FAQs
Your Questions, Answered.
Insurance can be complicated.
We're here to make it easier to understand.
Below are some of the questions we hear most often from clients.
If you can't find the answer you're looking for, get in touch with our team.
What would you like to know?
Choose a topic below or browse all questions.
Getting Started
Personal Insurance
Business Insurance
Working With New Vision
Claims
Estate Planning
Getting Started
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We are bias on this but no, you don’t need an adviser to buy insurance. The benefit of using an adviser is they can take some of the guesswork out of it by helping you understand your options, compare policies and work out what might be relevant to your situation. Our job is to make insurance easier to understand, not make it more complicated.
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The first meeting is simply a chance for us to get to know you. We'll talk about what's important to you, your family, work, finances and anything you're looking to protect. You don't need to arrive knowing what insurance you need - that's what we're here to help with.
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Absolutely. In fact, we work with plenty of people who already have insurance. We can go through what you have, explain what it actually does and see whether it still fits your life today. Sometimes a review simply provides reassurance that you've got things in place.
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Absolutely! Even though we’re based in Auckland and Marlborough, our clients are all over New Zealand, and even Kiwis who have moved outside of New Zealand. We can meet with you online or by phone, so you don't need to live around the corner from us to work together.
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Yes! You don't need to be starting from scratch. If you've already got insurance but aren't quite sure what you have, when it pays or whether it's still right for you, we're happy to take a look.
Personal Insurance
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We advise on a range of personal insurance, including Life Insurance, Trauma/Critical Illness Cover, Income Protection, Health Insurance, Mortgage Repayment Cover, ACC-related protection, Cancer Cover and Total & Permanent Disability Cover. Everyone's circumstances are different, so the types of cover we discuss will depend on what you're looking to protect.
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Typically no, in most circumstances we are paid through commission from the insurance company your policy is with. We'll always be upfront about how we're paid and any fees that may apply. We'll explain this before you decide to proceed, so there are no surprises along the way.
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Yes. We work with a range of insurers, which means we can research different options and explain the key differences to you. We won't simply hand you a pile of policy documents and leave you to figure it out - we'll help you understand and work with you to make the best decision for you and your family.
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Life has a habit of changing when we're not looking! Getting married, having children, buying a home, changing jobs or starting a business can all be good reasons to revisit your insurance. There isn't one magic timeframe for everyone, a good rule of thumb is once a year or whenever something significant changes.
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Give us a call! Changes in your life can sometimes mean your insurance needs have changed too. Whether you've bought a house, had a baby, changed jobs or simply realised it's been a while since you looked at your policies, we can help you work out what, if anything, needs to be revisited.
Business Insurance
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Yes. We work with business owners to look at what could happen to the business if something unexpected happened to an owner, key person or the business itself. Depending on your circumstances, this might include Key Person Cover, Shareholder Protection or Business Debt Protection.
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Some people are simply more important to a business than others - perhaps they hold specialist knowledge, bring in significant revenue or keep the business running day to day. Key Person Cover is designed to help a business manage the financial impact of losing someone who plays an important role.
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Shareholder Protection is designed to help if a shareholder dies or becomes seriously ill and their shares need to be bought or transferred. It can provide a funding mechanism for the remaining shareholders while also helping provide some certainty for the affected shareholder's family.
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Yes. Business debt doesn't disappear when something unexpected happens to a business owner. Business Debt Protection can be designed to provide funds towards eligible business debt if a defined event occurs, helping reduce the financial pressure on the business at an already difficult time.
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Absolutely. We can help businesses explore employee benefits such as group health, life and other insurance schemes designed to support their people and add value to the wider employment package. We can work with you to understand what you're hoping to achieve for your team and explain the options available.
Claims
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First things first - give us a call. We'll help you understand what's involved, what information the insurer needs and what happens next. We'll be there to help guide you through the process, rather than leaving you to work it all out yourself.
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Absolutely. This is one of the times when having an adviser can really make a difference. We'll help with the paperwork, communicate with the insurer where appropriate and keep you informed throughout the process. When you're dealing with something difficult, the last thing you need is to feel like you're navigating it alone.
Want to know more?
Find out how we support our clients at claim time.
Visit our Claim Support page → -
No, you don't have to - you can contact your insurer directly if they have an app available or if that is what you would prefer. However, we're here to help, and many clients choose to involve us because we can help with the process, paperwork and communication with the insurer. When you're making a claim, we'd rather you have someone in your corner if you'd like the support.
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There isn't a set timeframe - every claim is different. It can depend on the type of claim, the information the insurer needs and whether any medical or other assessments are required. We'll help keep things moving where we can and keep you informed throughout the process, so you're not left wondering what's happening.
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Once a claim has been paid, it's not necessarily the end of the conversation. Depending on the type of claim and how your circumstances have changed, it may be worth reviewing your remaining cover and making sure everything still reflects your situation. We're here to help you understand what happens next and make any changes you decide are right for you.
Working With New Vision
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Yes! We work with clients throughout New Zealand. We're based in Auckland and Marlborough, but with online and phone meetings, distance doesn't have to get in the way.
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We work with a range of established New Zealand insurers and health insurance providers, including AIA, Asteron Life, Chubb Life, Fidelity Life, nib, Partners Life, Southern Cross and UniMed. Working with a range of providers allows us to research different options and explain the key differences, rather than being tied to one insurer.
We don't believe there's a one-size-fits-all insurer or policy. We start with you, your circumstances and what you're looking to protect, then consider the options available to you.
The insurers we can advise on may vary depending on the type of insurance and your individual circumstances.
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We start with you, not the policy. We'll take the time to understand your circumstances, what matters to you and what you're hoping your insurance will achieve. From there, we'll research suitable options and explain the differences so you can make an informed decision.
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Absolutely. You can meet with us in person, online or by phone - whatever works best for you. We work with clients throughout New Zealand, so you can work with NVI even if you're nowhere near our offices.
Estate Planning
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Yes. We work with our partner Simple Wills to provide access to straightforward and affordable Will services.
Having a Will in place can make things much clearer for your loved ones when you're no longer around to make those decisions yourself. We can help connect you with the right service to get your Will sorted.
We can do this together or you can click on this link and do one on-line. There is a charge for this service which is $149 per Will.
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Having life insurance and having a Will serve different purposes, so having one doesn't necessarily replace the other. Your insurance policy sets out how the policy proceeds are dealt with, while your Will covers your wider wishes and estate. It can be helpful to consider the two together so your arrangements are clear and work alongside each other.
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Yes. While we don't provide legal advice ourselves, we can point you towards appropriate legal professionals who can help with your Will and wider estate planning. We believe having the right people involved is important, so we'll help connect you with specialists where needed.
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Similarly to your insurance covers, it’s a good idea to revisit your Will when something significant changes in your life - such as buying or selling property, getting married or separated, having children, changes to your family circumstances or a change in your wishes. Even if nothing has changed, checking in on your Will every few years can help make sure it still reflects what matters to you.
Still have a question?
There are no silly questions when it comes to insurance.
If you're unsure about your cover, your options or where to start, get in touch with the New Vision team.