The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA), which represents over 85% of Australia’s insurance sector, has backed the Queensland Government’s first-of-its-kind E-mobility reforms and stated that they were a “necessary response” to combat the surge in injuries and deaths related to the devices.

The ‘Transport and Other Legislation (Managing E-mobility Use and Protecting Our Communities) Amendment Bill 2026’, will come into effect on July 1 of this year

ICA CEO Andrew Hall acknowledged that injuries sustained from the devices across the country are unacceptable.

“The proposed laws send a clear message that illegal, unregistered, high-powered machines have no place on our roads and footpaths.

The ICA noted the importance of legal frameworks to protect people, such as Compulsory Third Party (CTP) insurance.

“If a device can’t be registered, it can’t be insured, and that leaves everyone exposed,” Mr Hall said.

Under the Bill, devices capable of exceeding 25km/h would be reclassified as motorbikes after a six-month transition period and may require registration and CTP.

“CTP insurance is there to protect people when things go wrong, and right now there are thousands of illegal devices on Queensland roads operating completely outside that safety net,” Mr Hall said.

Non-compliant devices would be banned from roads and public spaces, and those that do not exceed the 25km/h limit and are legal will be treated in the same way as bicycles.

The ICA warns that, as it stands now, when an unregistered, uninsured device is involved in a serious incident, that safety net does not exist, leaving injured riders, pedestrians and other road users without the protections available in other on-road collisions.

Further risks – fire
The ICA has also raised concerns over the fire risk that e-devices pose.

Lithium-ion batteries in e-mobility devices can ignite from overcharging, physical damage, heat exposure and manufacturing defects. Devices that do not meet legal standards may impact coverage under home and contents insurance.

“Insurers are ready to work with the Queensland Government to make sure these reforms deliver the safety outcomes Queenslanders expect and call on other jurisdictions to follow Queensland’s lead in this area.”