Momentum Life
Sells guaranteed-acceptance and phone-underwritten cover, with no medical for some products. Available direct and through advisers.
Momentum Life Limited is a New Zealand insurer (FSP472286). It is not related to Momentum Metropolitan of South Africa or to any other Momentum-branded financial group.
Reviewed by Henry Smith, Financial Adviser (FSP1010699). Updated 17 September 2026.
Who owns and underwrites Momentum Life
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Who underwrites it | Momentum Life Limited |
| Who owns it | DCG Invest Limited 100% (closed Jul 2025; prior owner Blue Inc Group Pty Ltd Australia) |
| Financial strength | B (Fair) (A.M. Best) (source, read 14 Aug 2026) |
| How you can buy | Adviser or direct |
QuoteHub’s read. 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.
Cover online with Momentum Life
Momentum Life's own online application opens in a new tab. You choose the cover yourself.
Momentum Life Quick Life
Accepted, guaranteed. See your price in about a minute.
- Guaranteed acceptance for NZ residents aged 18–65. No health questions, no medical exams.
- $50k–$300k of cover, priced on age, gender, smoking and cover amount, not your health history.
- See your price without giving contact details, then apply and pay online in one visit.
- Covers accidental death (with no other contributing cause) and conditions that first start after cover begins, from day one.
- Cover for life. From 75 your premiums stop rising and $20k of cover becomes free.
- Terminal illness paid early. Claims usually paid within 48 hours of approval. 30 days to change your mind.
Conditions you already have aren't covered for the first 2 years; if one causes death in that time, your premiums are refunded instead. That includes symptoms not yet diagnosed, a BMI over 40, very high blood pressure or cholesterol, and diabetes complications.
Suicide isn't covered for the first 2 years. A few specific conditions can be excluded permanently (any that apply are listed in your policy), and some exclusions always apply, including dangerous jobs and pastimes.
Not available if you've been diagnosed with a terminal illness or are receiving palliative or hospice care.
Premiums rise each year until 75, then stay level, and can be changed for everyone on the same plan. Depending on your age and how long you keep it, total premiums can add up to more than the cover.
If you'd be accepted on standard terms, cover with health questions usually costs less.
A 1.95% surcharge applies to card payments; direct debit is available.
Opens Momentum Life's online application; its guidance only covers eligibility. QuoteHub is a Momentum Life partner. Smiths Insurance & KiwiSaver may receive a commission if you buy. General information, not advice.
Momentum Life Funeral cover
Funeral cover, accepted. See your price in about a minute.
- Guaranteed acceptance for New Zealanders aged 40–75. No health questions, no medical exams.
- $3k–$30k of cover, and 3 times the cover if death is accidental, from day one.
- Level premiums that stop at 89. Cover carries on for life.
- Up to 4 people on one policy.
- Claims usually paid within 24 to 48 hours of approval. 30 days to change your mind.
In the first 2 years it pays only if death is caused by an accident; for any other cause your premiums are refunded.
Premiums can change for everyone on the same plan. Depending on how long you keep it, total premiums can add up to more than the cover, and the cover may not meet the whole cost of a funeral.
Funeral cover is for final expenses, not a replacement for larger life cover.
A 1.95% surcharge applies to card payments; direct debit is available.
Opens Momentum Life's online application; its guidance only covers eligibility. QuoteHub is a Momentum Life partner. Smiths Insurance & KiwiSaver may receive a commission if you buy. General information, not advice.
In good health? If insurers accept you on standard terms, cover with health questions usually costs less. Compare insurers free
Already have cover? Keep it. New cover won't pay for a condition you already have in its first 2 years.
Momentum Life at a glance
| Fact | What the register holds |
|---|---|
| Licensed entity | Momentum Life Limited (FSP472286) |
| Owner | DCG Invest Limited 100% (closed Jul 2025; prior owner Blue Inc Group Pty Ltd Australia) |
| What they write | Life cover, Funeral cover |
| How you can buy | Adviser or direct |
| Financial strength | B (Fair) (A.M. Best) (source, read 14 Aug 2026) |
| Rating as at | 11 Feb 2026 |
| On the QuoteHub panel | Yes, through Momentum Life's own online application, or through an adviser |
| Complaints | Insurance & Financial Services Ombudsman (IFSO) Scheme, free for consumers |
Does Momentum have funeral cover?
Yes. Momentum Life sells Funeral Insurance to New Zealanders aged 40 to 75, with a fixed benefit of $3,000 to $30,000 and three times that for accidental death. It is a guaranteed-acceptance product, with no medicals, health questions or paperwork. The trade is a 24-month rule: in the first 24 months it pays only if death is the direct result of an accident, and any other death in that window pays no benefit and every premium for that person is refunded. After 24 months it pays for any cause. Premiums are level until the 89th birthday. Total premiums can end up larger than the benefit, and the benefit may not cover the whole funeral. See also: Momentum Funeral Cover, Funeral insurance in NZ. Source: Momentum Life: Funeral Insurance Policy Wording (17 Aug 2023).
Does Momentum have life insurance?
Yes. Quick Life is a guaranteed-acceptance life policy for New Zealand residents aged 18 to 65, with cover of $50,000 to $300,000 per life insured, no health questions and no medical exam. For the first 2 years, pre-existing conditions and suicide are excluded, and premiums are refunded if a pre-existing condition causes death in that time; accidental death and new conditions are covered from the start. After 2 years pre-existing conditions are covered, except a few specific conditions that can be excluded permanently and are listed in the policy. Cover rises 3% a year unless you opt out. See also: Momentum Quick Life, Guaranteed acceptance life insurance. Source: Momentum Life: Quick Life Insurance Policy Wording (November 2025).
Who owns Momentum Life?
Momentum Life Limited is owned 100% by DCG Invest Limited, a New Zealand investment holding company, according to A.M. Best; the acquisition closed in July 2025 and was announced in mid-August 2025. It is not Momentum Metropolitan of South Africa. Policies bought before 14 March 2018 are insured by Fidelity Life Assurance Company Limited, not Momentum. See also: Who owns Momentum Life. Source: A.M. Best release, 11 Feb 2026, Momentum Life: FAQs.
Is Momentum Life a good insurer?
That depends on what you need, and a rating is one input rather than the answer. Momentum Life Limited has a financial strength rating of B (Fair) from A.M. Best, affirmed 11 February 2026. B ratings sit in A.M. Best's 'vulnerable' range. Momentum reports an adjusted solvency ratio of 107% at 30 June 2026. Momentum says the rating should not be read as a recommendation, and A.M. Best says the same of its ratings. Read the policy wording for what each product pays and excludes. See also: Momentum Life's rating, explained. Source: Momentum Life: Financial strength, A.M. Best: Guide to Best's Financial Strength Ratings.
Is Momentum Life licensed in New Zealand?
Yes. Momentum Life Limited (FSP472286) is a licensed life insurer that underwrites its own products, established in 2018, and a licensed Financial Advice Provider whose advice covers only its own products. Source: Momentum Life: Financial strength, Momentum Life: About us.
QuoteHub’s verdict on Momentum Life
Reviewed and updated 17 September 2026 by Henry Smith, Financial Adviser (FSP1010699), for the QuoteHub adviser team. The tables above are register records; this section is our read of them.
Momentum Life sells the simplest way into life cover in New Zealand. Quick Life accepts every New Zealand resident aged 18 to 65 for $50,000 to $300,000 with no medical exam and no health questions, and its funeral cover accepts ages 40 to 75 for $3,000 to $30,000, with a triple payout for accidental death. Platinum Life Insurance is a separate, phone-arranged product with health and lifestyle questions and cover up to $1,000,000.
The policy carries the risk the questions would have screened out. Quick Life pays nothing for a pre-existing condition if death or terminal illness occurs within the first two years, funeral cover pays only for accidental death in its first 24 months, and a combined maximum applies across every Momentum Life policy on the same person.
Momentum Life Limited publishes a B (Fair) financial strength rating from A.M. Best, which the agency’s own scale places under “vulnerable” rather than “secure”. That is not a statement about whether a claim will be paid; it is the lowest A.M. Best grade published by any insurer on this site, and a policy from a B-rated insurer and one from an A-rated insurer are not the same product at a different price.
It may fit a situation where cover has been declined or heavily loaded elsewhere, or where a fixed, modest sum is wanted quickly without questions and the two-year condition is understood. In ordinary health, an underwritten quote belongs beside it, because underwriting is what the guaranteed-acceptance premium is paying to avoid.
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.
What Momentum Life writes
| Cover | What it pays |
|---|---|
| Life cover | A lump sum to the people you name, paid on death or a terminal diagnosis. |
| Funeral cover | A small lump sum intended to meet funeral costs, often guaranteed acceptance. |
Is Momentum Life a fit for you?
The reasons to shortlist it, and the catches to check first. Every line below is read from a Momentum Life document, linked with the date.
Check these before you choose
- Two different phone/no-medical products. Platinum Life Insurance is a separate, phone-arranged product with health and lifestyle questions and cover up to $1,000,000; Quick Life is the guaranteed-acceptance product with no health questions at all (its own card is below). (source, Platinum Life Insurance Policy Wording (PDF), Momentum Life Limited, read 16 September 2026)
- 2-year condition on Quick Life. Quick Life's guaranteed acceptance means no health questions or medical exam, but pre-existing conditions and suicide/self-harm are not covered for the first 2 years of the policy, or for an increased portion after a cover increase. (source, Quick Life Insurance Policy Wording (PDF), read 16 September 2026)
- Funeral cover's 24-month rule. Funeral cover only pays out for accidental death in the first 24 months; deaths from other causes in that period are not covered, though all premiums paid are refunded if that happens. (source, Funeral Insurance Policy Wording (PDF), read 16 September 2026)
Momentum Life could fit
If one or more of these look like your situation.
- Guaranteed acceptance, ages 18-65. Quick Life could fit New Zealand residents aged 18 to 65 who want guaranteed life cover between $50,000 and $300,000 without medical exams or health questions. (source, Quick Life Insurance Policy Wording (PDF), read 16 September 2026)
- Funeral cover, ages 40-75. Funeral cover could fit New Zealand residents aged 40 to 75 who want a fixed funeral benefit between $3,000 and $30,000 without a medical exam, with premiums that stop at age 89. (source, Funeral Insurance Policy Wording (PDF), read 16 September 2026)
Compare more carefully
If any of these apply, it is worth a closer look at the rest of the panel.
- Pre-existing conditions excluded early on. If a life insured has an existing medical condition, Quick Life will not pay a benefit related to that condition if death or terminal illness occurs within the first 2 years of the policy. (source, Quick Life Insurance Policy Wording (PDF), read 16 September 2026)
- B (Fair) sits in the vulnerable band. Momentum Life's own published A.M. Best rating scale places its B (Fair) financial strength rating under 'Vulnerable ratings' rather than 'Secure ratings'. (source, Quick Life Insurance Policy Wording (PDF), read 16 September 2026)
- Combined cap across multiple Momentum Life policies. If the same person is covered by more than one Momentum Life policy, a combined maximum benefit limit applies across all of them, and any claim above that limit is reduced starting with the most recently taken out policy. (source, Quick Life Insurance Policy Wording (PDF), read 16 September 2026)
Waiting periods, limits and ages
The numbers worth checking before you compare, read from Momentum Life’s own documents.
Life cover (Quick Life): $50,000 to $300,000 cover
Guaranteed-acceptance life cover for New Zealand residents aged 18 to 65, with no medical exams or health questions.
- Guaranteed acceptance for New Zealand residents aged 18 to 65 — no health questions or medical exams needed; eligibility is confirmed through application questions only.
- Choose a benefit amount between $50,000 and $300,000 per life insured, on a single policy or a joint policy with a partner.
- First 2 years of cover: pays for accidental death and any new medical condition that arises after the policy starts; pre-existing conditions and suicide or intentional self-harm are not covered in this period.
- After 2 years: cover extends to pre-existing conditions too, except for a small number of specific conditions that can be permanently excluded and are listed in the policy.
- If a life insured dies from a pre-existing condition within the first 24 months and no benefit is payable, the premiums paid for that life insured are refunded.
- The benefit amount automatically increases 3% each year (can be opted out), up to a maximum of $500,000 for one life insured, until age 75.
- Premiums generally increase each year as the life insured gets older; premiums become fixed once the life insured turns 75.
- From age 75, $20,000 of the benefit becomes a free funeral benefit.
- How Quick Life cover phases in: First 2 years: accidental death and new medical conditions are covered; pre-existing conditions and suicide/self-harm are excluded., After 2 years: cover extends to pre-existing conditions too, other than a small number of permanently listed exclusions., From age 75: premiums become fixed for the rest of the policy, and $20,000 of the benefit becomes a free funeral benefit.
- No benefit is paid in the first 2 years of cover — or for an increased portion after a cover increase, or after reinstatement — if death or terminal illness is due to a pre-existing condition or suicide/intentional self-harm.
Source: Quick Life Insurance Policy Wording (PDF), Momentum Life Limited, November 2025, read 16 September 2026.
Life cover (Platinum Life Insurance): Up to $1,000,000 by phone
A larger, phone-arranged life policy for New Zealanders aged 18 to 65, with no medicals or blood tests required in most cases.
- New Zealanders aged 18 to 65 can apply; the policy is organised over the phone rather than online.
- Maximum cover depends on age at the Acceptance Date: $1,000,000 (ages 18-54), $750,000 (ages 55-60), $500,000 (ages 61-65).
- No medicals, blood tests or paperwork required in most cases; health and lifestyle questions are asked instead.
- Free Interim Accidental Death Cover applies for up to 30 days while an application is being assessed, equal to the benefit applied for or $500,000, whichever is less.
- Benefit amount automatically increases 3% a year (Automatic Sum Insured Increase) unless the policyowner opts out; premiums are recalculated each Policy Anniversary to reflect this plus age, gender and smoking status.
- A $10,000 Advance Funeral Payment is added automatically once the policy has been in force for 24 months.
- No more premiums payable from age 90; cover continues for life.
- No benefit is paid if death or terminal illness results from intentional self-inflicted injury or suicide within the first 13 months of the policy, a benefit increase, or reinstatement.
Source: Platinum Life Insurance Policy Wording (PDF), Momentum Life Limited, read 16 September 2026.
Funeral cover: $3,000 to $30,000
Guaranteed-acceptance funeral cover for New Zealand residents aged 40 to 75, with triple payout for accidental death.
- Guaranteed acceptance for New Zealand residents aged 40 to 75 — no medicals, health questions, or paperwork required.
- Choose a funeral benefit between $3,000 and $30,000.
- In the first 24 months, a benefit is paid only if death is accidental (a direct result of an accident, occurring within 90 days of that accident); after 24 months, a benefit is paid for death from any cause.
- Accidental death pays 3 times the chosen benefit (minimum accidental-death benefit $9,000, maximum $90,000) — for example a $30,000 benefit pays $90,000.
- If a life insured dies from a cause other than an accident within the first 24 months, no funeral benefit is paid, but all premiums paid for that life insured since the cover start date are refunded.
- Premium rates are fixed each year and do not increase with age, until the life insured turns 89, at which point premium payments stop and cover continues for life.
- Family discount: an additional $150 per year off for each additional life insured on a family policy; a family policy can cover up to four lives insured.
- How Funeral cover phases in: First 24 months: a benefit is paid only for accidental death (within 90 days of the accident); non-accidental death is not covered but premiums paid are refunded., After 24 months: a benefit is paid for death from any cause., From age 89: premium payments stop and cover continues for life.
- No funeral benefit is paid if death in the first 24 months is from a cause other than an accident (premiums paid are refunded in that case instead).
Source: Funeral Insurance Policy Wording (PDF), Momentum Life Limited, issued 17 August 2023, read 16 September 2026.
Financial strength: B (Fair), A.M. Best
Momentum Life Limited's financial strength rating and solvency position, as published on its own Financial Strength page.
- Momentum Life has a B (Fair) financial strength rating given by A.M. Best.
- As at 30 June 2026, Momentum Life reports an Adjusted Solvency Ratio of 107%, with solvency capital of $8.8 million against an adjusted prescribed capital requirement of $8.2 million (an adjusted solvency margin of $0.6 million).
- Momentum Life is licensed by the Reserve Bank of New Zealand and is required to comply with the Interim Solvency Standard 2023.
- On the A.M. Best ratings scale reproduced in Momentum Life's own policy wording, B and B- sit in the 'Vulnerable' category, below the 'Secure' category which runs from B+ up to A++.
Source: Financial Strength page, momentumlife.co.nz, read 16 September 2026.
How Momentum Life 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.
| Insurer | Licensed entity | Financial strength | Rating as at |
|---|---|---|---|
| AIA New Zealand | AIA New Zealand Limited | AA (Fitch, source, read 14 Aug 2026) | Date not published |
| Asteron Life | Asteron Life Limited | A+ (Fitch, source, read 14 Aug 2026) | Date not published |
| Chubb Life NZ | Chubb Life Insurance New Zealand Limited | A (Excellent) (A.M. Best, source, read 14 Aug 2026) | Date not published |
| Fidelity Life | Fidelity Life Assurance Company Limited | A- (A.M. Best, source, read 14 Aug 2026) | Date not published |
| Momentum Life | Momentum Life Limited (FSP472286) | B (Fair) (A.M. Best, source, read 14 Aug 2026) | 11 Feb 2026 |
| Partners Life | Partners Life Limited | A (Excellent) (A.M. Best, source, read 14 Aug 2026) | 5 Feb 2026 |
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.
What Momentum Life publishes
Momentum Life does not publish a policy wording we can link from here. Ask for the wording before you apply: a brochure is not the contract.
Momentum Life plans
| Plan | What it is |
|---|---|
| Momentum Quick Life | Guaranteed-acceptance life cover for ages 18 to 65, $50,000 to $300,000, with no health questions and a two-year limit on pre-existing conditions. |
| Funeral Cover | Guaranteed-acceptance funeral cover for ages 40 to 75, $3,000 to $30,000. Pays three times the cover for accidental death, and pays only for accidental death in the first 24 months. |
Questions about Momentum Life
Who is Momentum Life?
Sells guaranteed-acceptance and phone-underwritten cover, with no medical for some products. Available direct and through advisers. The licensed entity behind the policies is Momentum Life Limited (FSP472286).
Who owns Momentum Life?
DCG Invest Limited 100% (closed Jul 2025; prior owner Blue Inc Group Pty Ltd Australia). Ownership matters because it decides who carries the risk behind a claim, not how a claim is assessed.
Is Momentum Life financially strong?
Momentum Life Limited (FSP472286) holds a B (Fair) rating from A.M. Best, read from the insurer's own disclosure on 14 Aug 2026. A rating is an independent view of the ability to pay claims. It says nothing about what a policy covers or what it costs.
Can I buy Momentum Life cover without an adviser?
Both routes exist. You can go direct, or use a licensed adviser who can put Momentum Life next to the other insurers on the same set of details.
What does Momentum Life cover?
Life cover, Funeral cover. 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 Momentum Life's policy wording?
Momentum Life does not publish a policy wording we can link. Ask for it before you apply: the wording is the contract.
Is Momentum Life 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 Momentum Life 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 Momentum Life?
Yes. Momentum Life is an online-application partner: QuoteHub links to Momentum Life's own online application, where you choose your cover, apply and pay yourself, and Smiths Insurance & KiwiSaver may receive a commission if you buy. If you would rather have help, a licensed adviser can quote Momentum Life, compare it against the rest of the panel and arrange the cover. The full panel is published on the disclosure page rather than implied.
What should I check before applying to Momentum Life?
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 Momentum Life offer?
Momentum Quick Life, Funeral Cover. Each has its own page here setting out what it pays and what it does not.
Does Momentum Life cover pre-existing conditions?
Not at first. Quick Life asks no health questions, so there is no underwriting decision to wait for, but for the first 2 years it does not cover a condition you already have, including symptoms not yet diagnosed; if one causes death in that time your premiums are refunded instead. After 2 years it is covered, except a few specific conditions that can be excluded permanently and are listed in your policy. Funeral cover pays only for accidental death in its first 24 months. Cover with health questions from other insurers can accept a condition on its own terms, sometimes with a loading or an exclusion.
Are Momentum Life 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 Momentum Life 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 Momentum Life 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 Momentum Life 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 Momentum Life 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 Momentum Life 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 Momentum Life?
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 Momentum Life?
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
Momentum Life on this site
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