MoleMap skin cancer checks in New Zealand: what it costs, locations and which insurers cover it

Written by Henry Smith · Reviewed by Smiths Insurance & KiwiSaver, licensed Financial Advice Provider (FSP712931) · Updated 2026-09-09 · Reviewed annually, or sooner if the rules it describes change.

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.

MoleMap is a private New Zealand skin cancer detection chain with more than 50 clinics, and its published prices run from $229 for a SkinCheck to $399 for a Full Body MoleMap (MoleMap, retrieved 9 September 2026). Southern Cross excludes mole mapping as a screening technology, so most members pay MoleMap's fee themselves (Southern Cross Health Society, retrieved 9 September 2026).

What is MoleMap and who owns it?

MoleMap says it has been "pioneers in melanoma detection, saving lives since 1996," and today operates more than 50 clinics across New Zealand, reporting more than 250,000 Kiwis have used its services and more than 5 million moles diagnosed (MoleMap, retrieved 9 September 2026).

MoleMap is a private equity investment of Pioneer Capital, which describes it as providing "melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer surveillance, detection, and treatment services," with its own AI diagnostic technology built on what it calls the largest global lesion database, and more than 120 combined clinics across New Zealand and Australia (Pioneer Capital, retrieved 9 September 2026).

Skin cancer is a genuinely large problem in New Zealand: Health New Zealand's Cancer Web Tool recorded 3,095 invasive melanoma cases and 535 total skin cancer deaths in 2022, and SunSmart NZ notes that more New Zealanders die from melanoma each year than die on the country's roads (SunSmart NZ, citing Te Whatu Ora Cancer Web Tool, retrieved 9 September 2026).

MoleMap is one of three skin-check chains QuoteHub has profiled; compare it against Skin Institute and the very differently focused Auckland Skin Clinic on the healthcare providers directory, or see the wider private hospitals directory if a lesion needs hospital-based surgical treatment.

What does a MoleMap skin check cost?

MoleMap publishes exact prices for its three core services, most recently shown on its AA Members discount page alongside the standard rate:

Service	Standard price	What it includes
SkinCheck	$229	Head-to-toe skin check by a melanographer, at-risk moles imaged and sent for dermatologist diagnosis
SkinCheck+	$279	All of SkinCheck plus full body imaging
Full Body MoleMap	$399	All of SkinCheck+ plus ongoing mole mapping to track changes over time

(MoleMap, AA Members discount page, retrieved 9 September 2026)

AA members get 20% off any of the three services, bringing them to $183.20, $223.20 and $319.20 respectively, and the standard prices above are described by MoleMap as subject to change at any time (MoleMap, retrieved 9 September 2026).

If a suspicious lesion needs treatment, MoleMap's own doctors can provide surgery, topical treatment, cryotherapy or photodynamic therapy at six treatment-capable clinics, but the site does not publish fixed treatment prices; instead your doctor discusses "estimated treatment costs" with you at the initial consult, because treatment cost depends on the size, number and type of lesions found (Healthpoint, MoleMap Treatments and Surveillance, retrieved 9 September 2026). For general skin-lesion and melanoma cost context, see skin lesion cost NZ, melanoma cost NZ and dermatology consult cost NZ.

MoleMap's published treatment options are limited to four named methods, and the site is explicit that none of them carry a fixed public price because the right option depends on what the dermatologist finds.

Treatment option	What it is for
Surgery	Excision of a confirmed or high-suspicion lesion
Topical	Cream-based treatment for superficial lesions
Cryotherapy	Freezing treatment for certain lesion types
Photodynamic therapy (PDT)	Light-activated treatment for some non-melanoma skin cancers

(MoleMap, via Healthpoint, MoleMap Treatments and Surveillance, retrieved 9 September 2026)

Which insurers cover a MoleMap check?

The single clearest fact in this section is Southern Cross's own written exclusion. Its factsheet for skin lesion services states plainly there is "no cover for health screening or technology (such as computer images) to help monitor and diagnose skin cancers and other skin lesions, for example mole mapping" (Southern Cross Health Society, correct as at 1 April 2026, retrieved 9 September 2026).

The same factsheet does cover skin lesion services once a lesion needs treatment rather than screening, including excision, biopsy, cryotherapy, radiosurgery and electrosurgery of skin lesions, with a higher benefit maximum when the work is done by an Affiliated Provider than by a general GP (Southern Cross Health Society, retrieved 9 September 2026). Whether that extends to a MoleMap-performed treatment depends on whether the individual MoleMap clinic and clinician hold Affiliated Provider status, which you should confirm directly with Southern Cross before booking treatment.

nib's Everyday plans reimburse 60% (Standard) or a higher percentage (Premium) of eligible day-to-day medical costs under a general treatment or GP benefit, but nib's own dental page groups screening-type services separately from treatment, and nib does not publish a MoleMap-specific or mole-mapping-specific benefit line, so the same screening-versus-treatment distinction likely applies (nib, Standard Everyday Cover Policy Document, retrieved 9 September 2026).

QuoteHub's read is that MoleMap is best understood as a self-pay screening product for most policyholders, with insurance only likely to help once a specific lesion is diagnosed and needs GP or specialist treatment, not for the imaging or surveillance itself. If you are weighing whether cover is worth having at all given exclusions like this one, see is health insurance worth it NZ and health insurance and pre-existing conditions NZ, since a mole already flagged before your policy started may also be treated as pre-existing under pre-existing conditions rules generally. Compare nib, UniMed and the full health insurance companies list on the health insurance hub, or read the health insurance guide for how screening exclusions work across policies.

Insurer or route	What is published
Southern Cross	Screening/mole mapping explicitly excluded; treatment of a diagnosed lesion may be covered under the skin lesion services benefit, at a lower maximum if done by a non-Affiliated Provider (Southern Cross, retrieved 9 September 2026)
nib	No MoleMap-specific benefit published; general day-to-day reimbursement (60% Standard, higher on Premium) may apply to treatment, not screening (nib, retrieved 9 September 2026)
ACC	Not applicable; a mole check or melanoma diagnosis is not an accident or injury

Do I need a referral for MoleMap, and how does GP referral work?

You do not need a referral to book a MoleMap check yourself; the service is sold directly to consumers online. Separately, MoleMap runs a GP referral pathway so a doctor concerned about a specific patient can fast-track them into a MoleMap clinic instead of a public dermatology waiting list, with the report shared back to the referring GP if the patient agrees (MoleMap, GP Referral, retrieved 9 September 2026).

How often should you get a MoleMap check, and what is the difference from a GP skin check?

MoleMap recommends its Full Body MoleMap for people who are medium to high risk, so they get baseline images to compare against at each follow-up, with a new full set of reference images taken every five years and a repeat SkinCheck+ imaging appointment roughly every 12 months in between (MoleMap, retrieved 9 September 2026). A GP skin check is typically a single visual and dermoscopic examination without the same baseline imaging, AI comparison or remote dermatologist sign-off that MoleMap builds into every visit.

Locations

MoleMap operates more than 50 clinics nationwide, several of them hosted inside existing medical centres, for example clinics at Northmed in Northcote, Auckland, Anglesea Medical Complex in Hamilton, and sites in Taupō, Wellington and Christchurch (Healthpoint, MoleMap Treatments and Surveillance, retrieved 9 September 2026). MoleMap's own site lists the current clinic list and booking availability by region (MoleMap, retrieved 9 September 2026).

Common questions about MoleMap

How much does a MoleMap skin check cost?

MoleMap's SkinCheck costs $229, SkinCheck+ costs $279 and a Full Body MoleMap costs $399, with a 20% discount for AA members bringing those down to $183.20, $223.20 and $319.20 (MoleMap, retrieved 9 September 2026).

Does health insurance cover MoleMap?

Generally no for the check itself. Southern Cross explicitly excludes mole mapping and skin cancer screening technology from cover, naming MoleMap-style imaging directly in its factsheet, though treatment of a lesion MoleMap finds may later be covered under a separate skin lesion services benefit (Southern Cross, retrieved 9 September 2026).

Do I need a referral for MoleMap?

No, you can book directly as a consumer without a referral. GPs can also refer higher-risk patients through MoleMap's dedicated GP referral pathway to bypass public dermatology waiting lists (MoleMap, retrieved 9 September 2026).

Where are MoleMap clinics located?

MoleMap operates more than 50 clinics across New Zealand, many hosted within existing medical centres in both main centres and regional towns; use MoleMap's own clinic finder to confirm your nearest location (MoleMap, retrieved 9 September 2026).

How often should you get a MoleMap skin check?

MoleMap recommends its full imaging service annually for most people who choose it, with a completely new set of baseline reference images taken every five years so long-term changes can be tracked accurately (MoleMap, retrieved 9 September 2026).

What's the difference between MoleMap and a GP skin check?

MoleMap adds AI-assisted image comparison against a large diagnosed-lesion database, remote dermatologist sign-off on any suspicious mole, and repeatable baseline imaging for tracking change over time; a standard GP skin check is usually a single visual and dermoscopic assessment without that imaging and tracking system (MoleMap, retrieved 9 September 2026).

Does ACC cover a MoleMap check or treatment?

No. A mole check or melanoma diagnosis is a health condition, not an accident, so it falls outside ACC's cover, which is limited to injury and accident-related treatment under the Accident Compensation Act 2001.

Can MoleMap diagnose skin cancer itself, or does it only refer you on?

MoleMap's melanographers image and flag at-risk moles, and dermoscopic images of anything suspicious are sent electronically to an accredited dermatologist for the actual diagnosis, with a typical turnaround of about a week; MoleMap also has its own skin cancer doctors who can then perform treatment at six of its clinics (MoleMap; Healthpoint, retrieved 9 September 2026).

Is MoleMap worth it if I already see my GP for skin checks?

That depends on your personal risk, which QuoteHub cannot assess for you; MoleMap itself recommends its full imaging service specifically for people with a high number of moles, previous sun damage, or a family or personal history of skin cancer, and a lower-cost single Spot Check for a specific new or changing mole (MoleMap, retrieved 9 September 2026).

Does UniMed or nib have a MoleMap-specific benefit?

No. Neither insurer publishes a MoleMap-named benefit; cover depends on your plan's general skin lesion, day-to-day or dermatology benefits and whether the visit is treated as screening or treatment, so check your own policy document or call the insurer before booking (nib, retrieved 9 September 2026).

What happens if MoleMap finds something suspicious?

MoleMap says dermoscopic images of any at-risk mole are sent electronically to an accredited dermatologist, who provides a diagnosis and next-step recommendation, typically within about a week, and MoleMap's own skin cancer doctors can then treat confirmed lesions at six of its clinics (MoleMap, retrieved 9 September 2026).

Is MoleMap the same company in Australia?

MoleMap operates a related but separately branded service in Australia (molemap.net.au), and Pioneer Capital's investment profile describes MoleMap as expanding its combined New Zealand and Australian footprint to more than 120 clinics across both countries (Pioneer Capital, retrieved 9 September 2026).

Can children have a MoleMap check?

MoleMap's own marketing is aimed at adults assessing personal or family melanoma risk, and the site does not publish a child-specific service or pricing; for a child with a specific mole of concern, a GP or paediatric dermatology referral is the usual pathway rather than a direct MoleMap booking.

How does the AA discount at MoleMap work?

AA members get 20% off a SkinCheck, SkinCheck+ or Full Body MoleMap by entering "AA" followed by their 16-digit membership number as a promo code when booking online, limited to one discounted visit per year and not usable alongside other offers (MoleMap, retrieved 9 September 2026).

Verdict

QuoteHub's read is that MoleMap's own pricing is unusually transparent for a New Zealand healthcare provider, three fixed prices, a published AA discount, and honesty that most insurers will not pay for the screening itself. The real decision is whether the imaging and AI-comparison system is worth $229 to $399 a visit given New Zealand's melanoma rate, and separately whether your insurer's skin lesion benefit will help pay if MoleMap finds something that needs treatment, which you should confirm before you book. Compare Skin Institute for a similarly structured chain with its own published prices, and Auckland Skin Clinic if you are instead looking for a chronic-condition skin clinic rather than a cancer-screening one. See health insurance and the private hospitals directory for what happens if a diagnosis leads to hospital treatment, and Southern Cross for the exclusion wording in full.