FAQ's

Life insurance is a policy that pays a lump sum to your chosen beneficiaries if you pass away. In New Zealand, this money can be used to pay off a mortgage, clear debts, cover living costs, or fund future needs like education. Having life insurance means your family won’t be left financially vulnerable at an already difficult time, giving you peace of mind that they’ll be looked after.

For many households, a sudden loss of income would put a huge strain on day-to-day living. Life insurance NZ is designed to remove that worry by providing immediate financial support. It can help your partner keep the family home, ensure your children’s education continues, and make sure everyday expenses are still covered. Choosing the right level of life cover is about protecting your loved ones from financial stress when they need it most.

The right amount of life insurance depends on your personal circumstances, including your income, debts, mortgage, dependants, and long-term goals. Some people only want enough to clear the mortgage, while others prefer cover that also funds ongoing family expenses. An adviser can work with you to calculate the right figure and help you compare options from different providers to find the best life insurance NZ for your needs.

Yes. Most people start with straightforward life insurance, which covers you for a set period such as 10, 20 or 30 years. Some insurers also offer additional options like trauma cover, total permanent disability cover, or income protection, which can be bundled with life insurance for more complete protection. A licensed life insurance company can explain which mix of products works best for your stage of life.

There are several trusted life insurance companies in New Zealand, including AIA, Asteron Life, Partners Life, Fidelity Life and Chubb Life. Each offers similar core products, but with differences in features, benefit amounts, and optional add-ons. Working with an independent adviser like NZ Insurances means you can compare policies across these providers and choose the best life insurance NZ for your family and budget.

The “best” plan depends on what you value most, e.g., skipping the public waiting list, getting fast access to private specialists/procedures/medication, and whether you want extras like dental and optical. We compare options and help you balance speed of treatment, benefits and budget.

Most hospital policies don’t include GP/dental/optical unless you add extra cover. We can help you decide if they’re worth it for your household and structure family health insurance accordingly. Always check the policy wording before you decide.

Yes, most policies let you upgrade/downgrade cover, change your excess, and add/remove dependants as life changes. We’ll explain how changes can affect premiums and out-of-pocket costs before you proceed.

It varies by insurer. Some cover pre-existing conditions after a waiting period, while others may exclude them. Disclosing your health history upfront helps us advocate for you and set the right expectations around waiting times and coverage.

Yes, NZ Insurances services clients nationwide, including Christchurch. We compare options across various options and recommend the best health insurance company that fits your situation; we’ll also flag local access considerations and preferred providers.

Income protection insurance is designed to replace part of your income if you can’t work due to illness or injury. In New Zealand, most policies cover up to 75% of your usual earnings and continue paying either until you recover or until the chosen benefit period ends. This cover helps you stay on top of everyday expenses like your mortgage, rent, or family bills, giving you financial breathing space while you focus on getting better.

When you take out income protection insurance NZ, you decide how the cover is set up. Every policy has a waiting period, which is the time you need to be off work before payments begin, and a benefit period, which is how long the payments will continue. Common waiting periods are 4, 8, or 13 weeks, while benefit periods might last for two years, five years, or right through to age 65. Payments are adjusted if you’re receiving support from ACC or other sources, so your total cover always reflects your real needs.

This type of cover is most valuable if your household relies heavily on your income. It’s especially important if you have a mortgage or other financial commitments, if you support dependants, or if you’re self-employed without the safety net of extended sick leave. For many people, the best income protection insurance NZ provides peace of mind, knowing that if the unexpected happens, your lifestyle and financial obligations can still be managed.

Pre-existing conditions are usually excluded, along with injuries from intentional self-harm or absences due to normal pregnancy and childbirth unless there are complications. Standard income protection does not cover redundancy or unemployment unless you add specific redundancy cover. Understanding these exclusions upfront is key, and an adviser can help you review policy wording so there are no surprises later.

There are several major health and life insurance companies in New Zealand that offer income protection, including AIA, Asteron Life, Chubb Life, Fidelity Life, nib and Partners Life. While the core structure of these policies is similar, each insurer has its own definitions, waiting period options, and added benefits. Working with an insurance adviser gives you the advantage of comparing products across multiple providers and helps ensure you choose the best income protection insurance NZ for your personal circumstances.

Mortgage protection insurance is designed to cover your home loan repayments if you’re unable to work due to illness, injury, or death. Unlike lender’s mortgage insurance, which protects the bank, mortgage protection insurance NZ protects you and your family by ensuring the mortgage is paid even if something unexpected happens.

When you take out mortgage protection insurance NZ, you choose how much of your repayments you want covered and for how long. If you’re unable to meet your mortgage because of illness, disability, redundancy, or death (depending on the policy), the insurer will step in and make the payments for you. This keeps your household secure and reduces the risk of losing your home.

Life insurance can clear your mortgage if you pass away, but it doesn’t help if you’re alive but unable to work due to illness or injury. Mortgage protection insurance fills that gap by keeping repayments covered during those difficult times. Having both life insurance and mortgage repayment insurance NZ gives more comprehensive protection for your home and family.

The best mortgage repayment insurance depends on your loan size, income, family situation, and budget. Leading life insurers in New Zealand, such as AIA, Partners Life, Asteron Life, Fidelity Life and Chubb Life, offer mortgage protection options. Working with an adviser ensures you compare across providers and structure cover that fits your circumstances. An adviser like NZ Insurances can explain the fine print and help you decide whether mortgage life insurance, repayment cover, or a mix of both is right for you.

Trauma insurance, also known as critical illness insurance, provides a lump sum payment if you're diagnosed with a specific illness or injury, such as cancer, heart attack, or stroke. It's designed to help you manage medical costs and maintain your lifestyle during recovery.

Trauma insurance NZ is designed to provide financial support at the moment you need it most. Once a covered condition is diagnosed and confirmed, the insurer pays out the agreed lump sum. You can use this payment for medical treatment not covered publicly, reducing work hours, hiring in-home support, or even paying down your mortgage. Because trauma cover insurance is condition-based, it’s important to review the list of illnesses covered before you choose a policy.

Trauma cover is valuable for anyone who would struggle financially if they were unable to work for an extended period due to a serious illness. It’s especially important for families with children, people with mortgages or loans, and those who want extra flexibility if their health changes suddenly. The best trauma insurance NZ can provide peace of mind that you’ll have funds available to focus on recovery rather than finances.

Health insurance helps pay for private medical treatment and specialist access, while trauma insurance gives you a one-off cash payment if you suffer a major illness or injury listed in your policy. You can hold both together: health insurance speeds up access to treatment, while trauma insurance helps you manage the wider financial impact, such as lost income, home adjustments, or ongoing family costs.

Most major life insurance companies in New Zealand, including AIA, Partners Life, Asteron Life, Fidelity Life and Chubb Life, offer trauma insurance as a standalone policy or as an add-on to life cover. The best trauma insurance NZ depends on the conditions covered, the size of the lump sum you want, and how it fits with your existing health or life insurance. An adviser at NZ Insurances can compare providers and help tailor trauma cover insurance to your personal circumstances

Total and permanent disability insurance (TPD insurance) pays a lump sum if you become totally and permanently disabled and can no longer work. In New Zealand, this cover is designed to provide financial support for things like mortgage repayments, medical costs, home modifications, or everyday living expenses when earning an income is no longer possible. TPD insurance NZ is often added alongside life or trauma cover to create a complete protection package.

With total permanent disability insurance, you’re covered if you meet the policy’s definition of being permanently unable to work. Some insurers define this as being unable to ever return to your own occupation, while others use an any occupation definition, which is stricter. Once a claim is accepted, you receive a one-off lump sum payment that you can use however you need, whether that’s clearing debts, adapting your home, or funding long-term care.

TPD insurance NZ is especially valuable for people whose household relies on their income or for those with large financial commitments like a mortgage. It’s also important for self-employed people, as losing the ability to work permanently can put both personal and business finances at risk. For families, having total and permanent disability insurance in place provides peace of mind that financial security won’t vanish if the unexpected happens.

The terms are sometimes used interchangeably, but they’re not the same. Disability insurance NZ often refers to income protection, which replaces part of your income if you can’t work temporarily due to illness or injury. Total and permanent disability insurance, on the other hand, pays a lump sum only if you are permanently unable to work again. Many people choose to hold both, as they cover different scenarios.

Most life insurance companies in New Zealand offer TPD insurance as an optional add-on to life cover. The best total permanent disability insurance depends on your occupation, financial commitments, and whether you want “own occupation” or “any occupation” cover. Working with an adviser helps you understand the differences and ensures you choose TPD insurance that truly fits your needs.

To make an insurance claim, you start by contacting your insurer or your adviser at NZ Insurances as soon as the event happens. From there, you’ll usually be asked to fill in a claim form and provide supporting evidence such as receipts, photos, or medical reports. We help you complete the paperwork and make sure everything needed for the claim is included, so the process runs smoothly.

The insurance claim process NZ is straightforward when you know the steps. First, you notify the insurer about what happened, then you submit your claim form with documents, and the insurer will review and sometimes arrange an assessment. Once approved, they’ll either pay out a lump sum or organise repairs. Having NZ Insurances guide you means you don’t have to manage it all on your own, we track progress and follow up with the insurer for you.

Approval times vary depending on the claim type and complexity. Simple claims may be approved within a few days, while larger or more detailed cases may take longer. The best way to avoid delays is to provide complete, accurate information at the start. At NZ Insurances, we help you prepare your claim properly so you can get an answer as quickly as possible.

Yes. If your insurance claim is declined, we can help you understand why and advise on whether to challenge the decision. Many insurers have an internal review process, and if that doesn’t resolve the issue, you can take it to the Insurance & Financial Services Ombudsman (IFSO). With NZ Insurances on your side, you have someone to guide you through appeals and make sure your case is fairly reviewed.