Chatswood serves the life and health insurance sector in New Zealand with market intelligence, data, and bespoke consulting services. Some of these are provided in conjunction with Quality Product Research Limited - a subsidiary that brings you Quotemonster.

We believe that good decisions are more likely to occur when we have good information about the market environment in which we operate. Intuitive leaps and creative decisions are always required, of course, but the more they are based on a firm foundation of observation, the better they tend to be.

Kelly O 22/04/24 Kelly O 22/04/24

UniMed gets approval from RBNZ to take on Accuro’s portfolio

UniMed has received approval from the Reserve Bank of New Zealand to take on the portfolio of insurance co-operative Accuro.

UniMed has received approval from the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) to take on the portfolio of insurance co-operative Accuro.

Once Accuro’s 30,000 members have been transferred to UniMed, UniMed will be the third largest health insurance provider in New Zealand, with combined membership of 140,000.

Once the transfer is finalised, members will transition to being part of the UniMed society, though the Accuro brand will remain. Accuro members will continue to have the same policies and healthcare benefits as they do now. Once the transer is complete Accuro will cancel its insurance licence and take steps to dissolve the Accuro Health Insurance Society.

UniMed Chair Peter Tynan says

“The additional scale will ensure UniMed is in the best possible position to create efficiencies, develop new services and products and meet the challenges of increasing member expectations all at a time when the cost of health services is rising, and the regulatory environment continues to evolve.”

More daily news:

The FSC publish their Regulatory Outlook for April

nib would welcome Medicines Act review and regulation to get more treatment options approved

AIA launch 2024 CEO Think Tank programme

AIA offer one month's premium free on new eligible policies issued by 17 June 2024

The New Zealand Society of Actuaries appoints Helen Mexted as chief executive

Andrew Bayly says banks must take the lead on a national Anti-Scam Centre before the Government gets involved

Mental Health Foundation looking to lay off 18% of staff

Kelly O 15/01/24 Kelly O 15/01/24

FSC produce a Retirement Planning Guide

The Financial Services Council (FSC) have produced a Retirement Planning Guide which introduces people to some key retirement planning considerations.

The guide has a retirement planning overview, a ‘how to’ guide for Sorted tools and explains how to use the NZ Society of Actuaries’ rules of thumb.

The key considerations in retirement planning are how much you should save for retirement and what you can reasonably spend in retirement. The guide gives examples of matters within your control and variables outside your control which will impact on both of these considerations.

The Sorted tools that are particularly relevant are the KiwiSaver calculator and the Retirement calculator and the guide gives some tips on how to adjust these to reflect your situation.

The guide also explains the different rules of thumb developed by The New Zealand Society of Actuaries: 6% rule, inflated 4% rule, fixed date rule and life expectancy rule.

We think that the most valuable step you can take towards securing a good retirement is to get some advice. Although the DIY tools suggested in this guide can be useful in getting you thinking, this is a complex area in which an adviser adds real value. We suggest talking to a financial adviser with the right skills, experience and qualifications to help you set up a plan, monitor it and revise the plan when circumstances change.

Kelly O 10/08/23 Kelly O 10/08/23

Fidelity Life announce Career connect Scholarship Recipients

Fidelity Life have announced the seven successful scholarship recipients for Career connect’s second intake. Career connect focuses on helping people from groups traditionally under-represented within the financial services sector to gain the qualifications and skills necessary to become a financial adviser.

Pounamu scholarship - to assist an outstanding Māori applicant: Josh Los’e (Ngāti Maniapoto), Auckland.
Kōwhai scholarship - to assist an outstanding Pasifika applicant: Nimmi Valia, Auckland.
Rangi Po Scholarship - to assist an outstanding applicant from other under-represented communities within financial services: Naveen Bhatia, Glenbrook.
Toe Toe scholarship - designed to assist an outstanding applicant aged 21-25 years old: Kiri Venkatesh, Auckland.
Pāua scholarship – to assist an applicant who demonstrates excellence in their submission: Chloe Balderstone, Lincoln.
Rural scholarships, brought to you by FMG – to assist two outstanding applicants with a rural connection:
Sara Buerki, Dunedin.
Alice Perry, Oamaru.

The current intake will complete the 6-month long programme in December 2023. The first intake of Career Connect graduates have completed their training programme and achieved their level 5 certificate in financial services.