Written by · Reviewed by Smiths Insurance & KiwiSaver — licensed Financial Advice Provider (FSP712931) · Last updated 2026-10-20

Documents needed for life insurance in NZ: a checklist

There is no single national list: each New Zealand insurer sets its own requirements. What the published sources show is a residency test (citizen, permanent resident, or a work visa with enough time left), medical evidence that depends on the cover amount and your age, and financial evidence only for large sums or income cover. Momentum Life's Quick Life asks no health questions and needs no medical exam, but its wording still sets a residency rule.

In short

Two different kinds of application

Guaranteed acceptance products such as Momentum's Quick Life and Funeral Insurance accept applicants who meet the age and residency rules, without health questions. The trade-off is a window at the start. Quick Life excludes pre-existing conditions and suicide for the first 2 years; Funeral Insurance pays only for accidental death in its first 24 months, and refunds the premiums for any other death in that window. Cover is capped: Quick Life at $50,000 to $300,000 per person at the start (Momentum Quick Life wording, November 2025). For more on how this differs from standard cover, read life insurance with no medical exam and what guaranteed acceptance is.

Underwritten cover, usually arranged through a licensed adviser, asks health and lifestyle questions and may ask for records or tests. The process is described in how underwriting works.

What we could not find: a published ID list

Many people search for a list of identity documents. We looked for one in Momentum's two policy wordings and on Momentum's FAQ page and found none: the FAQ page lists no application documents, and the wordings define residency but name no document. The Chubb and Fidelity underwriting guides we read list no identity document either; Fidelity's asks for a copy of the visa for non-residents, and Chubb's sets visa-length rules. So we cannot tell you that a passport or driver licence is required, or that it is not. The sensible approach is to have your photo identification and, if you are not a citizen, your visa details to hand, and to ask the insurer or adviser before you start.

Residency and visa: the one document rule that is published

Insurer and product Published rule What may be asked
Momentum Quick Life NZ or Australian citizen, a New Zealand permanent resident visa, or a temporary work visa and in New Zealand for 6 months or more Not stated in the wording
Momentum Funeral Insurance NZ or Australian citizen, permanent resident visa, or in New Zealand continuously for at least 12 months on a valid temporary work visa Not stated in the wording
Chubb Life Citizen or permanent resident living in NZ full-time in most cases; a work visa must be granted for at least 24 months (or consecutive visas totalling 24 months) with at least 6 months left An "Expiry of Visa Exclusion" can apply to life cover
Fidelity Life Citizen or permanent resident, currently living in NZ, as a rule A copy of the visa with at least 12 months remaining, arrival date, intended stay, any permanent residency application and personal circumstances; a residency exclusion applies to lump sum cover for non-residents

Sources: Momentum wordings; Chubb Life Essential Underwriting Guide (May 2025); Fidelity Life quick reference underwriting guide (October 2025, written for advisers). Both guides treat citizens of Australia, the Cook Islands, Tokelau and Niue as New Zealand citizens if they live here full-time. For visa holders see also insurance for new migrants.

Medical evidence: it follows the amount and your age

Underwritten insurers publish minimum evidence levels for lump sum life cover. They are minimums: a condition you disclose triggers more.

Total life cover with the insurer Chubb Life Fidelity Life
Up to $500,000 Personal statement at every age band Application form at every age band
$500,001 to $1,000,000 Personal statement to age 60; "Code A" at 61 and over Application form to age 60; "Code A" at 61 and over

Chubb's "Code A" is a GP or paramedical exam, or a Personal Medical Attendant Report (medical notes from your doctor), plus tests for HbA1c, lipids and liver function. Fidelity's Code A is a GP or paramedical exam plus the same three tests. For younger applicants the bar rises with larger sums: Chubb's table has a personal statement up to $2.5 million at ages 0 to 45 and Code A above that, while Fidelity's shows an application form up to $2.5 million at those ages. Chubb also lists a "build" examination for a BMI of 37 or more. These figures come from adviser guides, so treat them as guidance, not a promise: both insurers say they may ask for different information.

Financial evidence: usually only for big sums or income cover

For lump sum life cover, Chubb lists no financial requirement up to $2.5 million, a financial questionnaire from $2.5 million to $3 million, and more above that. Fidelity asks for a statement of advice or financial questionnaire over $2.5 million. Where proof of income is needed, Chubb's guide lists, for employees, any of two recent payslips, an employer letter or an Inland Revenue earnings summary; for the self-employed it lists two years of accounts and personal and business tax returns. Monthly income-style covers, which are sized to income, are where these documents turn up most often.

Answers matter as much as paper

The documents are only half of an application. IFSO case notes show insurers avoiding or reducing claims where something material was not disclosed, including a case settled at half the life benefit (IFSO: colon cancer case). With guaranteed acceptance the equivalent is accuracy on the facts you are asked: Momentum's wording says a wrong age or smoking status adjusts the benefit, and a true age over 65 at the start voids a Quick Life policy with all premiums refunded.

What your family will need later

At claim time Momentum's wordings say the claimant may need a claim form and "a death certificate". Momentum's Quick Life wording says payment is usually made within 48 hours of approval, and goes to the nominated beneficiary, otherwise the policy owner or their estate. The official New Zealand death certificate costs $35 (govt.nz: get a death certificate; our death certificate guide has the steps). A short checklist for the people you are protecting:

  1. Where the policy documents are, and the insurer's claims number.
  2. Who is named as beneficiary, and that the nomination is up to date.
  3. Who the executor is. See what happens to a life insurance payout after death.

Checklist before you start

Who we are, and how we are paid

Advice is provided by Craig Smith Business Services Limited, trading as Smiths Insurance & KiwiSaver, a licensed Financial Advice Provider (FSP712931). This page is general information, not advice. QuoteHub is a Momentum Life partner, and Smiths Insurance & KiwiSaver may receive a commission if you buy through our link; see how we are paid and our disclosure.

Momentum Life Limited has a financial strength rating of B (Fair) from A.M. Best, affirmed 11 February 2026. Momentum's own table groups B in its "Vulnerable" range, and A.M. Best says the rating is not a recommendation (Momentum: financial strength). Momentum's Quick Life excludes pre-existing conditions and suicide for the first 2 years, and Funeral Insurance pays only for accidental death in the first 24 months. Total premiums can exceed the benefit paid. The buttons on this page lead to Momentum's online quote; if you want a policy with health questions and higher limits, speak to a licensed adviser instead.

Compared: Momentum Life, Chubb Life and Fidelity Life, on residency, medical and financial evidence, as at 20 October 2026, from their wordings and underwriting guides. Not every New Zealand insurer is included. Last reviewed 20 October 2026 by the QuoteHub Adviser Team; we read the primary documents named below.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a medical to get life insurance in NZ?

Not always. Momentum's Quick Life has no health questions and no medical exam. Underwritten insurers publish thresholds: up to $500,000, Chubb and Fidelity ask only for a personal statement or application form at every age band, though disclosed conditions can lead to more.

Do I need proof of residency?

Yes, in the sense that every insurer above sets a residency rule. Citizens and permanent residents are the simplest. For a work visa, rules range from 6 months in the country (Quick Life) to a visa of at least 24 months (Chubb).

What if I am on a short work visa?

Momentum Quick Life needs 6 months or more in New Zealand, and Funeral Insurance 12 continuous months. Chubb requires at least 6 months remaining on a visa granted for 24 months or more, and Fidelity applies a residency exclusion to lump sum cover for non-residents.

References

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