ARTICLE · 13 DECEMBER 2025

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Claim farming banned in South Australia – legislation update

Gilchrist Connell
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Claim farming refers to the practice of making unsolicited approaches to people who have suffered injury and persuading them to commence a compensation claim.

AustraliaLitigation, Mediation & Arbitration
Joe Parisi
Joe Parisi
Angelina Kyriacou
Angelina Kyriacou
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On 30 October 2025, the Statutes Amendment (Claim Farming) Act 2025 (SA) (Act) received royal assent. The Act amends the Summary Offences Act 1953 (SA) (SOA) and the Legal Practitioners Act 1981 (SA) (LPA) and will make it an offence to engage in claim farming in personal injury claims.

What is claim farming?

Claim farming refers to the practice of making unsolicited approaches to people who have suffered injury and persuading them to commence a compensation claim. The personal information of the injured person is often collected by third parties and referred to law firms or claims managers in exchange for financial benefit.

The issue of claim farming gained attention following the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse which revealed that a number of victims/survivors were cold called by businesses and law firms encouraging them to commence compensation claims.

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