Kiwi parents’ outlook on health insurance

Top reasons parents do not have health insurance

• 77% of parents said health insurance is too expensive (up from 71% in 2022). Price was less of a barrier for Māori parents with this a concern for only 63%.
• 16% of parents said they need to learn more about health insurance (up from 12% in 2022). This was a barrier for 29% for Māori and Pasifika parents.
• 12% of parents said they haven’t given health insurance much thought. Health insurance was not top of mind for 26% of Pasifika parents.
• 11% of parents did not think health insurance was necessary for them.
• 8% of parents said that they were planning on purchasing health insurance but they haven’t gotten around to it. This was higher for Asian parents at 23%.
• 4% of parents said health insurance was intimidating. This was higher for Māori parents at 11%.

46% of the Kiwi parents surveyed do have health insurance and this number was significantly higher for Asian parents at 62%. Of all those with health insurance, 64% had made a claim. We take a closer look at the reasons why Kiwi parents have health insurance below:

How advisers can use the insights

As advisers it’s important to understand what motivates your clients and what might be holding them back. Remembering these insights can help you understand some of the challenges facing Kiwi families and allow you to open up in-depth conversations about their individual needs. For example if cost is a barrier to clients, work with them to find ways to reduce cost and see the value of private health insurance for their family (eg; budgeting, excess amendments etc).