Life insurance companies in New Zealand
Reviewed by Henry Smith, Financial Adviser (FSP1010699). Updated 17 September 2026.
The 9 life insurance companies, in Henry Smith’s order
One adviser’s order, not a score. Henry Smith, Financial Adviser (FSP1010699), put the nine brands in the order he would look at them when placing life cover: what the licence actually writes and how you can buy it, the published claims record, the financial strength grade, and whether the name on the policy is the company that pays the claim. The reason for each position is printed under the name, every fact is the insurer’s own disclosure or the register with the date we read it, and the right insurer for you is decided by underwriting on your own details, which no order can predict.
1. Chubb Life
First for how much one licence writes and how many ways you can buy it. Chubb Life Insurance New Zealand Limited holds A (Excellent) from A.M. Best, runs the full adviser suite Assurance Extra and the online Life & Living range, and underwrites the Southern Cross Life policies too, so three front doors lead to the same balance sheet. By its own count it paid 96% of claims in 2024 and 95% in 2025. The thing to check is which of the two wordings your quote names, because they are not the same policy.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Who underwrites it | Chubb Life Insurance New Zealand Limited |
| Who owns it | Chubb Group |
| Financial strength | A (Excellent) (A.M. Best) (source, read 14 Aug 2026) |
| How you can buy | Adviser or direct |
Claims record: 96% of claims paid in 2024 and 95% in 2025, by Chubb’s own count (Chubb Life NZ, 2024 claims statistics (2025 figure on chubb.com/nz-en/life), read 18 August 2026).
QuoteHub’s read. Chubb Life is rated A (Excellent) by A.M. Best and runs two front doors: the adviser suite Assurance Extra, and the Life & Living range it also underwrites for Southern Cross under that name; the wording named on your quote decides which of the two you hold.
Chubb Life on QuoteHub: every limit, definition and document we read
2. Asteron Life
Second for the published claims record, which is the strongest on this page: 97.78% of claims accepted and $117.9 million paid in FY25, on an A+ rating from Fitch. Trauma Recovery Cover spans 48 conditions, a terminal-illness claim is normally paid within seven days, and the same licence stands behind AA Life. Adviser-only, and it intends to trade as Acenda Life New Zealand from 2027, which changes the name on the letterhead and nothing in the policy.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Who underwrites it | Asteron Life Limited |
| Who owns it | Resolution Life (acquisition from Suncorp completed 3 Feb 2025) |
| Financial strength | A+ (Fitch) (source, read 14 Aug 2026) |
| How you can buy | Through an adviser |
Claims record: 97.78% of claims accepted and $117.9 million paid, FY25 (Asteron Life, claims page (FY25 results), read 16 September 2026).
QuoteHub’s read. Asteron Life is rated A+ by Fitch, reports 97.78% of claims accepted and $117.9 million paid in FY25, covers 48 trauma conditions and underwrites the AA Life brand as well as its own; it intends to trade as Acenda Life New Zealand from 2027.
Asteron Life on QuoteHub: every limit, definition and document we read
3. Fidelity Life
Third as the largest New Zealand-owned life insurer, rated A- by A.M. Best, with a Westpac bank channel beside its advisers. Life cover has no expiry age, income protection runs to 75% of income capped at $30,000 a month, children are covered free under a trauma policy, and TPD pays a partial benefit without full disability. The line to read first is the trauma factsheet’s three-month stand-down on heart attack, stroke and cancer.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Who underwrites it | Fidelity Life Assurance Company Limited |
| Who owns it | NZ-owned; major shareholders reported as NZ Super Fund and Ngai Tahu Holdings |
| Financial strength | A- (A.M. Best) (source, read 14 Aug 2026) |
| How you can buy | Through an adviser |
Claims record: 93% of claims paid in the year to 30 June 2025 (Fidelity Life, claims customer brochure, read 18 August 2026).
QuoteHub’s read. Fidelity Life is the largest New Zealand-owned life insurer, rated A- by A.M. Best, with no expiry age on life cover, income protection to 75% of income capped at $30,000 a month, and trauma cover whose heart attack, stroke and cancer definitions only start three months after the policy does.
Fidelity Life on QuoteHub: every limit, definition and document we read
4. Partners Life
Fourth for structure. Partners Life is the one New Zealand insurer that puts life, trauma, income and private medical cover on a single Journey Plan, with up to 15% off for holding several, rated A (Excellent) by A.M. Best and owned by Dai-ichi Life. It is adviser-only, pays a $25,000 bereavement advance on notification of death, and paid 95% of the claims it assessed in the year to 31 March 2025. Its heaviest trauma conditions carry a 90-day stand-down that starts the day it receives your application.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Who underwrites it | Partners Life Limited |
| Who owns it | Dai-ichi Life Holdings (acquired 2022) |
| Financial strength | A (Excellent) (A.M. Best) (source, read 14 Aug 2026) |
| How you can buy | Through an adviser |
Claims record: 95% of claims assessed paid, more than $325 million, 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025 (This is Partners Life 2025, claims brochure, read 18 August 2026).
QuoteHub’s read. Partners Life is adviser-only, rated A (Excellent) by A.M. Best and owned by Dai-ichi Life, and the one New Zealand insurer that puts life, trauma, income and private medical cover on a single plan with up to 15% off for holding several; its heaviest trauma conditions carry a 90-day stand-down that runs from the day it receives your application.
Partners Life on QuoteHub: every limit, definition and document we read
5. AIA New Zealand
Fifth with the highest grade on the page, AA from Fitch, and the largest book in the market, because the range is the widest and the most product-specific: three different trauma wordings, five occupation classes on income cover, two health plans, and a Vitality discount that starts at 10%, moves each year with your status and does not attach to every product. AIA rewards the reader who checks which wording they are being quoted; it does not reward the one who assumes.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Who underwrites it | AIA New Zealand Limited |
| Who owns it | AIA Group Limited (Hong Kong listed) |
| Financial strength | AA (Fitch) (source, read 14 Aug 2026) |
| How you can buy | Adviser or direct |
Claims record: $829.6 million paid in claims in 2024, close to 800,000 New Zealanders covered (AIA NZ Claims Compass 2024, reported 8 May 2025, read 18 August 2026).
QuoteHub’s read. AIA is rated AA by Fitch, writes life, three separate trauma products, income protection and private health cover, and is the one insurer here whose wellness programme discounts the premium: Vitality starts at 10%, moves each year with your status, and does not attach to every product.
AIA New Zealand on QuoteHub: every limit, definition and document we read
6. Southern Cross Life (A brand on Chubb Life’s licence)
Sixth because it is a brand rather than an insurer. Southern Cross markets and sells Life & Living Insurance under its own name; Chubb Life assesses the application, carries the risk and pays the claim. Cover runs to $1.5 million for ages 18 to 70, one person per policy, and the 10% member discount lasts only while the Health Society membership does. A clean product for a member who wants a single lump sum; the grade that applies is Chubb’s.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Who underwrites it | Chubb Life Insurance New Zealand Limited (source, read 8 September 2026) |
| Who owns the underwriter | Not published |
| Who sells it | Southern Cross Insurance Services Limited, owned by Chubb Group |
| Financial strength of the underwriter | A (Excellent) (A.M. Best) (source, read 14 Aug 2026) |
| How you can buy | Adviser or direct |
QuoteHub’s read. Southern Cross Life & Living Insurance is a Chubb Life policy under the Southern Cross name: Chubb assesses the application, carries the risk and pays the claim, cover runs to $1.5 million for ages 18 to 70, and the 10% member discount lasts only while your Health Society membership does.
Southern Cross Life on QuoteHub: every limit, definition and document we read
7. AA Life (A brand on Asteron Life’s licence)
Seventh, the other brand on another licence. Asteron Life created and underwrites the AA’s seven separate covers, each with its own wording: no medical exam, but health questions Asteron can act on, Life Cover to $1.5 million with a 5% member discount, and a funeral cover that refunds premiums rather than paying out on natural-causes death in its first 24 months. Simple, small covers for members; the advised range sits with Asteron itself.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Who underwrites it | Asteron Life Limited (source, About AA Life Insurance) |
| Who owns the underwriter | Resolution Life (acquisition from Suncorp completed 3 Feb 2025) |
| Who sells it | New Zealand Automobile Association (Incorporated), owned by NZAA (member association) |
| Financial strength of the underwriter | A+ (Fitch) (source, read 14 Aug 2026) |
| How you can buy | Direct only |
QuoteHub’s read. AA Life is the AA’s brand on Asteron Life’s licence, so Asteron’s A+ Fitch rating, underwriting and claims decisions apply: seven separate covers with seven wordings, no medical exam but health questions Asteron can act on, a 5% member discount, and a funeral cover that refunds premiums rather than paying out on natural-causes death in its first 24 months.
AA Life on QuoteHub: every limit, definition and document we read
8. Westpac Life (A closed book serviced by Fidelity Life)
Eighth because it is closed. Fidelity Life acquired the Westpac Life book in 2022, existing policies are serviced by Fidelity Life and no new policies are issued, so Westpac Life matters only if you already hold one. The cover continues as written; whether a policy written years ago still fits is the question a review answers, and the current Fidelity Life range is where that review starts.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Who services it | Fidelity Life Limited, since the 2022 acquisition of the Westpac Life book |
| New policies | None issued; existing policies continue as written |
| Financial strength | Fidelity Life’s grade applies: A- (A.M. Best) |
| What to do with one | Review it against the current Fidelity Life range and the rest of the panel |
9. nib
Last for life cover specifically, and only for that. nib nz is a health insurer first, rated A by Standard & Poor’s, and its life range, Life Insurance Cover for ages 18 to 70 and Serious Illness Trauma and Income Protection Illness cover for ages 18 to 60, is sold alongside its health plans and is narrower than the adviser insurers above it. Where health cover is the question nib is a serious answer; where life cover is the question it sits ninth of nine.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Who underwrites it | nib nz limited |
| Who owns it | nib holdings limited (ASX listed) |
| Financial strength | A (Standard & Poor's) (source, read 14 Aug 2026) |
| How you can buy | Adviser or direct |
QuoteHub’s read. nib nz is the New Zealand arm of the ASX-listed nib holdings, rated A by Standard & Poor’s: base cover pays up to $300,000 a year for surgery and $200,000 for non-surgical hospital treatment at 100% inside its First Choice Network, with a three-year wait on pre-existing conditions, a permanent exclusion list, and an 80% co-payment on scans, tests and specialist visits.
nib on QuoteHub: every limit, definition and document we read
How the order was made
- Who pays the claim. The licensed entity behind the policy, not the brand on the advertisement. Three of the nine names are brands on another company’s licence.
- What one licence writes. Life, trauma, income and medical cover on one plan versus a single lump-sum product: breadth decides how much of your cover can sit with one underwriter.
- The published claims record. Acceptance rates and dollars paid, as each insurer publishes them, with the period stated. Not every insurer publishes one.
- The published grade. The financial strength rating from the insurer’s own disclosure, with its agency and effective date. Agencies use different scales.
- How you can buy. Adviser-only, direct, or both. Direct is quicker; the adviser channel is where the broadest wordings and the claim-time advocacy sit.
What to weigh in any offer
| What to weigh | Why it matters | What good looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Cover amount | Too little leaves a gap, too much is premium wasted. | Enough to clear debt, replace income and provide for dependants. |
| Premium structure | Stepped starts lower and rises every year; level costs more early and is steadier. | A structure that matches how many years you actually need the cover. |
| Claim definitions | The wording decides whether a claim is paid, and a brochure is not the wording. | Clear, modern definitions you can read and understand before you sign. |
| Future insurability | Lets you increase cover later without new health checks. | Built-in options to lift cover at marriage, a birth, a mortgage. |
| Underwriting approach | Shapes loadings, exclusions and how easily you are accepted. | A fair assessment for your health and occupation, in writing. |
| Adviser support | Claim time is when support matters most. | A licensed adviser who advocates for you through a claim. |
Four mistakes when choosing a life insurer
- Choosing on brand recognition alone. The most familiar name may be a marketing brand on someone else’s licence, with a narrower product set behind it. The underwriter row on each profile is the company that pays.
- Ignoring the claims record. Acceptance rates are one of the few reliability signals an insurer publishes about itself. Read the period and the denominator; they are not the same year from one insurer to the next.
- Not comparing across insurers. Pricing for the same person varies materially between insurers, and so do the definitions. One quote is a price, not a comparison.
- Underestimating an adviser. A licensed adviser can spot risks you had not considered, structure cover better, and advocate for you at claim time. Free, and the same price as going direct.
Every life insurer QuoteHub compares, with the licensed entity behind the policies, what it writes, its published financial strength and how you can buy. Each name links to that insurer's page, which lists the documents we read and the date we read them.
Life insurance companies in New Zealand
| Insurer | On our panel | Licensed entity | What they write | Financial strength | How you can buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Partners Life | Yes | Partners Life Limited | Life cover, Trauma cover, Income cover, TPD, Private medical | A (Excellent) (A.M. Best) | Through an adviser |
| AIA New Zealand | Yes | AIA New Zealand Limited | Life cover, Trauma cover, Income protection, TPD, Private health cover | AA (Fitch) | Adviser or direct |
| Chubb Life NZ | Yes | Chubb Life Insurance New Zealand Limited | Life cover, Trauma cover, Income cover, TPD, Funeral cover | A (Excellent) (A.M. Best) | Adviser or direct |
| Fidelity Life | Yes | Fidelity Life Assurance Company Limited | Life cover, Trauma cover, Income protection, TPD | A- (A.M. Best) | Through an adviser |
| Asteron Life | Yes | Asteron Life Limited | Life cover, Trauma cover, Income protection, TPD | A+ (Fitch) | Through an adviser |
| Momentum Life | Yes | Momentum Life Limited (FSP472286) | Life cover, Funeral cover | B (Fair) (A.M. Best) | Adviser or direct |
| Southern Cross Life | No | Chubb Life Insurance New Zealand Limited | Life & Living Insurance | A (Excellent) (A.M. Best) | Adviser or direct |
| Pinnacle Life | No | Pinnacle Life Limited (NZBN 9429030397248) | Life Insurance, Income Protection, Critical Conditions Cover, Disability Cover | Not published | Direct only |
| OneChoice | No | Greenstone Financial Services NZ Limited (distributor/promoter) | Life cover, Trauma cover, TPD, Income protection, Funeral cover | Not published | Direct only |
| AA Life | No | New Zealand Automobile Association (Incorporated) (distributor - not an insurer) | Life cover, Income protection, Trauma cover, Funeral cover | Not published | Direct only |
| Resolution Life NZ | No | Resolution Life New Zealand Limited | Life cover | Not published | Not published |
| NZ Seniors | No | Greenstone Financial Services NZ Limited (NZBN 9429047013582) (distributor/promoter) | Life cover, Funeral cover | Not published | Direct only |
| Booster Life | No | Booster Assurance Limited | Super Simple Life Insurance, Booster SmartCover | Not published | Adviser or direct |
| Golden Insurance | No | Neilson Financial Services Pty Ltd (distributor and promoter, ABN 52 668 314 896) | Golden Life Insurance | Not published | Direct only |
| MAS | No | Medical Life Assurance Society Limited | Life Insurance, Income Security Insurance, Recovery Insurance, Total Permanent Disablement Insurance | Not published | Through an adviser |
Which life insurer is best in New Zealand?
No single life insurer is best for everyone, so this page does not score them. What it does is compare all 15 on the facts that can be checked: who underwrites the policy, who owns that insurer, its published financial strength grade, how you can buy, and QuoteHub's one-line read of each, with every fact linked to its source on the insurer's own page. General information, not a recommendation: whether a policy suits you depends on your health, your budget and what you need covered. A licensed adviser can put it next to the rest of the panel on your own details. Updated 17 September 2026.
| Insurer | Who underwrites it | Who owns it | Financial strength | How you can buy | QuoteHub’s read |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chubb Life NZ | Chubb Life Insurance New Zealand Limited | Chubb Group | A (Excellent) (A.M. Best) | Adviser or direct | Chubb Life is rated A (Excellent) by A.M. Best and runs two front doors: the adviser suite Assurance Extra, and the Life & Living range it also underwrites for Southern Cross under that name; the wording named on your quote decides which of the two you hold. |
| Asteron Life | Asteron Life Limited | Resolution Life (acquisition from Suncorp completed 3 Feb 2025) | A+ (Fitch) | Through an adviser | Asteron Life is rated A+ by Fitch, reports 97.78% of claims accepted and $117.9 million paid in FY25, covers 48 trauma conditions and underwrites the AA Life brand as well as its own; it intends to trade as Acenda Life New Zealand from 2027. |
| Fidelity Life | Fidelity Life Assurance Company Limited | NZ-owned; major shareholders reported as NZ Super Fund and Ngai Tahu Holdings | A- (A.M. Best) | Through an adviser | Fidelity Life is the largest New Zealand-owned life insurer, rated A- by A.M. Best, with no expiry age on life cover, income protection to 75% of income capped at $30,000 a month, and trauma cover whose heart attack, stroke and cancer definitions only start three months after the policy does. |
| Partners Life | Partners Life Limited | Dai-ichi Life Holdings (acquired 2022) | A (Excellent) (A.M. Best) | Through an adviser | Partners Life is adviser-only, rated A (Excellent) by A.M. Best and owned by Dai-ichi Life, and the one New Zealand insurer that puts life, trauma, income and private medical cover on a single plan with up to 15% off for holding several; its heaviest trauma conditions carry a 90-day stand-down that runs from the day it receives your application. |
| AIA New Zealand | AIA New Zealand Limited | AIA Group Limited (Hong Kong listed) | AA (Fitch) | Adviser or direct | AIA is rated AA by Fitch, writes life, three separate trauma products, income protection and private health cover, and is the one insurer here whose wellness programme discounts the premium: Vitality starts at 10%, moves each year with your status, and does not attach to every product. |
| Southern Cross Life | Chubb Life Insurance New Zealand Limited | Not published | A (Excellent) (A.M. Best) | Adviser or direct | Southern Cross Life & Living Insurance is a Chubb Life policy under the Southern Cross name: Chubb assesses the application, carries the risk and pays the claim, cover runs to $1.5 million for ages 18 to 70, and the 10% member discount lasts only while your Health Society membership does. |
| AA Life | Asteron Life Limited | Resolution Life (acquisition from Suncorp completed 3 Feb 2025) | A+ (Fitch) | Direct only | AA Life is the AA’s brand on Asteron Life’s licence, so Asteron’s A+ Fitch rating, underwriting and claims decisions apply: seven separate covers with seven wordings, no medical exam but health questions Asteron can act on, a 5% member discount, and a funeral cover that refunds premiums rather than paying out on natural-causes death in its first 24 months. |
| Momentum Life | Momentum Life Limited | DCG Invest Limited 100% (closed Jul 2025; prior owner Blue Inc Group Pty Ltd Australia) | B (Fair) (A.M. Best) | Adviser or direct | Momentum Life’s Quick Life is guaranteed acceptance, $50,000 to $300,000 with no health questions for ages 18 to 65, and that is the whole trade: pre-existing conditions are not covered in the first two years, funeral cover pays only for accidental death in its first 24 months, and its B (Fair) grade from A.M. Best sits in the agency’s vulnerable band. |
| Pinnacle Life | Pinnacle Life Limited | Not published | B+ (A.M. Best) | Direct only | Pinnacle Life is the licensed insurer behind OneChoice and NZ Seniors as well as its own brand, rated B+ (Good) by A.M. Best with Greenstone Holdco named as its ultimate parent; cover runs to $2 million by phone, it reports 94.4% of claims paid, and its trauma and disability covers are add-ons that reduce the life sum. |
| OneChoice | Pinnacle Life Limited | Not published | B+ (A.M. Best) | Direct only | OneChoice is a Greenstone-promoted brand issued by Pinnacle Life, and the two share a parent: guaranteed acceptance from 16 to 70 with up to $2 million of life cover that steps down with age, but the guarantee is acceptance, not terms, since a 12-month accident-only period or a $100,000 cap can still be applied. |
| Resolution Life NZ | Resolution Life New Zealand Limited | Resolution Life group | A (Fitch) | Not published | Resolution Life NZ services legacy AMP policies rather than selling new cover, is rated A by Fitch, paid $171 million to 3,091 customers in 2025, and proposes to transfer every New Zealand policy to Asteron Life, estimated for February 2027, with no change to cover, premiums or claims while that is decided. |
| NZ Seniors | Pinnacle Life Limited | Not published | B+ (A.M. Best) | Direct only | NZ Seniors is a Greenstone-promoted brand issued by Pinnacle Life for ages 45 to 79: eight phone questions instead of a medical, $10,000 to $200,000 of life cover with stepped premiums that rise every year and end outright at 85, while the funeral product runs premium-free from 85 with a 25% bonus. |
| Booster Life | Booster Assurance Limited | Wholly owned by Booster Financial Services Group Limited; ultimate holding company Booster Group Limited (New Zealand) | Not published by the insurer | Adviser or direct | Booster Assurance is a licensed insurer with no financial strength rating of its own, sitting under the $1.5 million premium threshold and reinsured with Hannover Re; its online Super Simple Life cover is for Booster KiwiSaver Scheme members aged 18 to 50 only and ends at 65, while the adviser-sold SmartCover runs to $2 million. |
| Golden Insurance | Hallmark Life Insurance Company Limited (New Zealand branch) | Latitude Financial group | Not published by the insurer | Direct only | Golden Insurance is an Australian distributor’s brand and the policy is issued by the New Zealand branch of Hallmark Life: guaranteed acceptance for ages 40 to 80 on a questionnaire with no medical, cover capped at $250,000 by age band, and no financial strength rating published on the Golden site, so the grade that applies is Hallmark’s, not a Golden one. |
| MAS | Medical Life Assurance Society Limited | Member-owned mutual: owned by its members, not shareholders | A (S&P Global Ratings) | Through an adviser | MAS is a member-owned New Zealand mutual for professionals, with more than 50,000 members and no shareholders; its life insurer, Medical Life Assurance Society Limited, is rated A by S&P Global, and cover is arranged through MAS Advisers rather than bought online. |
The whole register, every insurer with its legal entity, owner, grade, effective date and source, is a dated dataset you can download: nz-insurer-financial-strength-2026-09-17.csv.
Who writes which life cover
Taken from each insurer's own product range as our register records it. "Not written" means that insurer does not offer that cover, not that it is unavailable in New Zealand.
| Cover | Partners Life | AIA | Chubb Life | Fidelity Life | Asteron Life | Momentum Life | Southern Cross Life | Pinnacle Life | OneChoice | AA Life | Resolution Life | NZ Seniors | Booster | Golden Insurance | MAS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Life cover | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not written | Not written | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not written | Not written | Not written |
| Trauma cover | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not written | Not written | Not written | Yes | Yes | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written |
| Income cover | Yes | Not written | Yes | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written |
| TPD | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Not written | Not written | Not written | Yes | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written |
| Private medical | Yes | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written |
| Income protection | Not written | Yes | Not written | Yes | Yes | Not written | Not written | Not written | Yes | Yes | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written |
| Private health cover | Not written | Yes | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written |
| Funeral cover | Not written | Not written | Yes | Not written | Not written | Yes | Not written | Not written | Yes | Yes | Not written | Yes | Not written | Not written | Not written |
| Life & Living Insurance | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Yes | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written |
| Life Insurance | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Yes | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Yes |
| Income Protection | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Yes | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written |
| Critical Conditions Cover | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Yes | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written |
| Disability Cover | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Yes | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written |
| Super Simple Life Insurance | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Yes | Not written | Not written |
| Booster SmartCover | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Yes | Not written | Not written |
| Golden Life Insurance | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Yes | Not written |
| Income Security Insurance | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Yes |
| Recovery Insurance | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Yes |
| Total Permanent Disablement Insurance | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Not written | Yes |
How you can buy, and who owns them
Distribution decides who does the comparing. A direct insurer sells its own product and the comparison work is yours; an adviser-distributed insurer is arranged by someone who can put it next to the rest of the panel on the same details.
| Insurer | How you can buy | Owner |
|---|---|---|
| Partners Life | Through an adviser | Dai-ichi Life Holdings (acquired 2022) |
| AIA | Adviser or direct | AIA Group Limited (Hong Kong listed) |
| Chubb Life | Adviser or direct | Chubb Group |
| Fidelity Life | Through an adviser | NZ-owned; major shareholders reported as NZ Super Fund and Ngai Tahu Holdings |
| Asteron Life | Through an adviser | Resolution Life (acquisition from Suncorp completed 3 Feb 2025) |
| Momentum Life | Adviser or direct | DCG Invest Limited 100% (closed Jul 2025; prior owner Blue Inc Group Pty Ltd Australia) |
| Southern Cross Life | Adviser or direct | Chubb Group |
| Pinnacle Life | Direct only | Not published |
| OneChoice | Direct only | Greenstone Financial Services (AU group) |
| AA Life | Direct only | NZAA (member association) |
| Resolution Life | Not published | Resolution Life group |
| NZ Seniors | Direct only | Greenstone Financial Services (AU group) |
| Booster | Adviser or direct | Wholly owned by Booster Financial Services Group Limited; ultimate holding company Booster Group Limited (New Zealand) |
| Golden Insurance | Direct only | Neilson Financial Services Pty Ltd, Australia, part of the Neilson group (also Dignity Insurance, Direct Cover, Seniors Choice) |
| MAS | Through an adviser | Member-owned mutual: owned by its members, not shareholders |
What each insurer publishes
The wording is the contract and a brochure is not. These are the documents we hold for each insurer, with the date each was read.
Plans
- Partners Life Partners Life Journey Plan
- AIA AIA Living
- Chubb Life Assurance Extra
- Chubb Life Life & Living
- Momentum Life Momentum Quick Life
- Pinnacle Life OneChoice
How this directory is kept
The licensed entity, the owner and the distribution route come from our insurer register, and the financial strength grade from each insurer's own disclosure, linked and dated on that insurer's page. We hold 21 of their published documents. A fact that is not published says so rather than being estimated.
Questions about life insurers in New Zealand
Who is the biggest life insurance company in New Zealand?
AIA New Zealand is the largest by policies in force and by claims paid: its 2024 Claims Compass reports $829.6 million paid in the year ended 31 December 2024 and close to 800,000 New Zealanders covered. AIA also holds the highest published financial strength grade on this page, AA from Fitch. Fidelity Life is the largest New Zealand-owned life insurer.
Which NZ life insurer has the strongest published claims record?
Asteron Life publishes the highest rate on this page, 97.78% of claims accepted and $117.9 million paid in FY25. Chubb Life reports 96% in 2024 and 95% in 2025, Partners Life 95% of claims assessed in the year to 31 March 2025, and Fidelity Life 93% in the year to 30 June 2025. Each figure is linked to the insurer that published it on its profile above. Not every insurer publishes a rate, so a missing figure does not mean poor performance.
Who actually underwrites AA Life and Southern Cross Life Insurance?
Asteron Life Limited creates and underwrites AA Life, and Chubb Life Insurance New Zealand Limited underwrites Southern Cross Life & Living Insurance. Check the underwriter’s financial strength rating, not the brand’s, because the underwriter is the company that assesses the application and pays the claim.
Can I buy life insurance directly online in NZ without an adviser?
Yes, but the range is narrower. Southern Cross Life, nib and Chubb’s Life & Living range sell direct, and AIA sells part of its range online. The broadest wordings, including Partners Life and Asteron Life, are adviser-only, and an adviser is free to use and the same price as going direct.
Why is this an order and not a ranking?
Because it is one adviser’s view of where to look first, with the reason printed under each name, not a score. The QuoteHub Premium Index publishes indicative premiums by age from the insurers’ rate cards, and the entity pages carry every limit and definition we have read, so you can check each reason yourself. Underwriting on your own health, occupation and cover amount decides what any insurer will actually offer you.
How many life insurers are there in New Zealand?
The Reserve Bank licenses the insurers; the number that actively writes new life cover to the public is smaller than the register suggests, because several licences are closed books or brands sitting on another insurer's licence. This directory lists the ones QuoteHub compares and names the licensed entity behind each.
What is the difference between a brand and an insurer?
A brand is a name a policy is sold under; the insurer is the licensed entity that carries the risk and pays the claim. Several New Zealand brands are underwritten by another company, so the financial strength rating that matters is the underwriter's, not the brand's.
Which life insurer is the best?
None of them is best for everyone, and a directory that declared one would be selling rather than comparing. What can be compared is published: the licensed entity, the financial strength grade, the benefit limits and the exclusions. Those are on each insurer's page.
Does QuoteHub compare every life insurer?
No. QuoteHub compares the insurers on its panel, which is published on the disclosure page. Not every insurer lists with every adviser, and saying so plainly is more useful than implying the whole market.
How often is this directory checked?
Every fact here traces to a dated record: the register entry, or the insurer's own disclosure with the date we read it. Ratings are re-verified quarterly and on the day of any republish, because a rating is reissued and goes stale silently.
What should I compare between life insurers?
The definitions and the limits, not the price. Price depends on your age, your health and an underwriting decision that has not happened yet, so two quotes are rarely comparing the same thing. What a benefit pays, what caps it, and what it excludes are published and fixed.
Where to go next
Partners Life on this site
- Partners Life Income Cover (Agreed Value)
- Partners Life Journey Plan
- Partners Life Mortgage Repayment Cover
Reviews and comparisons
Other life insurers
- AIA New Zealand
- Chubb Life NZ
- Fidelity Life
- Asteron Life
- Momentum Life
- Southern Cross Life
- Pinnacle Life
- OneChoice
- AA Life
- Resolution Life NZ
- NZ Seniors
- Booster Life
- Golden Insurance
- MAS
Health insurers
Compare and calculate
- Compare NZ insurers side by side
- Life insurance calculator
- Every insurer financial strength rating
- All calculators
Cover explained
- Life insurance in New Zealand
- Trauma cover in New Zealand
- Income protection in New Zealand
- Mortgage protection in New Zealand
What cover costs
- What life insurance costs in NZ
- Stepped versus level premiums
- Every published insurance number, with its source
Explore related pages: Life Insurance, Income Protection, Health Insurance, Trauma Insurance, How It Works.