Chatswood serves the life and health insurance sector in New Zealand with market intelligence, data, and bespoke consulting services. Some of these are provided in conjunction with Quality Product Research Limited - a subsidiary that brings you Quotemonster.

We believe that good decisions are more likely to occur when we have good information about the market environment in which we operate. Intuitive leaps and creative decisions are always required, of course, but the more they are based on a firm foundation of observation, the better they tend to be.

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nib’s A Healthier Approach Launch events run across February

nib is running nib Ultimate Life & Living insurance and nib Balance launch events  from 10 February - 3 March.

nib is running nib Ultimate Life & Living insurance and nib Balance launch events  from 10 February - 3 March. The events will explore nib’s latest offerings, unveil comprehensive new nib products and insurance products and will feature a keynote speech from renowned psychologist, author and media personality, Nigel Latta.

  • Tauranga 10 February

  • Hamilton 11 February

  • Auckland 12 February

  • Wellington 14 February

  • Christchurch 17 February

  • Timaru 18 February

  • Dunedin 19 February

  • Invercargill 20 February

  • Queenstown 20 February

  • Auckland Central 24 February

  • North Shore 24 February

  • Nelson 25 February

  • Palmerston North 26 February

  • Napier 27 February

  • Whangarei 28 February

  • New Plymouth 3 March

 

Quotemonster team members will be at the following venues:

  • Auckland 12 February

  • Auckland Central 24 February

  • Auckland North Shore 24 February

  • Hamilton 11 February

We look forward to seeing you there.

More news:

Resolution Life has completed its acquisition of Asteron Life

nib’s 12 months free child health cover promotion ends 28 February

nib release their top 5 health claims for December 2024

MAS are looking for a Programme Director

Lifetime Financial Wellness Showcase on 4 February

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AM Best reaffirms Partners Life ratings

AM Best has reaffirmed the financial strength rating and the long-term issuer credit rating for Partners Life.

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AIA appoints new Chief Distribution Officer and new Chief Customer Officer

AIA has announced two executive appointments, with Angela Busby being appointed Chief Distribution Officer and Maddie Sherlock being appointed Chief Customer Officer.

AIA has announced two executive appointments, with Angela Busby being appointed Chief Distribution Officer and Maddie Sherlock being appointed Chief Customer Officer.

Busby was previously AIA NZ’s Chief Customer Officer and Chief Strategy Officer and has held a variety of other senior roles across Sovereign, ASB Securities and Aegis. Her new role will see her responsible for business development including IFA and Group Distribution, Aligned Advice and AIA NZ’s ASB Partnership, as well as Distribution Performance and Supervision.

Angela Busby, Chief Distribution Officer

 

Sherlock has been with AIA since 2015 and was most recently AIA NZ’s Head of Customer Strategic Delivery. In her new role, Sherlock will oversee all the functions of Customer operations including the management of customers, underwriting, claims, rehabilitation, and customer experience.

Maddie Sherlock, Chief Customer Officer

 
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Government announces reforms to strengthen NZ’s capital markets

The Government has announced a package of reforms to help ensure New Zealand’s capital markets are working to support a productive economy.

The Government has announced a package of reforms to help ensure New Zealand’s capital markets are working to support a productive economy. The Government is making it easier for businesses to raise money from the public by making it voluntary to provide forward-looking financial information as part of an Initial Public Offering of shares. These changes are expected to be in place by May 2025.

The Government has also opened consultation on two proposals: enabling KiwiSaver investment in private assets; and potential adjustments to the climate-related disclosures regime. Consultation closes 14 February 2025.

The Financial Services Council (FSC) has expressed strong support for enabling KiwiSaver funds to invest in unlisted assets. FSC CEO Kirk Hope said,

“By enabling KiwiSaver investments in unlisted assets, such as infrastructure projects and innovative New Zealand businesses, we can unlock substantial capital for domestic growth.”

“This reform will not only provide Kiwi businesses with much-needed capital to innovate and expand but the opportunity of greater diversification for KiwiSaver.”

Some financial advisers warn that regulators need to get on board with the proposals, however. At a recent event we held in conjunction with the Financial Services Council, advisers asked questions about whether the Financial Markets Authority would be supportive of fund managers choosing to invest more in private assets and infrastructure projects which tend to be illiquid in nature. We think that these are good questions, and the answers will be highly sensitive to the context in each fund: for example, the scale of the investments relative to the total fund size and the liquidity of other assets, and the ages, balances, and probable withdrawal patterns of investing members.

More news:

Fidelity Life discounts on certain exclusions for Trauma covers are live

AIA release updated Working with AIA Guide

AIA webinar 'Webinar - Guide to Medical Conditions' 28 February

More locations offering AIA Vitality Fitness Assessments & Health Checks

Steve Wright dissects a recent FSCL complaint

nib promotion offers $300 woolworths vouchers to eligible applicants

Advice Link has appointed of a new general manager Sébastien Pierre

Tony Vidler writes of the importance of soft skills

Government announces hikes to ACC levies

Chapter Zero discusses experiences from year one of New Zealand's mandatory climate reporting

Significant increase in cyber incidents across New Zealand in Q3 2024

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Asteron Life paid out 97% of claims

Asteron Life paid out 97% of the Trauma, Life and Income Protection claims it received in the year ended June 30 2024.

Asteron Life paid out 97% of the Trauma, Life and Income Protection claims it received in the year ended June 30 2024. In total, Asteron Life paid out $112 million of claims, with $53.5 million being paid out for Life Insurance, $34.1 million in Trauma policy payments and $24.4 million in Monthly Income Protection cover claims.

Accident or Injury was the leading cause of claims, for both Monthly Income cover and Trauma cover. Mental Health claims duration remains high, with an average duration of 8 - 12 months, compared to other new claims where the average duration was around 6 - 8 months. Executive Manager Claims and Customer Solutions, Seema Bangera, said

“Return to work outcomes are directly related to early intervention and rehabilitation. This means the mental wellbeing of customers needs to be at the forefront for claims specialists and we need to ensure all clients have the necessary support building their personal resilience for their return-to-work journeys.”

 

More news:

Financial Advice NZ masterclass 'The ethics of client psychology: How clients think' 1 April

Partners Life enhance Quote for Alterations service

12 steps that could help prevent dementia

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Mary-Jane Daly has been appointed as a Director at Partners Life

The Board of Partners Life has announced that Mary-Jane (MJ) Daly has been appointed as a Director, effective 2 December 2024.

The Board of Partners Life has announced that Mary-Jane (MJ) Daly has been appointed as a Director, effective 2 December 2024. Ms Daly will assume the role of Chair on 1 February 2025, after a two-month handover period from current Chair Jim Minto.

Daly is a professional Independent Director with over 10 years’ experience. She is currently Chair of both AIG Insurance New Zealand Limited and the Fonterra Shareholders' Fund as well as being an Independent Director of Kiwi Property Group Limited and Kiwibank Limited, and a member of the MBIE Risk and Advisory Committee.

Minto joined the Board in February 2017, with his tenure concluding on 31 January 2025. During his leadership he oversaw the acquisition agreement of BNZ Life Insurance in 2020. He also facilitated the transition of Partners Life to being a wholly owned subsidiary of Dai-ichi Life Group Holdings Limited in 2022 following the shareholder sale process.

 

More news:          

O’Hagan Homes Loans & Insurances has merged with Apex Advice

AIA awarded the Accessibility Tick for the second time

BNZ announces investment in fintech company Centrapay

Westpac publish 2024 Sustainability and Climate Reports

Australian advisers told email systems are a point of vulnerability

Impact funds leap from $1 billion to $5 billion of assets under management within a year

Centrix data shows mortgage arrears have risen for the third consecutive month and are higher than last year's levels

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The FMA releases Consumer Confidence survey

The Financial Markets Authority (FMA) has released their inaugural Consumer Confidence Survey. The survey combines key questions from previous years’ Investor Confidence Survey and KiwiSaver Statements Survey as well as new questions around key focus areas such as fairness, investment scams and confidence in financial markets

The Financial Markets Authority (FMA) has released their inaugural Consumer Confidence Survey. The survey combines key questions from previous years’ Investor Confidence Survey and KiwiSaver Statements Survey as well as new questions around key focus areas such as fairness, investment scams and confidence in financial markets. Key findings include:

  • 98% of New Zealanders have at least one banking product, with 49% considering at least one banking product in the next 12 months

  • Savings account ownership is up across all demographics  

  • Credit card ownership has decreased 3% while buy-now-pay-later services are up 5% across all demographics

  • 86% of New Zealanders have at least one insurance product, with the average number of insurance products being 2.5 per person

  • Younger New Zealanders (18 – 34) generally had fewer insurance products compared to other age groups but were more likely to own pet and health insurance

  • 85% of New Zealanders have at least one investment product, with the average number of different investment products owned being 1.8 per person

  • KiwiSaver membership is highest amongst Chinese and Pacific ethnicities at 87% and 86% respectively

  • 79% of New Zealanders actively chose their own KiwiSaver fund, with females and those aged 45 – 54 years having lower levels of participation in their choice of fund

  • KiwiSaver satisfaction levels have improved over the last two years, with 60% of Kiwis being quite/very satisfied

  • Catalysts for kiwis to consider making changes to their KiwiSaver/other investments include better investment returns from another provider (41%) or if their fees seemed high (39%).

FMA Chief Executive Samantha Barrass said

“The results of this survey provide us with valuable insights into how New Zealanders interact with financial markets and their level of confidence in those markets and in the FMA. It also helps us to see emerging trends that require our regulatory attention, so that we can focus our efforts on how we can better regulate for all New Zealanders.”

Additional reports will be published in early 2025 on several themes that emerged in the survey findings in 2025, including the experiences of women Māori, and other minority groups with financial markets; the relationship between knowledge of financial markets and confidence; investment scams and their link to confidence and consumer behaviour; the enablers of investment practices; comparative findings on fairness.

 

More news:

nib release their top 5 health claims for September 2024

AIA campaign offering up to three months off premiums extended to 31 March 2025

AIAHub Resource Hub now available to delegated users

AIA's latest CPI rate is 2.2%

The FSC is gathering feedback on life after licensing

O’Hagan Homes Loans & Insurances has merged with Apex Advice

Banks start New Zealand launch of Confirmation of Payee

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FSCL reminds advisers policies need to continue to meet client needs

The FSCL has stated that advisers must ensure insurance policies continue to meet the needs of each client, each time it is renewed.

The Financial Services Complaints Ltd (FSCL) has stated that advisers must ensure insurance policies continue to meet the needs of each client, each time it is renewed. This comes in the wake of a complaint where a customer paid out $37,000 in funeral insurance over the course of 17 years, for a policy that had a maximum payout of $10,000. The customer raised a complaint with the insurer and the FSCL and following a dispute process the customer was paid out compensation.

 
 
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Fidelity Life announce incoming Board Chair

Fidelity Life has announced that Scott Pickering will take up the reins as chair of its Board of Directors, effective 1 January 2025.

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Fidelity Life announces growth plans

Campbell Mitchell, Fidelity Life Chief Executive, has told delegates at the Engage Conference the company’s intentions to grow to a $1 billion company.

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