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RBNZ Expectations Survey Insights

In the latest economic update, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand's (RBNZ) Expectations Survey provides insights that could impact your mortgage and financial decisions. Let's break it down:Inflation Expectations: Heading DownwardGood news for borrowers—business leaders and forecasters predict a drop in annual inflation rates from 4.7% to 3.22% by next year and further to 2.5% in early 2026. This aligns with RBNZ's goals and may mean steady interest rates in the near term. Wage Growth and In...

Looking Forward to Summer Fun

As we eagerly welcome the New Zealand summer, filled with sunshine and exciting activities, it's a good time to reflect on the unexpected events life can throw our way. A broken bone in a cast can result in a $15,000 cash payout. It may not stop the pain of the injury, but it will certainly help.Accidental Broken Bone Coverage: Peace of Mind for Your SummerImagine you're out cycling, working on a DIY project, or enjoying a friendly game of backyard cricket. While we all hope for safety, accident...

The Importance of Long-Term Life Insurance Coverage

Introduction:Recent data has highlighted a concerning trend in New Zealand - an increasing number of retirees are burdened with significant mortgage debt well into their retirement years. This trend underscores the importance of maintaining comprehensive life insurance coverage not only as you approach retirement but throughout your retirement years.Let’s delve into the significance of long-term life insurance coverage and introduce you to a valuable concept – leveling premiums – that can ...

Talking to Family and Friends About Insurance

When you think about the topics you discuss with your friends and family, insurance probably isn't at the top of your list. It may seem dry, and many people hope they'll never actually need to use it. However, having occasional conversations about insurance can make a significant difference. It's not about giving advice or telling your them what they should do, but rather sharing your experiences and raising awareness about the importance of insurance. These discussions could open their eyes to ...

Special Events Increase Benefits from Top Life Insurance Companies

Life is a journey of twists and turns, marked by milestones and moments that shape our path. The best life insurance companies in New Zealand understand this, offering you the flexibility to adjust your coverage as your circumstances evolve and significant events occur. One such remarkable feature that provides you with increased financial security is the Special Events Increase.Special Events Increase Benefits: The Special Events Increase is a pivotal built-in benefit that enables you to enhanc...

Why Health Insurance Matters: A Comprehensive Guide

Healthcare is a fundamental aspect of our lives, and as the demands on our healthcare system continue to rise, it's crucial to consider whether having health insurance is a wise decision. Surprisingly, only about 30% of New Zealanders have health insurance, according to the Health Funds Association of New Zealand. Now let us explore the significance of health insurance and provide valuable insights into what to look for when comparing policies. The Public Healthcare SystemWith New Zealand's...

How can you Safeguard Yourself from Crime?

Whether we like it or not, personal safety should be a concern for everyone. While it's essential to always be aware of potential risks no matter what plans you have put in place, there are proactive steps we can all take that that can minimise the chances of becoming a victim of crime.By incorporating simple and practical habits into different aspects of our lives, we can create a safer environment for ourselves and those around us.In this blog, we'll explore a range of ideas for protecting you...

Rising interest rates: The good, the bad and the silver lining

Rising interest rates can have both positive and negative effects on the economy of a country. Here in New Zealand, the Reserve Bank has increased the Official Cash Rate (OCR) to increase interest rates and control inflation. This means that the cost of borrowing money has gone up. But why?When prices inflate, or rise too quickly, it can make it more difficult for people to afford the goods and services they need which in turn causes economic instability. By increasing the OCR, the Reserve Bank ...

The Importance of the right Insurance Cover for Small Business Owners

Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and the primary source of income for hundreds of thousands of Kiwi families.If you’re a business owner, or thinking about taking on the challenge, you may be looking into business and or personal insurance. It’s something that can often be overlooked but as an insurance adviser, we see just how critical it is.In this blog post, we will discuss the importance of both personal cover and business cover for small business owners and how it can pr...

5 reasons why life insurance is essential for Kiwis in 2023

As financial advisers, we see the importance of life insurance time and again. While nobody likes to think about the worst-case scenario, eternal life is still something found only in sci-fi films and at this stage at least, passing away is still inevitable. Life insurance can provide peace of mind knowing that your loved ones will be taken care of in the event of your unexpected passing.  Here are five reasons why life insurance is essential for Kiwis in 2023.Protect Your Loved OnesOne of ...

The Top 3 Financial Mistakes to Avoid in Your 50s

As you head into your 50s, you may be approaching the peak of your career and earning potential and it’s also a time when you may start to think more about retirement and financial security. This is a critical time when it comes to earning, saving and preparing for the future so it is important to avoid making costly financial mistakes during this crucial stage of your life.Here are the top three financial mistakes to avoid in your 50s:Not saving enough for retirement.One of the biggest financ...

Christmas Activities on a Budget

Christmas is right around the corner and no doubt you are currently in the throes of buying gifts, planning menus and thinking about activities that you can do over the summer break. While it’s a time of year most of us look forward to, it can be hard on the wallet and with the recent OCR increase and cost of living, this year could be tougher than most. Often if you sit back and look at your plans for Christmas, you might realise that a lot of your planning is centered around living up to oth...

Ways to structure your home loan

The new year is just around the corner and we’ve already heard from a few people who are looking to buy a home in 2024. While interest rates are up, the cost of houses are down and there are deals to be had if you’re in the market for a house. Of course, buying a home can come with a lot of stress and worry. It’s probably the biggest purchase you’ll ever make and many people second guess themselves. That’s why doing your research and having a clear understanding of what you’re getti...

Handy tools to make budgeting easier

Budgets usually mean certain restrictions and they can be daunting, especially for the uninitiated. Luckily there are numerous tools to help and in today’s blog we’ll talk about some of our favourite tools to help you map out a budget and stick to it! One excellent resource is the plethora of financial apps on offer which can make financial management a whole lot easier. Budgeting apps It’s no secret that creating a budget and sticking to it is easier said than done. It is, however, a pow...

From behind the front lines of insurance cover

For many people, insurance is an essential part of their financial planning and unsurprisingly, it’s an essential part that we encourage! Insurance provides a safety net in case of the unexpected and can give peace of mind in knowing that you and your loved ones are protected. However, there are some who view insurance as a waste of money, and only purchase minimum cover, if at all. For those who have never had to make a claim, it can be easy to view insurance as pointless. But for those who ...

The Path to Financial Security

Money may have a different ‘meaning’ for different people, but the fact still remains that you need it to feed, clothe and house yourself as well as support other interests. Recent studies have revealed the financial concerns of New Zealanders, showing that almost a third of Kiwis worry about the state of their finances. We also have 20 per cent living payday to payday and 58 per cent living in debt, spending more than they earned. For the first time in nearly 3 years, Kiwis’ household ne...

Tightening your belt in the inflation storm

Over the past few years, we’ve got used to weathering plenty of storms and inflation is the latest storm to hit. It was reported in April by Stats NZ that there has been a  6.9% annual jump in the consumer price index, putting inflation at its highest rate in 31 years. The constant increase in cost of imports as well as New Zealand’s supermarket duopoly proved to be the driving factor to the increase in food prices and the government is grappling with creating a more competitive environ...

PHARMAC Funded and Non-Funded Medication

Living in New Zealand, we are fortunate to have the benefit of largely free healthcare. Whether it’s an injury or illness, we can generally head to the hospital, be treated for free and given the medications we need to make us well again. This is partly made possible because of PHARMAC - the only agency in the world of its kind that both decides on which medicines to fund and manages a fixed budget to supply the medicines on the approved list. While the good outweighs the bad and New Zealander...

What to think about when it comes to protecting your income

You might not think of it as such, but our income is generally one of our greatest assets. It’s regular, reliable, and accessible. And, due to our dependence and need to regularly access it, most people usually have only a short period of time during which they can cushion a loss of income. So, what happens past that point? We all know there’s no way to predict what life will throw at us at any given time and how our income might be affected so it makes sense to protect ourselves as best we ...

How to stay safe online

The internet has enriched our lives - providing us with information at our fingertips and creating connections with others. If these last few years have done nothing else, they’ve proven just how much we rely on the internet - from banking and online education to shopping and working remotely. Our kids have access. We have access and our elderly have little choice but to embrace the digital world. Our finances are also intrinsically linked into online platforms with our everyday banking, KiwiS...

How age affects Health Insurance Premiums

The Age Factor in Insurance Premiums There’s no doubt about it: we have an excellent health system here in New Zealand. If we have an accident, ACC can help to cover our treatment costs and compensate a portion of our lost wages. If we suffer any illnesses, the majority of our treatment costs is covered by our government-funded healthcare system. Because of this, a lot of people forego personal health insurance. This doesn’t always work out best in the long-run though. While our health care ...

How to avoid becoming a victim of a scam

Just recently, the NZ Herald reported on elderly victims of a phone scam who lost more than $70,000. Not to mention an Auckland single mum who lost $200,000 to scammers posing as Chinese officials. And sadly, these examples are not unusual. There are scores of other stories to be told with scammers defrauding people of millions of dollars each year. You may think that you wouldn’t fall for a scam but, contrary to popular belief, scammers don’t just target the gullible. They are becoming incr...

Are you resolved to live a comfortable retirement?

It’s a new year and, as is customary at this time of year, many of us are working on New Year’s resolutions and goals for the year ahead. Be it a new car, owning a home, adding to the family or remodeling the kitchen. On many Kiwis’ lists is retirement planning but what this means and looks like is different for different people. For some, retirement means it’s finally time to travel and explore For others, it means more time to spend with family or the start of a new project or hobby. ...

How to get through Christmas with your sanity and bank balance intact!

Somehow, it’s that time of year again and Christmas is right around the corner. Thanks to the last few months, the silly season seems to have been even more hotly anticipated this year with many people getting their decorations up early and hitting the shops as soon as lockdown allowed. But even though Christmas is a fantastic time for eating way more than we should and spending time with loved ones, there are pitfalls to the ‘most wonderful time of the year’. Christmas cheer usually come...

Has the pandemic got you thinking about life insurance?

You’re probably sick of talking about COVID-19 but whether we like it or not, the pandemic has now become a part of our lives and it’s got many people thinking about the value of life insurance. What if you pass away unexpectedly? Your loved ones don’t just lose you; they also immediately lose your income and all future income that you would have generated. Will they be able to support their ongoing living expenses? Can debts be covered? Can your lost income be replaced? If the pandemic ha...