UniMed

Specialises in workplace schemes and now carries the former Accuro plans too. A New Zealand not-for-profit.

UniMed at a glance

UniMed reviewed

Reviewed and updated 2026-09-08 by the QuoteHub adviser team. The tables above are register records; this section is our read of them.

UniMed is not one of the insurers on QuoteHub's advice panel, which is set out on our disclosure page. This review is market information for people researching UniMed or working out what the Accuro merger means for them. It is not a recommendation, and QuoteHub receives nothing from UniMed.

Verdict (2026)

UniMed is a member-owned health specialist that got materially bigger by absorbing Accuro, and it now serves niches the two giants largely ignore, including visa holders and workplace schemes. Former Accuro members keep their cover and their underwriting history, which is the single most valuable thing in a switch decision. Against that, it publishes no claims acceptance rate on the pages we read, including its claims page, and its plan-level terms sit in documents rather than on the marketing pages, and its recent operating performance has been under pressure. Health cover is all it writes.

Pros and cons

Who UniMed is

UniMed's legal entity is Union Medical Benefits Society Limited, trading as UniMed. It is a licensed insurer under the Insurance (Prudential Supervision) Act 2010, listed on the Reserve Bank's register of licensed insurers, read 15 August 2026.

It was founded in 1979 as a member-based non-profit to help workers fund healthcare, and it remains a mutual society. Its head office is in Christchurch. It describes itself as New Zealand's third-largest health insurer with more than 140,000 members. Source: About UniMed, read 15 August 2026.

UniMed only does health insurance. There is no life, trauma or income protection range. Distribution runs through three channels: direct online quote and enquiry, workplace schemes covering more than 500 New Zealand businesses, and financial advisers.

The Accuro merger: what happened and when

Accuro Health Insurance no longer exists as a separate insurer. Its insurance portfolio was transferred to UniMed in 2024, and UniMed began replacing the Accuro name and logo with its own from late July 2025. Source: Accuro is now UniMed, published 7 July 2025, read 15 August 2026.

The background, as UniMed tells it on the same page: Accuro started in 1971 as the Hospital Services Welfare Society, providing health insurance exclusively to hospital staff. It opened its membership to all New Zealanders in 2007 and rebranded as Accuro. The 2024 transfer moved roughly 30,000 Accuro members across, taking UniMed past 140,000 members in total.

UniMed's stated reasons for retiring the brand were bringing the teams together, consistent service across plans, and the efficiency of one brand. The rebrand is deliberately gradual, and UniMed says the Accuro name may still appear in some places until the transition completes.

What the merger means for former Accuro members

UniMed states plainly that the rebrand has no impact on your policy, cover or benefits, with the caveat that the usual annual review of benefits and premiums at renewal still happens. Everything in this section is from UniMed's transition page, read 15 August 2026.

• Your policy number starts with PL. That prefix routes you to the right systems and identifies plans originally issued under the Accuro brand: SmartCare and SmartCare+, SmartStay, KidSmart, Day to Day, and StaffCare and StaffCare+.
• You keep using the Accuro member portal to submit claims, request prior approval and manage your details. UniMed-issued policies, whose numbers start with digits, use a separate portal.
• Payments do not change. Direct debits and reimbursements now show as coming from Union Medical Benefits Society.
• Excess handling on PL policies. A voluntary excess applies once per person per policy year, while compulsory excesses on specific benefits still apply per claim.
• Some legacy extras were discontinued. The Virtual Clinic and Mental Health Navigator benefits ended on 1 September 2025. Members on eligible plans instead get funding of up to $1,000 towards consultations with a registered psychiatrist, psychologist, psychotherapist or counsellor.

If any of those extras were the reason you chose Accuro, the discontinuations are worth weighing. So is the fact that leaving a health insurer and joining another usually restarts underwriting, which matters if you have developed conditions since you joined. That trade-off is exactly where personalised advice earns its keep.

UniMed's health plans in 2026

UniMed markets seven personal health plans plus tailored group schemes, mixing its original range with the plans that came across from Accuro. The one-line descriptions below are UniMed's own. Benefit terms, waiting periods and exclusions live in each plan's policy document. Source: UniMed plans, read 8 September 2026.

• SmartCare and SmartCare+. Comprehensive cover for hospital, surgical and cancer treatment, with optional modules. This is the ex-Accuro range.
• Hospital Select. Unlimited cover for eligible surgical procedures.
• UniCare Advantage. 80% coverage of surgical costs up to $100,000 per admission.
• Health Positive. 50% or 80% reimbursement of everyday health costs, including dental and vision care.
• KidSmart. Cover designed for children and dependants.
• SmartStay. Health insurance for work-visa holders.
• ParentStay. Health insurance for Parent Boost Visa applicants.
• Group and workplace plans. Employer schemes, including the ex-Accuro StaffCare range.

Note the structural spread. Hospital Select and UniCare Advantage are surgical and hospital plans, Health Positive covers everyday costs, and SmartCare is the comprehensive option. Comparing any of them against another insurer's plan only works benefit line by benefit line, which is what the health insurance hub walks through.

Claims and contact: how the process works

UniMed's claims run through its member portals, with a prior-approval step for bigger treatment and stated turnaround targets. Everything below is from UniMed's claims page, read 15 August 2026.

• Two portals. Policy numbers starting with digits use the UniMed portal. PL-prefixed ex-Accuro policies use the Accuro portal.
• Prior approval is needed before treatment likely to cost $1,000 or more, or likely to require hospitalisation. UniMed aims to process requests within three working days of receiving complete information, and says it may take up to five. With prior approval, UniMed can usually pay the provider directly, so you do not pay and reclaim.
• Reimbursement claims for treatment already paid for are usually assessed within 10 working days.
• A medical report may be requested if you have personal exclusions or have held the policy for less than five years.
• Contact. 0800 600 666 during weekday business hours, or [email protected].

If you disagree with a claims decision, UniMed's internal complaints process applies first. UniMed participates in the Insurance and Financial Services Ombudsman scheme, a free independent dispute service, and is a member of the Financial Services Council. Source: UniMed financial strength and best practice page, read 15 August 2026.

How UniMed compares

UniMed is not on QuoteHub's panel, so the table below sets it against the health insurers that are. Every grade is the insurer's own published disclosure for the named licensed entity, linked and dated. Price is not compared here, because a health premium depends on your age, region, plan and excess.

The agencies use different scales, so the letters are not interchangeable between rows, and every grade above is also recorded against its licensed entity on the RBNZ register of licensed insurers, read 18 August 2026. The first row is blank by choice, not by omission, for the reason set out above.

One published difference is easy to state. Southern Cross reported paying $1.706 billion in claims across 3.8 million claim lines in the year to 30 June 2025, read 8 September 2026. UniMed publishes no equivalent figure, so the two cannot be compared on claims performance at all.

Exclusions and things to note

Every point below comes from a named UniMed page, with the date we read it. The policy documents govern any claim, not this page.

• Prior approval is required before treatment likely to cost $1,000 or more, or likely to need hospitalisation. Source: UniMed claims, read 15 August 2026.
• A medical report can be requested if you have personal exclusions or have held the policy for less than five years. Source: UniMed claims, read 15 August 2026.
• UniCare Advantage covers 80% of surgical costs, capped at $100,000 per admission, so a share of every bill stays with you. Source: UniMed plans, read 8 September 2026.
• Health Positive reimburses 50% or 80% of everyday costs, not the whole charge. Source: UniMed plans, read 8 September 2026.
• Two legacy Accuro benefits ended on 1 September 2025. Virtual Clinic and Mental Health Navigator were discontinued and replaced with up to $1,000 of funded mental health consultations on eligible plans. Source: Accuro is now UniMed, read 15 August 2026.
• Excess treatment differs by excess type on PL policies. A voluntary excess applies once per person per policy year, while compulsory excesses on specific benefits apply per claim. Source: Accuro is now UniMed, read 15 August 2026.
• There is no life, trauma or income protection range. UniMed writes health cover only. Source: About UniMed, read 15 August 2026.
• Plan-level waiting periods, pre-existing condition terms and entry ages are not on the marketing pages. They sit in each plan's policy document. Source: UniMed plans, read 8 September 2026.

Who UniMed may suit, and who should compare further

UniMed's clearest fits are people who value the member-owned structure, employees offered a UniMed scheme through their workplace, former Accuro members whose cover and underwriting history are already in place, and the niches the biggest insurers do not chase, such as SmartStay and ParentStay for visa holders.

Compare more widely, or get advice before moving, when:

• You have pre-existing conditions and are considering switching, in either direction. New underwriting can exclude conditions your current policy covers, which is usually the single biggest factor in a switch decision.
• Published claims statistics matter to you. UniMed publishes no acceptance rate. Some competitors publish annual figures.
• You are weighing the operating-performance picture. The 2024 combined ratio and the signalled price increases are worth understanding before you commit either way.
• You need life, trauma or income cover too. UniMed is health-only, so a broader protection plan needs at least one other insurer.

QuoteHub's advisers work with a panel that includes nib and Southern Cross for health insurance, and UniMed is not on it. If you specifically want UniMed, go direct or through an adviser who works with them.

Compare before you stay or switch

The health history you already have is usually worth more than any feature difference, so never cancel before you know how a new insurer would underwrite you. Put the panel side by side in our insurer comparison tool, and read how health insurance works in New Zealand first. If you would rather have it done for you, start a free comparison.

What we could not verify

Recorded as gaps rather than guesses, as at the dates shown. UniMed publishes no claims acceptance rate or declined-claims breakdown on the pages we read, including its claims page, so it cannot be compared on that measure. Entry and maximum ages per plan are not stated on the marketing pages. Plan-level waiting periods and pre-existing condition terms sit in the policy documents. The exact legal date of the Accuro portfolio transfer within 2024 is not published. UniMed's rating position is deliberately not restated here, for the reason set out above, and should be re-checked at the source before you rely on it.

References

• UniMed, Plans, read 8 September 2026 (plan list and one-line plan descriptions)
• UniMed, About UniMed, read 15 August 2026 (1979 founding, mutual structure, 140,000+ members, third-largest self-description, Accuro history and 2024 portfolio transfer, 500+ business schemes, health-only range)
• UniMed, Accuro is now UniMed, published 7 July 2025, read 15 August 2026 (transition detail, PL policy numbers, portal, payments, discontinued benefits, excess treatment)
• UniMed, Financial strength and best practice, read 15 August 2026 (published rating position, solvency at 31 March 2026, IFSO and FSC membership)
• UniMed, Making a claim, read 15 August 2026 (prior approval thresholds and timeframes, claims assessment target, portals, medical report conditions)
• Rating agency announcement, Union Medical Benefits Society Limited, 3 October 2025, read 15 August 2026 (FY2024 combined ratio of 116.4%, capitalisation commentary, remediation and price increases)
• Reserve Bank of New Zealand, Register of licensed insurers, read 18 August 2026 (licence and rating records for Union Medical Benefits Society, Southern Cross Medical Care Society, nib nz, Partners Life and AIA)
• Southern Cross Health Society, FY25 results, 30 September 2025, read 8 September 2026 (comparator claims-paid disclosure)
• Insurance and Financial Services Ombudsman Scheme, ifso.nz, read 8 September 2026

Disclaimer: This article is general market information only and does not constitute financial advice. QuoteHub has no commercial relationship with UniMed, and nothing here is a recommendation to buy, keep or cancel any policy. Financial advice is provided by Craig Smith Business Services Limited, trading as Smiths Insurance & KiwiSaver, a licensed Financial Advice Provider (FSP712931). QuoteHub is a trading name. Henry Smith is a Financial Adviser (FSP1010699). Insurance products are subject to underwriting and policy terms, and features described were current at the dates above and are subject to change. Always check the current policy documents.

Further reading

• Financial Markets Authority, consumer guidance
• Sorted.org.nz, protecting your wealth
• Insurance and Financial Services Ombudsman
• Insurance Council of New Zealand

What UniMed writes

What it costs

QuoteHub does not quote or place cover with UniMed. Compare the insurers we do quote.

How UniMed compares on financial strength

Financial strength is the one comparable published fact about an insurer. Every grade below is the insurer's own disclosure for the named licensed entity, linked and dated. A rating belongs to that entity, not to a brand or a product name.

What UniMed publishes

The wording is the contract. These are UniMed's own documents, each with the date we read it.

UniMed plans

Questions about UniMed

Who is UniMed?

Specialises in workplace schemes and now carries the former Accuro plans too. A New Zealand not-for-profit. The licensed entity behind the policies is Union Medical Benefits Society Limited.

Who owns UniMed?

member-owned society. Ownership matters because it decides who carries the risk behind a claim, not how a claim is assessed.

Is UniMed financially strong?

We do not publish a grade for UniMed because the effective date and outlook need confirming directly. The Reserve Bank register of licensed insurers is the primary source.

Can I buy UniMed cover without an adviser?

Both routes exist. You can go direct, or use a licensed adviser who can put UniMed next to the other insurers on the same set of details.

What does UniMed cover?

Private health cover, Workplace schemes. What each of those pays, and what it excludes, is set by the policy wording rather than by the marketing page, which is why the documents are listed on this page with the date we read them.

Where can I read UniMed's policy wording?

We link 3 of UniMed's own documents on this page, each with the date it was read. The wording is the contract; a brochure is not.

Is UniMed the cheapest?

No insurer is cheapest for everyone. Price depends on your age, your health and an underwriting decision that has not happened yet, so a comparison that leads with price compares the wrong thing. The published limits and definitions are what can be compared, and they are on this page.

How does UniMed compare with the other insurers?

The financial strength table on this page puts every insurer we compare side by side, with the agency, the grade and the date. The benefit limits sit on the comparison page, and a licensed adviser can run your own details across the panel.

Does QuoteHub work with UniMed?

No. UniMed is not on the QuoteHub panel, so we cannot quote or arrange their cover. This page exists because the company is worth understanding if you hold one of their policies or are considering one, not because we sell it. The insurers we can place are published on the disclosure page.

What should I check before applying to UniMed?

The stand-down period, the exclusions that apply to your own history, whether the premium is stepped or level, and what happens at renewal. All four are in the wording and none of them is in a price.

What plans does UniMed offer?

SmartCare. Each has its own page here setting out what it pays and what it does not.

Does UniMed cover pre-existing conditions?

Not automatically. An existing condition is either excluded, loaded or accepted on its own terms, and that decision is made at underwriting on your own history. What matters is what you disclose, because non-disclosure is the most common reason a claim is declined.

Are UniMed premiums stepped or level?

Both structures exist in the New Zealand market. Stepped rises with your age each year and costs less at the start; level holds a rate to a chosen age and costs more early and less later. Which is cheaper over the life of the policy depends on how long you keep it, not on the insurer.

Can I move to UniMed from another insurer?

Yes, but moving means new underwriting, so anything that has happened to your health since you took the old policy is assessed again. Never cancel the old cover until the new policy is issued and you have read what it excludes.

Does UniMed pay claims quickly?

Claims-paid percentages and payment times are published by some New Zealand insurers and not by others, on different bases, which is why we publish the figure only where the insurer publishes it with a period. Where we hold one it appears on the review page for that insurer.

Is UniMed regulated in New Zealand?

Yes. A licensed insurer is regulated by the Reserve Bank of New Zealand, and the advice about a policy is regulated separately by the Financial Markets Authority. Those are two different licences and both matter.

What happens to my UniMed policy if the company is sold?

A policy is a contract with the licensed entity, so it continues on its terms if ownership changes. New Zealand has seen several life books change hands, and the practical effect for existing policyholders is usually the servicing brand rather than the cover.

How much does UniMed cover cost?

We do not publish a price for an insurer on this page. A premium depends on age, health, smoking status, occupation, the cover amount and an underwriting decision, so a single figure would be wrong for almost everyone reading it.

Where can I get advice about UniMed?

A licensed financial adviser can compare it against the rest of the panel on your own details and tell you where it suits you and where it does not. QuoteHub is a trading name of a licensed Financial Advice Provider and the review is free.

How do I make a complaint about UniMed?

Raise it with the insurer first. If it is not resolved you can take it to the insurer's dispute resolution scheme at no cost. QuoteHub's own scheme is the Financial Dispute Resolution Service.

Where to go next

UniMed on this site

• UniMed KidSmart
• UniMed SmartCare
• UniMed SmartCare+
• UniMed SmartStay
• Claiming with UniMed
• UniMed prior approval

Other health insurers

• Southern Cross Health Society
• nib nz
• Partners Life
• AIA New Zealand

Life insurers

• Partners Life
• AIA New Zealand
• Chubb Life NZ
• Fidelity Life
• All life insurers

Compare and calculate

• Compare NZ insurers side by side
• What private treatment costs
• Every insurer financial strength rating
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Cover explained

• Health insurance in New Zealand
• What ACC does not cover
• Life insurance in New Zealand
• Income protection in New Zealand

What cover costs

• What health insurance costs in NZ
• Private treatment costs and waiting times
• Every published insurance number, with its source

Explore related pages: Life Insurance, Income Protection, Health Insurance, Trauma Insurance, Free Will.