Life insurance for firefighters and paramedics in NZ
Firefighters, volunteers and paramedics can apply for life insurance in New Zealand, and no insurer we read publishes a rule barring emergency work. Terms on underwritten cover are the insurer's decision. Quick Life asks no job question, but excludes deaths in a "dangerous job or risky pastime" at claim time; its examples do not name firefighting or ambulance work.
In short
- We found no published insurer terms for career or volunteer firefighters or paramedics, so this page prints no loading and does not say you will get standard rates.
- Quick Life's dangerous-job definition lists "active duty in the armed services" and other examples. Firefighting and paramedic work are not listed. Momentum decides at claim time.
- Check what cover you already have through an employer or union before you buy, and what happens to it if you leave.
- Be thorough on health history, including any counselling or time off after traumatic call-outs. IFSO case notes show non-disclosure leading to policies being avoided or claims reduced.
A decision path
Work through these in order. Each step either settles the question or leads to the next.
- Is there cover already? Ask your employer, union or association for the policy document and who the insurer is. Our group cover continuation guide explains what happens to employer cover when you leave.
- What do you need it for? A lump sum on death for a mortgage or children is life cover. Cover for being unable to work is different; see difference between life and trauma insurance.
- Are you in good health? If yes, fully underwritten cover through a licensed adviser usually gets more cover for less. If you have been declined or heavily loaded, guaranteed acceptance becomes relevant.
- Does your role include other risky pastimes? Hazardous pursuits are asked about on underwritten applications.
- Which age band are you in? Quick Life takes ages 18 to 65.
Career, volunteer, paramedic: what we can and cannot say
Career staff, volunteers and paramedics may all be asked about their work. Insurers do not publish a separate treatment for each, and we could not source a difference. What we can say comes from the published guides:
| Question | What is published | What is not |
|---|---|---|
| Do insurers ask about occupation? | Fidelity Life offers pre-assessments of "medical, occupational, financial or hazardous pursuits risks"; Chubb's occupation section (written for income and disability style covers) says a person with more than one job is usually rated on the more hazardous | Terms for fire or ambulance roles |
| Does it matter if you volunteer? | Chubb's rule on multiple occupations covers a second job; a volunteer role is not mentioned | Whether volunteer service is rated |
| Are loadings published? | No | Any figure |
Sources: Fidelity Life underwriting guide and Chubb Life Essential Underwriting Guide, May 2025. Because a volunteer may have another paid job, tell the adviser about both. Fidelity says a pre-assessment is "not an offer of cover, nor a binding final assessment", so it is a guide to possible terms only.
Quick Life and your job
Quick Life is Momentum's guaranteed acceptance life cover for ages 18 to 65 and $50,000 to $300,000, issued by Momentum Life Limited. It asks no health questions and no occupation question. At claim time its wording excludes death due to "being involved in a dangerous job or risky pastime", and it defines that as "Any high-risk job or activity, such as" handling explosives or weapons, working 40m underwater, driving or riding faster than 130km/h, professional sport, and "active duty in the armed services". It then adds: "These activities can impact your ability to claim" (Momentum Life: Quick Life Insurance Policy Wording, November 2025).
Armed-services duty is a different thing from fire and emergency work, and the wording does not name fire, ambulance or rescue work. Because the list is open-ended ("such as"), we cannot tell you a call-out death would be paid. If your role matters to you, ask Momentum in writing how it would read the clause before relying on this product. The wording also excludes alcohol or drug effects and illegal acts at any time, and for the first 2 years pre-existing conditions and suicide. See the Quick Life guide and guaranteed acceptance. The buttons on this page open Momentum's online quote.
For a comparison with another uniformed service, see life insurance for police, and for armed forces see life insurance for NZDF.
Health history and disclosure
Emergency work can involve distressing incidents. Underwritten applications ask about past counselling, mental health treatment, time off work, injuries and ongoing symptoms, as they do for any applicant. We found no published insurer terms for these. Fidelity says a fully completed application form is needed to review a mental health exclusion. Answer fully: IFSO case notes show an insurer avoiding a policy after a claim where depression or stress and other past conditions were not disclosed, and the complaint was not upheld (IFSO). Our guide to insurance and mental health covers the questions in more detail.
From 15 November 2027 (not yet in force), the Contracts of Insurance Act 2024 replaces the disclosure duty with a duty to take reasonable care. Until then, disclose everything asked.
What ACC may add
ACC provides funeral and survivor support when death follows a covered injury, including a funeral grant of up to $8,236.40 and a survivor's grant of $8,830.47 to a partner (ACC, retrieved 20 October 2026). It does not pay for death from illness. Whether a given volunteer role falls within ACC cover is a question for ACC; we have not sourced it.
Funeral-only cover
Momentum's Funeral Insurance (ages 40 to 75, $3,000 to $30,000, no health questions) lists no occupation exclusion in the wording we read, but pays only for accidental death in the first 24 months. Total premiums may exceed the benefit, and the benefit may not cover the whole funeral. See Funeral Insurance.
Frequently asked questions
Can a volunteer firefighter get life insurance?
You can apply. We found no published rule excluding volunteers. Describe all your roles to the adviser.
Do firefighters pay higher premiums?
We found no published loading for firefighters or paramedics. Your own premium depends on underwriting.
Does Quick Life exclude firefighting?
Firefighting is not named. The clause covers a "dangerous job or risky pastime" defined by examples, and Momentum decides at claim time.
Should I tell an insurer about counselling after incidents?
If you are asked, yes. Answer every question fully.
About this page
Advice is provided by Craig Smith Business Services Limited, trading as Smiths Insurance & KiwiSaver, a licensed Financial Advice Provider (FSP712931). 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. Momentum Life Limited has an A.M. Best financial strength rating of B (Fair), affirmed 11 February 2026 (financial strength page). This is general information, not advice. The funeral cover amount calculator can help size a funeral benefit.
References
- Momentum Life: Quick Life Insurance Policy Wording (November 2025), retrieved 17 October 2026
- Momentum Life: Financial strength, retrieved 20 October 2026
- Fidelity Life: Underwriting guide (October 2025), retrieved 20 October 2026
- Chubb Life: Essential Underwriting Guide (May 2025), retrieved 20 October 2026
- IFSO: No work, no life cover, non-disclosure, retrieved 20 October 2026
- ACC: Financial support after a fatal injury, retrieved 20 October 2026
- Contracts of Insurance Act 2024, retrieved 20 October 2026
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