Many insurance companies go to great lengths to avoid paying out clients covered under their policy when things go wrong. When this happens, it’s easy for those affected to feel helpless and suffer severe financial and emotional hardship.
Shine Lawyers are experts in bringing justice for wrongly denying claims. We have experience in getting clients the result they are looking for throughout New Zealand and the South Pacific. We go above and beyond in what we do and are not afraid to take on the big health and life insurance companies.
Our services covers a number of areas of insurance including
- Real Estate Agents
- Professional Negligence
- Income Protection Claims
- Health and Life Insurance Claims
- Fire and General Insurance Claims
Insurance in New Zealand
The New Zealand insurance industry is dominated by a very small number of large players. These cover almost all of the insurance in New Zealand. The following companies are prominent in New Zealand.
Vero Insurance New Zealand Ltd
The Vero Insurance Group is a large insurance corporation owned by Suncorp, an Australian company. It includes a number of insurance companies such as:
- Vero Insurance NZ Ltd
- Vero Commercial Motor Insurance
- Vero Commercial Insurance Specialists
- Vero Liability
- Vero Marine
- Vero Specialist Risks
- Mariner Insurance Company
- Comprehensive Travel Insurance
- Autosure Insurance
Vero Insurance provides insurance almost exclusively to the New Zealand insurance broker market, with very few risks being underwritten directly. Under the same group is a company called Asteron Insurance. That is the health and life wing of the same company.
Vero owns and operates the following well-known insurance brands in New Zealand – SIS Insurance, AMP General Insurance and Axiom Insurance.
IAG New Zealand Ltd
IAG New Zealand Ltd is the New Zealand business of a very large Australian company. IAG is short for Insurance Australia Group.
IAG New Zealand Ltd owns a number of well-known New Zealand brands such as NZI Insurance and State Insurance. NZI Insurance is primarily the broker wing of IAG and State Insurance sells direct to the public.
Following the massive losses suffered by the large domestic insurer AMI Insurance, IAG recently agreed to purchase AMI Insurance bringing that company under the IAG wing. As a result, IAG New Zealand Ltd now operates three of New Zealand’s major brands – NZI Insurance, State Insurance and AMI Insurance.
QBE Insurance
QBE Insurance is another major Australian brand operating in New Zealand. It has operated in New Zealand since 1890, and is very large in the liability and higher level commercial insurance. QBE operates exclusively through insurance brokers.
Chartis
Chartis is the rebranding of the massive American company AIG – previously known as American International Group.
The same group also operates AIA Insurance – its health and life wing.
Chartis or AIG has operated in New Zealand for a long time, and has a large number of businesses ranging from high level commercial to domestic lines as well.
FMG Insurance
FMG Insurance is one of New Zealand’s own last remaining mutual insurance companies. It operates out of Palmerston North and specialises in providing insurance solutions to the rural industry.
Tower Insurance
Tower Insurance is predominantly a domestic insurance company, and is a publicly listed company on the New Zealand share market. Tower Insurance Ltd provides house, contents, vehicle and rural insurance and has recently started selling business insurance direct to small businesses.
FinTell Insurance is wholly owned by the Tower Group
The Tower Group also operates Tower Health & Life Ltd which is the health and life wing of the same company.
Apart from these main players, there are a number of small, largely specialist insurance companies. But the thing to be aware of is that often when you think you are dealing with a small niche company, it may well be one of the big players operating under a different brand. Insurance companies are well-known for offering insurance brands to corner niche markets rather than trading under their primary brand. A primary example of this is FinTel, a specialist domestic insurance company, which is actually wholly owned by the Tower Group.
For more information about the regulation of Insurance Companies in New Zealand click here.