Insurance brokers in Auckland - Life, health, and group cover

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Why should Auckland residents get personal insurance?

Auckland is New Zealand’s largest city, with a population of almost 1.8 million. Auckland also houses a large and diverse range of progressive industries accounting for almost 40 percent of the nation's GDP. With its beautiful scenery and bustling environs, living and working in Auckland is an exciting experience for many.

Aside from the positives, unplanned events can strike anywhere, at any time, creating huge financial and emotional pressure. Choosing to be one step ahead by considering the benefits of personal insurance to secure yourself and your loved ones can be a lifesaver.

And if you’re a business owner, adding group insurance to your practice can attract and retain top performers as well as offer pastoral support to the employees who contribute to your company’s success.

Public healthcare woes

Public healthcare is generally free for all eligible residents in New Zealand. However, long waiting times for specialist appointments, surgeries, and non-urgent treatments are a major issue for thousands of Aucklanders.

From October 2023 to September 2024, patients waiting more than four months for their first specialist assessment (FSA) in the Auckland region peaked at 10,000+ during January, February, and March.

Auckland waiting list first specialist assessment

In October 2023, 4,123 patients in Auckland were given a commitment but not treated within the required time frame of four months. In September 2024, this number reached 5,654.

Auckland treatment waiting list

^{Source: Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora. Elective Services Patient Flow Indicators Web Tool.}

Meanwhile, opting for private healthcare without insurance is pricey. To give you an idea, here are some typical costs for common procedures if you choose to go private:

Surgeries	Estimated Cost
Coronary artery bypass and valve replacement	$83,000 - $110,000
Coronary artery bypass	$50,000 - $75,000
Total knee joint replacement (unilateral)	$25,000 - $28,000
Total hip joint replacement (unilateral)	$22,000 - $28,000
Resection of endometriosis (grade 1, 2, 3, or 4)	$10,900 - $19,500
Cataract surgery (unilateral)	$3,600 - $5,000
Colonoscopy	$2,000 - $3,300
Cancer Treatments	Estimated Cost
Chemotherapy	$15,000 - $170,000 (per treatment cycle)
Radiotherapy	$20,000 - $55,000 (per treatment cycle)
Removal of cancerous skin lesions	$1,000 - $9,500
Common Diagnostic Tests	Estimated Cost
PET scan	$2,000 - $3,200
MRI scan	$1,500 - $3,000
CT scan	$1,300 - $1,700
Ultrasound	$500 - $1,500

^{Source: nib Premier Health Business brochure, 2024}

Private health insurance can cover some of the costs of these procedures and provide prompt access to healthcare services when timely treatment is essential. The most comprehensive medical insurance plans can also cover the costs of expensive life-saving or life-extending drugs not funded by Pharmac, including medications for various cancers and cardiovascular, respiratory, and nervous system diseases.

Auckland’s high cost of living

Auckland’s average household income ($162,494) is more than 20% higher than the New Zealand average of $132,812.

While Auckland might have higher pay rates than most parts of the country, its high cost of living counteracts that benefit. For example, the average weekly rent in Auckland is $624, higher than New Zealand’s average of $560. Homes in Auckland are also more expensive, with average house values costing 7.8 times the household income.

With high outgoings, an unexpected crisis, like a critical illness, serious injury, or job loss, can create unwanted financial stress. In these situations, having personal insurance offers great value, covering essential expenses, medical bills, rent or mortgage repayments, utility bills, groceries, and transportation.

Personal insurance options for Auckland residents

When choosing an appropriate personal insurance policy, first determine the risks you wish to safeguard against. Based on your requirements and budget, our insurance advisers might suggest one or a blend of these options:

Comprehensive health insurance
Life cover
Income protection cover
Trauma/critical illness insurance
Total permanent disability (TPD) insurance
Mortgage protection insurance

Type of Insurance	Benefits	How can this insurance help?
Comprehensive health insurance	Financial support for personal healthcare expenses, quicker treatments, and a wider range of medical choices	Offers prompt specialist evaluations and non-emergency treatments, minimising waiting times and out-of-pocket costs
Income protection cover	Monthly payment if a sickness or injury stops you from being able to work	Guarantees a regular income to manage essential living costs, debt obligations, and healthcare expenses, maintaining financial stability throughout recovery
Trauma/critical illness insurance	One-time, lump sum payment if you experience a qualifying severe illness or injury	Provides financial assistance for medical and recovery expenses, enabling you to heal without the burden of financial worry
Life cover	Your beneficiaries receive a lump sum payment in the event of your death. Certain policies provide an early payout if you are diagnosed with a terminal illness	Ensures financial stability for loved ones, assisting them with mortgage payments, educational expenses, and daily living costs
Total permanent disability insurance	Receive a lump sum payout if you are permanently disabled and unable to work in your usual or any occupation	Provides support for extended financial requirements, addressing medical expenses and everyday costs
Mortgage protection cover	Monthly assistance to help with mortgage or rent costs in case you are unable to work because of illness or injury	Offers security by ensuring your mortgage or rent payments can be maintained

Evaluating the features and benefits of each insurance policy allows you to choose the options that align with your requirements and financial situation. Since each policy differs in structure, a detailed comparison - offered (free of charge) by Policywise - will help you avoid paying for unnecessary cover while still getting the best plan for your needs.

Why should your Auckland business consider group insurance?

Incorporating employee insurance into your company’s benefits package is a strategic initiative for Auckland businesses seeking to enhance their workplace environment. Group insurance offers employees comprehensive cover, peace of mind, financial security, and an improved sense of wellbeing, as well as prompt access to medical treatment when they need it.

Group insurance benefits for Auckland business owners

Draw and retain exceptional talent: Top professionals look for employment opportunities that provide strong benefits.
Possible expense saver: Group policies are more economical than individual policies because the risk is spread across the workforce.
Flexibility for business proprietors: Group insurance plans can be customised to align with your company’s goals and employees’ needs via various plans and benefit tiers.
Improved productivity: Providing your team with group health or income protection insurance encourages them to maintain their health, pursue prompt medical care, and return to work more quickly following an illness or injury.

Group insurance benefits for Auckland employees

Financial stability: Group insurance shields employees from the pressures of medical costs, income loss, or the financial fallout from unforeseen health issues.
Improved health and wellness: Employees feel less stress and anxiety when their health concerns are covered, increasing general wellbeing and productivity.

Group insurance options for Auckland companies

Auckland businesses can tailor a group insurance plan that meets the unique needs of their workforce:

Company health insurance

Helps cover employees’ medical expenses, including GP visits, specialist consultations, and hospital admissions. Your staff will not face extended wait times since they can quickly access healthcare in case of sickness or injury.

Group life insurance

Offers a one-time payment to beneficiaries in the case of the employee’s death or terminal illness diagnosis, ensuring financial stability for loved ones and a significant support system during difficult times.

Group income protection insurance

Pays a portion of an employee's monthly income if they’re unable to work due to sickness or injury, allowing them to cover living costs while recuperating.

Group trauma/critical illness insurance

Provides a lump sum payment if an employee receives a critical illness diagnosis, including cancer, heart attack, or stroke. This can help manage medical expenses, household bills, or other costs.

Group total permanent disability (TPD) insurance

Offers a one-time benefit to assist an employee who becomes permanently disabled, helping them pay for care, modify their home or car, or cover financial commitments.

Auckland insurance broker FAQs

What are the advantages of working with an insurance broker instead of going directly to insurers?

An insurance broker acts as a link between you (the client) and the insurance provider, helping find the policy best suited to your specific needs. In Auckland, partnering with an insurance broker, such as Policywise, allows you to compare multiple insurers, saving you valuable time and effort. You can then make a well-informed decision based on this comparison, rather than going directly to one insurer and limiting your options.

Will I have to pay an insurance broker?

We don’t charge any fees for our services and all quote comparisons are free, allowing you to tap into our expertise at no extra cost.

Will an insurance broker help me deal with claims?

Yes, Policywise can assist with the claims process, making it easier for you to navigate paperwork and communicate with insurers. This support is a key benefit of working with an advocate like Policywise and helps you achieve fair outcomes.

How do I contact Policywise to learn more about personal or group insurance?

You can schedule a callback, fill out an online enquiry form, or explore our contact options for direct support.

Why choose Policywise as your Auckland insurance broker

100% free service, lowest market prices

Our purpose is to find you the best cover for the lowest going rate—so you don’t have to shop around. Our prices are exactly the same as going directly through the insurer or your bank for the same policy. There are absolutely no added cost or fees at all. The insurer pays our fees as we save them a lot of admin, and expertly match people to the right policy.

New Zealand owned & operated

With insurance advisers nationwide, we're here for you wherever you are in New Zealand. Our commitment is to protect New Zealanders with the best life, health, and disability insurance at competitive rates.

Advocacy on your behalf if you ever have trouble making a claim

You don't want to be up against your insurer's legal team by yourself. That's why any policy you buy through us is protected by our specialist claims team. They can help with negotiations around even the most difficult claims, as part of our ongoing FREE service. If you took out cover through Policywise, you have nothing to worry about—we can manage your claim on your behalf and go to bat for you with the insurer.

You're 100% in control

There is zero obligation with Policywise. We give you the information you need to make an informed decision with no pressure or sales tactics. If you like our recommendations and choose to take out a policy, we’re happy to set it up for you with the insurer as part of our FREE service. We also ensure that every policy has at least a 14-day free look period, so you can cancel for a full refund with no risk.

Incredibly simple & clear explanation of which policy is best for you

We give you a SHORT printable report summarising your top option, with clear explanations of the benefits that make it your best choice.

Based on independent research

Unlike other comparison sites, our reporting is based on recommendations from in-depth independent research about each insurer. This means you can make an informed and confident decision.

Advanced proprietary comparison software

Does having good cover for a particular condition like cancer concern you? We use a proprietary analytics and reporting tool, paired with our extensive experience, to generate in-depth comparisons on the conditions that concern you the most. This means we can ensure you get the exact policy that best covers the areas most important to you.

Access to every major provider on the market, and all their policies

Because we only do health, life & disability, we know every insurer worth knowing, and can advise you on every available policy.

Focused exclusively on health, life & disability cover

We don't do any kind of assets or liability insurance, which means that all of our expertise is concentrated on health, life and disability. Because we are not generalists, we know much more about our specific kind of insurance. It's like the difference between a brain surgeon and a GP.

How Policywise works in 3 easy steps

1

Tell us about yourself

Click the button below to get started by entering some basic details. (Takes less than 30 seconds.)

2

Get your FREE, no-obligation quote comparison

We’ll provide a straight forward run-down of your best options. It will show you the top insurance policies that match your needs, with research and rankings on each insurance provider. You can see a quote summary of the lowest market prices available for these policies. We provide all this completely free, with NO ADDED COST on the premiums, because the insurer pays our fees.

3

We take care of everything for you

If you like our recommendations, our experienced insurance heroes will set up everything. Eliminate the pain of organising your insurance. We handle all the time-consuming back-and-forth with the insurer, on your behalf. This is completely FREE.

How Policywise generally compares to other insurance quote providers

	POLICYWISE™	Other comparison sites	Traditional brokers	Banks	Insurers (going direct)
Completely free service	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Quotes from 8 of NZ’s leading insurers	Yes	Some*	Some*	No*	No
Tailored recommendations fitted to your needs	Yes	No	Yes	No*	No
Detailed quote comparisons	Yes	No	Some*	No	No
Comparisons based on third-party research	Yes	Some	Yes	No	No
Fast & efficient process	Yes	Yes	Some*	Yes	Some
Independent claims support & advocacy	Yes	Some	Yes	No	No*
Laser focused on health, life & disability	Yes	Yes	Some*	No	Yes*
Experts at negotiating pre-existing conditions	Yes	Some	Some	No	No
Avoid ungenerous policies that make claiming hard	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Some
Ongoing support	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Nicest guys in New Zealand	Yes	No	No	No	No

^{Disclaimer: All information on this page or website is general information only, not intended as advice, and does not take into consideration your personal circumstances. We recommend consulting a Policywise adviser before making any insurance decision.}

^{Please note: Policywise advisers are licensed by the Financial Markets Authority to provide financial advice in relation to health insurance, life insurance, and disability insurance. You can learn more about this on our Public Disclosure page. All insurance covers are subject to the insurer’s approval of your application.}

^{Insurance policies and their built-in and optional benefits may be subject to stand-down periods, exclusions, terms and conditions, and premium loadings not listed on this website. Optional benefits also have additional premiums. Please refer to the insurance product’s policy document for full details. Insurers may alter these details at any time.}

^{Therefore, nothing in our product pages is intended to be definitive or binding. Where there are discrepancies between any policy wording on this website and the policy wording provided by the insurance company at the time your cover is approved, then the insurance company’s wording will be deemed the correct version.}

References

Auckland Tāmaki Makaurau. (2024). Economy and sector. Retrieved 07/11/2024 https://industry.aucklandnz.com/business/economy-and-sectors

Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora. (2024, November 18). Elective services patient flow indicators web tool. Retrieved 25/11/2024 https://tewhatuora.shinyapps.io/ESPI_app/

Infometrics NZ. (2023). Regional economic profile: Auckland housing affordability. Retrieved 25/11/2024 https://rep.infometrics.co.nz/auckland/income-and-housing/housing-affordability?compare=new-zealand

Infometrics NZ. (2024). Regional economic profile: Auckland average rent. Retrieved 25/11/2024 https://rep.infometrics.co.nz/auckland/income-and-housing/average-rent?compare=new-zealand

Infometrics NZ. (2024). Regional economic profile: Auckland household income. Retrieved 25/11/2024 https://rep.infometrics.co.nz/auckland/living-standards/household-income?compare=new-zealand

Infometrics NZ. (2024). Regional economic profile: Auckland population growth. Retrieved 21/11/2024 https://rep.infometrics.co.nz/auckland/population/growth

nib. (2024). Premier health business. Retrieved 31/10/2024 https://www.nibadviser.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/10/Premier-Health-Business-Brochure-2-Final-20.9.24.pdf

Wise Move. (2024). Arnott, F. Cost of living in Auckland [2024]. Retrieved 25/11/2024 https://www.wisemove.co.nz/post/cost-of-living-in-auckland

Wise Move. (2024). Arnott, F. Cost of living in New Zealand [2024]. Retrieved 31/10/2024 https://www.wisemove.co.nz/post/the-cost-of-living-in-new-zealand

Auckland Insurance Brokers

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