Insurance & Financial Services Ombudsman Scheme
PO Box 10-845
Wellington 6143
New Zealand.
Freephone: 0800 888 202
Zurich New Zealand combines global strength with expert local knowledge to help customers understand and protect themselves against risk.
Headquartered in the ‘Commercial Bay’ precinct in Auckland, the Zurich New Zealand General Insurance team specialise in Underwriting, Risk Management, Servicing, Technical Support and Claims. We are able to draw on the world’s best insurance minds across our Global Zurich network, where we apply our local knowledge and experience to find the very best insurance solutions for brokers and customers. When you do business with Zurich New Zealand, you are guaranteed to receive direct access to local decision-makers.
There are many reasons why brokers and customers do business with us, but importantly it’s because we are there for you when it matters most, at the time of claim. We are proud of receiving an Excellence award for ‘Claims Team of the Year – Insurer’ for our Motor Claims Team at the 2021 Insurance Business Awards.
Zurich New Zealand’s strong culture has also been recognised by a number of accolades and awards received recently, including:
- 2022 & 2021 – Human Resource Director (HRD) Magazine 5-star ‘Employer of Choice Award’
- 2021, 2020 & 2019 – Insurance Business ‘Top Insurance Workplaces’ Award
- 2019 – Winner of ‘Employer of the Year’ at Insurance Business ‘Women in Insurance Awards'
Zurich’s range of commercial General Insurance products in New Zealand are underwritten by Zurich Australian Insurance Limited ABN 13 000 296 640, a company incorporated in Australia, trading as Zurich New Zealand.
The Fair Insurance Code
Zurich New Zealand is a signatory to the Fair Insurance Code. The Fair Insurance Code is a code of practice that:
- Sets minimum service standards for insurance companies
- Describes the responsibilities that you and your insurance company have to each other, and
- Encourages professionalism in the insurance industry.
The Code covers all insurance products except health insurance and life insurance.
The Code only applies to individuals and entities with 19 or fewer employees.
Further information about the Code can be obtained from icnz.org.nz.
Zurich is a member of the Insurance & Financial Services Ombudsman dispute resolution scheme. In the event of a dispute, you may be able to refer your complaint to the scheme at:
Further information about the Scheme can be obtained from www.ifso.nz
Financial strength
In New Zealand, Zurich’s general insurance products are underwritten by Zurich Australian Insurance Limited (ZAIL), trading as Zurich New Zealand.
ZAIL’s solvency margin at 30 June 2024 was NZD 193m in excess of the prescribed capital requirement required by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA), with a capital ratio of 1.39. This is based on the adjusted net assets of NZD 685m compared to a prescribed capital requirement of NZD 493m. ZAIL is regulated by both the APRA and the Reserve Bank of New Zealand.
ZAIL has an insurer financial strength rating of AA- from Standard & Poor’s (Australia) Pty Ltd. This rating shows that the company has very strong financial security characteristics.
Standard & Poor’s rating scale for an insurer’s financial strength, together with a summary of Standard & Poor’s description is: AAA (Extremely Strong), AA (Very Strong), A (Strong), BBB (Good), BB (Marginal), B (Weak), CCC (Very Weak), CC (Extremely Weak), SD (Selective Default), D (Default), NR (Not Rated). Ratings from ‘AA’ to ‘CCC’ may be modified by the addition of a plus (+) or minus (-) sign to show relative standing within the major rating categories. Further information on these ratings is available from www.standardandpoors.com.
An overseas policyholder preference applies. Under Australian law, if ZAIL is wound up, its assets in Australia must be applied to its Australian liabilities before they can be applied to overseas liabilities. To this extent, New Zealand policyholders may not be able to rely on ZAIL’s Australian assets to satisfy New Zealand liabilities.
Board of Directors – Zurich Australian Insurance Limited (ZAIL)
Geoff Summerhayes, BBA, GMQ, GAICD
Independent Non-Executive Director, Chair of the Board and Member of the Risk, Compliance and Audit Committee
- More than 30 years’ experience in financial services.
- Former Executive Board Member APRA. Prior to this held senior positions including CEO Suncorp Life, Regional General Manager NAB and CEO MLC Super and Investments.
Mary Waldron, B.E.S.S (Hons), FCA, FAICD
Independent Non-Executive Director, Chair of the Risk, Compliance and Audit Committee
- More than 35 years’ Professional Services and Significant Global operational leadership experience.
- Former PwC Global Chief Risk Officer and Global Executive Leadership team member, Senior Australian Audit Partner and Australia and Asia Pacific Managing Partner roles at PwC and Ernst & Young.
Noel Condon, MAICD
Independent Non-Executive Director, Member of the Risk, Compliance and Audit Committee
- More than 45 years’ experience in the insurance industry.
- Extensive global experience including six Country Manager roles in ten cities in Europe/Asia Pacific.
- Former Governor of the American Chamber of Commerce and CEO AIG, Australia.
John Mulcahy, B.Eng (Hons), PhD. Eng. FAICD
Independent Non-Executive Director, Member of the Risk, Compliance and Audit Committee
- More than 30 years’ experience in financial services.
- Former CEO and Group Executive of major ASX listed Australian companies including Suncorp Metway, Commonwealth Bank and Lend Lease.
Nicolette Rubinsztein AM, B.BusSc (Hons), FIAA, MBA, FAICD
Independent Non-Executive Director, Member of the Risk, Compliance and Audit Committee
- Career spanning over 30 years in financial services including extensive wealth management experience across the retail, institutional, funds management, advice and insurance markets.
- Former senior executive at Colonial First State/CBA and prior to this at BT Funds Management and Towers Perrin.
- President of Actuaries Institute for 2019, previously on the board of ASFA for 8 years and previously chair of numerous industry committees.
- UNSW Alumni Leader and member of Macquarie University’s Faculty of Business and Economics Industry Advisory Board.
Matthew Reilly, BSc (Hons) Ec & Acc, FCCA
Non-Executive Director
- Chief Operating Officer, APAC.
- More than 25 years’ of experience in the financial services industry, spanning Europe and Asia Pacific.
Justin Delaney, B.A., GradDipFinPlan, GradDipMgt
Executive Director
- CEO, Zurich Australia and New Zealand.
- More than 25 years’ experience in financial services.
- Former Chief Operating Officer, TAL Life. Prior to this held various senior management roles at Macquarie Group.
