The New Zealand insurer comparison pack
Financial strength, who underwrites what, what each insurer publishes, and the health claims rules, side by side.
Everything in this pack is a published fact with the date it was read. There are no premiums in it, and there is no ranking: no insurer here is called best, because that depends on a person and an underwriting decision that has not happened yet.
What can be compared is what is published, and that is what this is. Assembled 2026-09-09. Ratings are reissued without notice, so check anything you are about to rely on against the insurer’s own disclosure.
What is in the pack
- Life insurers: financial strength: 6 rows. A financial strength rating belongs to the licensed entity that carries the risk, not to the brand on the policy.
- Health insurers: financial strength: 4 rows. A financial strength rating belongs to the licensed entity that carries the risk, not to the brand on the policy.
- Who is actually behind each policy: 17 rows. Several New Zealand brands are sold under one name and underwritten by another company.
- Health cover: when you must ask before treatment: 3 rows. The threshold is the same number at all three and it is not the same rule.
- What each insurer publishes, and when we last read it: 42 rows. The wording is the contract; a brochure is not.
Life insurers: financial strength, in full
A financial strength rating belongs to the licensed entity that carries the risk, not to the brand on the policy. Where a brand is written on another company’s licence, the underwriter’s grade is the one that applies. Grades are not comparable across agencies.
| Insurer | Licensed entity | Financial strength | Rating as at |
|---|---|---|---|
| AIA New Zealand | AIA New Zealand Limited | AA (Fitch) read 14 Aug 2026 | Date not published |
| Asteron Life | Asteron Life Limited | A+ (Fitch) read 14 Aug 2026 | Date not published |
| Chubb Life NZ | Chubb Life Insurance New Zealand Limited | A (Excellent) (A.M. Best) read 14 Aug 2026 | Date not published |
| Fidelity Life | Fidelity Life Assurance Company Limited | A- (A.M. Best) read 14 Aug 2026 | Date not published |
| Momentum Life | Momentum Life Limited (FSP472286) | B (Fair) (A.M. Best) read 14 Aug 2026 | 11 Feb 2026 |
| Partners Life | Partners Life Limited | A (Excellent) (A.M. Best) read 14 Aug 2026 | 5 Feb 2026 |
Every grade above links to the insurer’s own published disclosure. A rating is reissued without notice, so check the date beside it.
Where the rest of it comes from
- Compare insurers side by side
- Every life insurer we compare
- Every health insurer we compare
- Southern Cross prior approval
- nib prior approval
- UniMed prior approval
- Partners Life
- AIA New Zealand
- Chubb Life NZ
- Fidelity Life
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. This pack is general information, not personalised financial advice, and does not take your circumstances into account.
Explore related pages: Life Insurance, Income Protection, Health Insurance, Trauma Insurance, For Brokers.