Does getting the Covid-19 vaccine affect my policy?
Not at all. Whether you’ve been vaccinated, or not, your policy will still cover you in the event of your death or illness as per the wording in your policy document. The vaccine has been approved by Medsafe and therefore has no impact on existing policies or new applications.
Am I covered for Covid-19? Are there any exclusions for Covid-19 or other pandemics?
If you have an existing policy with us already then yes, you are covered. Our policies have no specific exclusions for a pandemic or COVID-19 so once you have cover, if you get Covid-19 and the worst happens, you'll be covered.
Can I apply for Life Insurance now? Will Covid-19 be covered?
The best thing to do is apply and we will ask you some questions that will help us assess your situation. Make sure you answer all the application questions truthfully, just like at any other time. As an example, our underwriting questions currently include:
Have you ever been diagnosed with a breathing or lung problem including Covid-19, asthma, emphysema, chronic obstructive airways disease, TB, cystic fibrosis or sleep apnoea?
Do you have plans to travel outside New Zealand, within the next 12 months?
Are you currently in self-isolation or quarantine due to having or being in contact with Covid-19 or any other illness?
You can also let us know at the end of your application that there are some things you can’t confirm and that you want someone to get in touch. We’ll then follow up with you. You will be covered for Covid-19 whether you take out a policy today or whether you started it 10 years ago as long as you answer truthfully.
If I’m sick from Covid-19 can I claim under my Critical Illness cover?
Covid-19 is not one of the conditions covered by Critical Illness so you cannot claim on your Critical Illness policy.
Can I make a claim for Income Protection relating to COVID-19 due to being away from work because of self-isolation, even though I have not been diagnosed with this illness?
Unfortunately, no. To make a claim for Income Protection, you need to show that you are unable to work because of an illness or injury.
Can I make a claim for Income Protection due to being stood down or where my employment was terminated?
Unfortunately, no. Income Protection does not cover unemployment. To make a claim for Income Protection, you need to show that you are unable to work because of an illness or injury.
Can I make a claim for Income Protection if my salary/wages have been cut as a result of COVID-19?
You cannot claim on your Income Protection policy because your salary or wages have been reduced or you have been made redundant due to the COVID-19 lockdown or at any other time. You can only claim on your Income Protection policy if you can't work due to illness or injury.
However, if you are made redundant we can waive your premiums for up to 6 months while you're looking for another job.
What if I get COVID-19 and can't work because I'm sick?
You could claim on your Income Protection policy if you are ill from COVID-19 for longer than your waiting period.
The minimum waiting period for Income Protection (how long you wait for your first payment) is 30 days; this can be longer, depending on what you chose when you took out your policy, for example, 60 or 90 days.
If you are off work because you are ill for longer than your waiting period, you'll be able to make a claim, but we expect most people will have recovered by the time the waiting period is up.
