Sorry, you need to enable JavaScript to visit this website.

FAQs

Submitted by admin on

Have a question?

Here you’ll find answers to some of the more common questions we get asked every day. Already a customer? There's more helpful information in our Already a customer section.

The answers here are general in nature. For more information and advice on your situation, your adviser is the best person to help out.

About Asteron Life

      Insuring Kiwis is what we’ve been doing since 1878. We go out of our way to make our products more flexible and our service more genuine. And while we hope you never have to make a claim, we had 94% of claims accepted and $121 million paid to customers from 01 July 2022 - 31 June 2023.

      Our policies are only sold through financial advisers – so any advice you get is focused on what’s best for you and your personal situation.

      You can learn more about Asteron Life here.

        Asteron Life and the New Zealand Automobile Association have worked together to create the AA Life brand. Asteron Life underwrites and administers all AA Life policies.

        Buying an Asteron Life Policy

            You can only buy Asteron Life products through a financial adviser. Generally this means the cover put in place is personalised to your needs.

            Financial advisers are required to be registered and are qualified to assist you with financial decision making. They help you work out what cover you need and can show you ways different policies can work together. If you haven’t got an adviser, we can help you find an adviser in your area and organise for them to contact you.

              If you don't have an adviser, we can help you find an adviser in your area and organise for them to contact you.

                Before you sit down to talk, your adviser will give you their disclosure statement. This statement will detail their qualifications, how he/she is paid and any other important information about them and their business. If they don't give it to you, you can ask for it free of charge.

                For insurance products, you’ll want to check that your adviser is a Registered Financial Adviser.

                For more tips on what to look for in an adviser we've put together a helpful guide.

                  Products you can buy directly tend to be one-size-fits-all, whereas adviser-based products are customised to you.

                  We’d encourage you to talk to a financial adviser who can help you make an informed decision. If you haven’t got an adviser, we can help you find an adviser in your area and organise for them to contact you.

                    We have a range of products with options that allow you and your financial adviser to tailor your insurance to your needs and budget.

                    Talk to your adviser today to get a no obligation quote.

                      Smokers pay a higher premium than non-smokers. This is because the risk of a smoker dying or becoming ill is statistically higher than that of a non-smoker.

                      If you start a policy as a smoker and then give up for at least a year, you can send us a smoking update form and apply to have your premiums reduced.

                      If you start a policy as a non-smoker and then start smoking, your premiums do not change because of that. It's important to be honest about your smoking habits, as incorrect information can affect any claim you might make.

                        Your adviser will step you through the application process, but generally you will need to provide your name, contact details, occupation, how you want to pay, and information about your health and lifestyle. For some types of cover, like Income Protection, we will also need some financial information and evidence.

                        To make things even easier, in some situations you can use our tele-interview telephone service to go through the health questions, with one of our specialist tele-interview consultants instead of filling in the application form.

                          We can offer you insurance for Life, Accidental Death, Trauma Recovery, Cancer, Total and Permanent Disability, Income Protection, Mortgage and Living, Business Expenses, Business Disability, and Farmers Disability. See an overview of our products here.

                          Our policies can work together or stand-alone. To get the right mix of cover for you and your family, we recommend you talk with your adviser. That’s what they’re there for.

                            In many cases we can still offer you cover even if you have an existing condition. We may need to exclude that condition from your policy or increase your premium so it can be included.

                            Talk to your adviser and they can help you find out what cover you can have.

                              New Zealand insurers are only licensed to sell products to people physically in New Zealand at the time. This means Asteron Life New Zealand can not sell you a product if you are currently living overseas. However, if you buy a policy while living in New Zealand and then move overseas, you may be able to continue that cover. Contact us to confirm.

                                Yes, you can own a policy to insure another person. The insured person will need to complete an application form to be assessed for cover.

                                Talk to your adviser and they can help you find out exactly what cover you can have.

                                If you haven’t got an adviser, we can help you find a financial adviser in your area and organise for them to contact you.

                                  Yes, in many cases your premiums can go up over time. However the way you structure your premiums has a big impact on how much they change. Read more about Level and Stepped premiums here.

                                  Talk to your adviser about which premium structure might work best for you.

                                    To calculate your premium we look at your age, gender, smoking status and medical history. For some cover we might also consider your income, occupation and lifestyle choices.

                                    This gives us an overall picture of what the risks are for you and along with what type of cover you have, this allows us to calculate your premium. Read more on premiums here.

                                    Wrong address

                                        Sorry that's happened. You can send us a message here. Please let us know their name and confirm your address so we can stop their mail from being sent to you.

                                        Resources

                                        Submitted by gyanendra.pani… on

                                        Resources and Forms

                                        Welcome to our resources page. You'll find a variety of forms and brochures here that you can download at any time.

                                        Claim Forms

                                        If you need to make a claim, we want to help you do that as quickly as possible. You can find our claim forms here. Find the one you need, fill it in and return it to us. If you need any help or advice don't hesitate to call your adviser or us on 0800 737 101.

                                        Life Claim form

                                        Accidental Death Claim form

                                        Total and Permanent Disablement claim form

                                        Cancer claim form

                                        Terminal Illness claim form

                                        Kids claim form

                                        Product Brochures

                                        If you want to know more about a specific product or products, you can download any of our brochures here:

                                        Personal Insurance

                                        Life Cover

                                        Trauma Cover

                                        Total and Permanent Disablement Cover

                                        Cancer Cover

                                        Income Protection Cover

                                        Kids Cover

                                        Mortgage and Living Cover

                                        Workability Cover

                                        Business Insurance

                                        Business Disability Cover

                                        Farmers Disability Cover

                                        Business Expenses Cover

                                        Asteron Life's Tele-interview service

                                        Detail Changes

                                        If anything has changed in your circumstances just download the appropriate form, fill it in and send it to us at contactus@asteronlife.co.nz or mail it to Asteron Life, PO Box 894, Wellington 6140.

                                        • Nominated Beneficiary : This is the form you'll need if you want to add, subtract or change the beneficiaries of your policies.
                                        • Policy Owner: Want to change the ownership of your policies? This form is where the process begins.
                                        • Name Change: Just married or need to make a change? If your name has been altered in any way, we definitely need to know who we're to pay a benefit to.
                                        • Debit and Credit Card: Changed banks or credit cards? This is the form you'll need.
                                        • Smoking Update: Have you been smoke-free for over 12 months? Please let us know via this form.

                                        Withdrawal Forms

                                        If you'd like to withdraw any of your investments please download a Withdrawal Form to begin the process. Please note, we are not currently offering any investment products to new investors.

                                        Withdrawal Form

                                        Emigration Withdrawal Form

                                        Financial Hardship Withdrawal Application & Release Form

                                        Can't find the form you want?

                                        Call us now on 0800 737 101 or drop us a line at contactus@asteronlife.co.nz

                                        Adviser

                                        Submitted by gyanendra.pani… on

                                        The real value of a good adviser

                                        “Without our adviser we would have found it hard to see where products overlap. We went through everything several times and we’re very happy with the outcome. ”

                                        David, Asteron Life customer

                                        Why choose an adviser?

                                        They focus on what’s important

                                        Advisers help you zero in on what’s really important to you and your loved ones or your business. They can help you identify situations and issues that you may not have considered.

                                        They are regulated

                                        Advisers are regulated when it comes to providing financial advice. Advisers who sell our products are not Asteron Life employees and they generally sell a range of different insurers’ products.

                                        They do the hard work

                                        Your advisers should have access to a wide range of insurance solutions. They can help to find the best products in the market for your budget and needs. They can also tell you what others may have done in a similar situation.

                                        They’ll stand by you

                                        Life and priorities change. You might have kids, buy a bigger house or change jobs. Your adviser can provide customised advice to help you keep your insurance plans up-to-date to match your changing needs.

                                        What to expect from your adviser

                                        There are lots of great advisers out there. But how do you choose the right one for you? This guide gives you the low-down.

                                        Ensure they're licenced

                                        Under New Zealand’s financial advice regime, anyone who gives regulated financial advice to retail customers must be either licenced as a Financial Advice Provider or be working on behalf of a Financial Advice Provider as a financial adviser or nominated representative.

                                        Financial advisers in New Zealand must also be registered on the Financial Service Providers Register. This is a good thing because there are certain duties that apply to anyone giving regulated financial advice, including meeting competence standards and complying with ethical behaviour, conduct, and client care standards.

                                        Details of licenced Financial Advice Providers and financial advisers, including the types of financial services they can provide, can be found on the online Financial Service Providers Register, which is available to the public.

                                        The first meeting

                                        Your first meeting with an adviser will normally take a bit of time. They'll need to ask you a number of questions about your life so they can provide the best possible advice.

                                        They’ll also want to understand what you’d like to do if something happened to you – such as sickness, disability or death. It sounds gloomy – but it’s not really. Life insurance gives you confidence knowing there are plans in place if needed.

                                        Of course, nobody can predict the future. So it’s not always obvious what you’ll need if ‘it-will-never-happen-to-me’ actually happens. This is where the adviser really steps up, working with you to uncover both the obvious and the less-well known needs, that sometimes crop up.

                                        Get prepped

                                        Be as prepared as you can for your first meeting, it helps to gather information about your income, assets and debts beforehand. You can also use our LifeSnap tool to get a better idea of the types of things you'll need to consider.

                                        The adviser will then use their experience and specialist know-how to recommend a mix of cover types and levels they think will work best for you, within your budget.  In most cases the recommendations are sent following the meeting.

                                        Things an adviser will cover

                                        At the start of the meeting your adviser must show you their Disclosure Statement. If they don't, you can ask for it, it's free of charge.

                                        The Disclosure statement will cover things like their qualifications, services they can provide and where to go if you have a problem with the advice you’ve been given.

                                        Think it over

                                        Take the time to reflect on your meeting. Did they understand your personal situation and listen to your needs? Were they knowledgeable and explain things in a way you could understand?

                                        Most importantly, were you comfortable talking to them about your financial needs?

                                         

                                        "We weren't really sure about what we were going to get covered, but Nigel, our adviser, talked us through everything."

                                        Simon Evans, Asteron Life customer


                                        Ready to meet with an adviser?

                                        You could talk to your friends and family for a recommendation, do some research online or we can look after the first step for you. We have years of experience working with professional advisers, so we can easily make an introduction.

                                         

                                        Find an Adviser LifeSnap

                                        .

                                        If you or your loved ones need to make a claim, we’ll be here for you and so will your adviser. Their support and assistance through the claim process can make a huge difference during a tough time.

                                        Be prepared with our online LifeSnap tool

                                        Our online LifeSnap tool has been created to help you tailor your insurance to your current needs and lifestyle.

                                        Don't hesitate to ask your adviser…

                                        • What experience they have
                                        • If they have any client testimonials
                                        • To explain the process to set up life insurance
                                        • What your premium will cost
                                        • How they are remunerated
                                        • To keep within your budget and explain things in a way you’ll understand

                                        The right plan in place

                                        Simon Evans and his wife Francine did something quite unusual for people in their early twenties—they made a call to an adviser, Nigel Sutherland.

                                        Find out more
                                        Placeholder image

                                        Competition Terms and Conditions: Voice of Customer Survey Prize Draw

                                        Submitted by admin on

                                        Terms and Conditions

                                        Asteron Life Voice of Customer Survey Prize Draw

                                        Terms and Conditions (Asteron Life Voice of Customer Survey Prize Draw)

                                        1. Entry into the Asteron Life Voice of Customer Survey Prize Draw (Competition) is automatic upon completion of the Asteron Life Voice of the Customer Survey ( Survey), and completion of the Survey is deemed to be acceptance of these terms and conditions.

                                        Promoter

                                        1. The promoter of the Competition is Asteron Life Limited (Asteron Life), with its registered office at Asteron Centre, Floor 15, 125 Queen Street, Auckland Central, Auckland 1010, New Zealand.

                                        Competition Period

                                        1. The Competition commences on Monday 1st July 2024 and finishes at 5 pm on Monday 30th June 2025 (the Competition Period).

                                        Eligibility

                                        1. To be eligible for entry into this prize draw you must be:
                                          • an existing Asteron Life customer;
                                          • a New Zealand resident;
                                          • 18 years of age or older;
                                          • have received an Asteron Life Relationship Survey by email; and
                                          • have completed all the questions of the online survey
                                        2. Employees, contractors, shareholders and their immediate families (being partners, children and parents) of the following organisations are not eligible to enter the competition: Asteron Life Limited, AA Insurance Limited, Vero Insurance New Zealand Limited, Suncorp Group Holdings (NZ) Limited, Suncorp NZ Employees Limited and Resolution Life Australasia Limited.

                                        The Competition

                                        1. By completing the Survey provided via email to existing Asteron Life selected to participate, eligible entrants will go into the draw to win one (1) $500 Countdown supermarket gift cards ( Prize) for each calendar month during the Competition Period.
                                        2. Only one entry is available per eligible entrant.
                                        3. All valid entries will be entered into a draw which will be made within 7 days of the end of each calendar month during the Competition Period.  Entries will be drawn at random and the first qualifying entry drawn will be deemed the winner (Prize Winner).
                                        4. The Prize Winner will be contacted by email on the email address provided to Asteron Life during purchase of the Policy.  If, after making reasonable attempts, Asteron Life cannot contact a winner by email within 5 working days of the Draw Date, the winner will not be eligible to receive a Prize and the Prize will be redrawn on the same terms and conditions, until a new Prize Winner is successfully contacted.
                                        5. Terms and conditions apply to the use of the Prize, see the following website for https://www.countdown.co.nz/about-us/our-policies/countdown-gift-card-terms-and-conditions   
                                        6. Any additional costs associated with the Prize are not included in the Prize and are the Prize Winners’ responsibility.
                                        7. The Prize cannot be transferred, exchanged or redeemed for cash if the Prize Winners do not wish to or are unable to take up the Prize for any reason whatsoever.
                                        8. The Prize Winners agree to participate in reasonable promotional and marketing activities as and when requested by Asteron Life for no additional compensation.  All material produced for such purposes shall remain the property of Asteron Life.
                                        9. Asteron Life may refuse to award a Prize to a participant who, in Asteron Life’s view, has acted fraudulently or not complied with these terms and conditions.

                                        General

                                        1. Asteron Life reserves the right to modify these terms and conditions at its discretion and to extend, modify, postpone or cancel the competition at any time. Asteron Life’s decision is final, and no correspondence will be entered into.
                                        2. Asteron Life, its related companies, and agencies associated with this competition, will not be liable for any loss, claim, cost, expense, liability or injury (‘Loss’) suffered by any person in any way associated with the competition including as a result of entry into the competition or winning or use of a Prize, except where such Loss can not be excluded by law.
                                        3. These terms and conditions shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of New Zealand and shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of New Zealand courts.

                                        Privacy

                                        1. Your personal information will be held by us in accordance with our privacy policy which can be accessed online here. Any request to access or correct your personal information should be directed to: Privacy Officer, Asteron Life, Asteron Centre, Floor 15, 125 Queen Street, Auckland Central, Auckland 1010, New Zealand or by calling 0800 737 101 or +64 4 495 8700.

                                        Understanding insurance fraud

                                        Submitted by admin on

                                        Understanding insurance fraud

                                        Insurance fraud affects all of us

                                        Insurance fraud is a crime that everybody pays for. Insurers need to make sure that the cost of insurance premiums cover the cost of claims. When people make dishonest claims, the cost of everyone’s premium rises – even honest policyholders.

                                        What is insurance fraud?

                                        Insurance fraud can be anything that involves deceiving your insurer. It can be small – like adding an extra item or two to a claim. Or it can be big – like fabricating a claim event like a car theft.

                                        Types of insurance fraud include:

                                        • Making false statements to support a claim
                                        • Falsely adding items that weren’t affected onto your claim
                                        • Making up a claim situation or staging a claimable event
                                        • Claiming the same item multiple times
                                        • Not telling your insurer material information. This can be things like that you’ve previously had criminal convictions or declined claims, or providing misleading information about the things that you’re insuring.
                                        • Making a claim for something that happened before you purchased your policy

                                        No matter how big or small it seems, all types insurance fraud can have serious consequences. 

                                        Consequences of insurance fraud

                                        People who commit fraud will have their claims declined and policies cancelled – they can even receive a criminal conviction.

                                        If you have had a claim declined due to fraud, it may be difficult to get insurance cover in the future. Most insurers record claims in the Insurance Claims Register, so almost all New Zealand insurers can identify people with declined claims when they’re approached for cover.

                                        Because people who have committed fraud can find it difficult to get insurance, they may also have difficulty taking out a mortgage or obtaining finance for a vehicle.

                                        What can you do to prevent insurance fraud?

                                        There are a couple of things you can do to prevent insurance fraud affecting you and other New Zealanders.

                                        Read your policy terms and conditions carefully

                                        • Make sure you check the terms and conditions that apply to your policy, so that you can be sure you've met all your obligations before you’re in a situation where you need to claim.
                                        • For example, it’s important that you comply with our requests and disclose any material information we ask for.
                                        • You could also check out the Fair Insurance Code, which has information about what responsibilities you and your insurer have.

                                        Honesty is the best policy

                                        • We all embellish a story from time to time - exaggerating the size of that marlin you caught is pretty harmless. But when you’re making a claim or taking out a policy with your insurer, you need to be honest.

                                        Look out for others

                                        • If you are aware of someone who has, or is thinking of committing insurance fraud you should remind them that it could have serious consequences.

                                        Ask for advice

                                        • If you think you need to make a claim but you’re not sure about your policy cover, obligations or other details of what is involved in making a claim, you can call us for advice – see our contact details. Otherwise you can talk to your broker or adviser about your policy obligations and making a claim. We’re here to help.

                                        Reporting insurance fraud

                                        If you're aware of someone committing insurance fraud, we encourage you to report it. There are a couple of ways you can do this:

                                        If the person is an Asteron Life customer (or insured with any of our associated brands), you can notify us by contacting our Fraud Intelligence Team.

                                        If you’re not sure who they’re insured with, you can make a confidential report through the Insurance Council of New Zealand.

                                        Terms and Conditions

                                        Submitted by gyanendra.pani… on

                                        Terms and Conditions

                                        Asteron Life website terms and conditions.

                                        Website Terms and Conditions

                                        While every reasonable effort has been made to ensure that the information contained on this website is complete and accurate, Asteron Life Limited does not represent or warrant the accuracy or completeness of any information on this website, or that this information is suitable for use in every situation.

                                        The information contained on this website is of a general nature only and it is not financial advice. If you would like advice please contact your financial adviser. It is important that you treat this website and the information it contains simply as a guide. Full details of the products described or referred to on the website, including full descriptions of defined terms, are set out in the relevant product, service or policy documents, including prospectuses and investment statements (where applicable). You can obtain any of these either from us by calling 0800 737 101 or by contacting your adviser.

                                        Asteron Life Limited does not accept any responsibility or liability arising directly or indirectly from or in connection with your use of or reliance on this website and the information and representations contained on it, or from any omission from the website. In the event of any inconsistency, implied or otherwise, between the information on this website and any product, service or policy documents, then the product or policy documents will prevail.

                                        Asteron Life Limited will vigorously defend copyright in its works. Every person who breaches copyright in the works of Asteron Life Limited may be liable under New Zealand law on summary conviction to a fine of up to $150,000 or to imprisonment for a term of up to 5 years. If there has been a flagrant breach of copyright, Asteron Life Limited may also seek additional damages from the infringing party in addition to obtaining injunctive relief and an account of profits.

                                        Live Chat Terms and Conditions

                                        Asteron Life may at times offer a live chat service to visitors of the Asteron Life website. The use of the live chat service is optional for the visitor. The live chat service will only be available at certain times. Asteron Life does not guarantee the availability of the live chat service. Asteron Life makes no representation that they will be able to answer all of the questions asked during the live chat service and may need to direct you to call on 0800 737 101.

                                        In using the live chat service you agree to the terms and conditions of the Asteron Life website shown above. The information provided through live chat is of a general nature only and it is not personalised advice. If you would like advice which takes account of your particular financial situation or goals, please contact your financial adviser. It is important that you treat the information provided by live chat simply as a guide. Full details of the products described or referred to on live chat, including full descriptions of defined terms, are set out in the relevant product, service or policy documents, including prospectuses and investment statements (where applicable). You can obtain any of these by sending us a message, calling 0800 737 101 or by contacting your adviser.

                                        When you use the live chat service, any personal information that you disclose will be collected and may be used by us as set out in our Privacy Statement. Information collected through live chat will be held by our third party service provider.

                                        Privacy Statement

                                        Submitted by admin on

                                        Privacy Statement

                                        Asteron Life Privacy Statement

                                        To read the Asteron Life Privacy Statement you will need Adobe Acrobat reader. Please select the 'click here' button to view the full statement. It doesn't cost anything to download.

                                        Asteron Life is serious about protecting the privacy of your personal information and care will be taken in doing so. We are bound by New Zealand’s Privacy Act, to guide us in our responsible handling of your personal information.

                                        LifeSnap

                                        Submitted by admin on

                                        LifeSnap provides you with a list of the types of scenarios your adviser might ask you about. With a little preparation up front, you could save time in the long run – and avoid having to think on your feet!

                                        Who are you looking to cover?
                                        OK, tell us about you
                                        16
                                        Have you smoked in the last 12 months?
                                        ...and your partner
                                        16
                                        Has your partner smoked in the last 12 months?
                                        Your family
                                        Do you have a partner?
                                        Your finances
                                        Please select
                                        Please select
                                        $ 0
                                        $ 0
                                        $ 0
                                        Do you own your home?
                                        $ 0
                                        $ 0
                                        Your priorities

                                        Tell us what will help you sleep better at night.

                                        Not important

                                        Extremely important

                                        Not important

                                        Extremely important

                                        Not important

                                        Extremely important

                                        Not important

                                        Extremely important

                                        Thanks! We're almost there.

                                        From what you’ve told us, we’ve compiled a few key questions that will help you zero in on what’s really important to you. Investing a few minutes beforehand will help you get things moving faster with your adviser.

                                        Blog

                                        Submitted by admin on

                                        Life Matters Blog

                                        A blog to support you at all stages of your journey. Whether you need helpful insurance and lifestyle tips or to read an inspiring story, our blog will help you get the most out of your insurance and truly celebrate life.

                                        No results found.

                                        Disclaimer

                                        This information is of a general nature and is not personalised to your situation. If you would like advice which takes into account your particular financial situation or goals, please contact your registered financial adviser.

                                        Media and Press

                                        Submitted by admin on

                                        Media and Press

                                        Media contact details and recent press releases

                                        Some material on this website may refer to “Suncorp” or entities owned by Suncorp Group Limited (Suncorp). Resolution Life NOHC Pty Ltd acquired Asteron Life Limited from Suncorp New Zealand Limited on 1 February 2025. Suncorp does not underwrite or promote Asteron Life Limited products or services.

                                        For any media enquiries, please contact

                                        Erica Borgelt

                                        Erica.Borgelt@secnewgate.com.au

                                        Tanya Creighton

                                        Tanya.Creighton@secnewgate.com.au

                                        Subscribe to