We've been watching the development of Covid-19 since it first emerged out of Wuhan China, as have most people.

Given what we do and how involved in claims we are, we're getting lots of questions on what people can do.

So let's talk about what that might be and what it might look like. (First published 28 Feb 2020, last updated 24 March 2020)

One of the regular questions we are fielding at the moment is the question about how insurance will respond.

The short answer generally well, the not so short answer most policies will respond as intended with a few exceptions.

Those that know me and have read what I write know I get pretty hot under the collar about things that impact peoples outcomes. Australia is about to career down the path of something that is going to punt us back to the dark ages when it comes to looking after people.

Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) has decided that income protection is unsustainable, and it needs to be regulated to be more sustainable. Understand this is from a profitability and shareholder return perspective, not what is good for the consumer or the Australian public.

2019 has been a tough year for the anti-vaxer, as their myopic view of the world has come home to roost. We have the most significant number of reported cases of measles worldwide since 2006.

The experience here in Auckland compounded by the tragedy that is rolling through Samoa should be evidence enough that vaccination programs are both safe and necessary.

Yet, we are still getting the keyboard warrior social trolls out en-masse defending their indefensible position. Frankly, they need to be driven back into their deep dark, cold, damp caves they came from and torched with napalm. Possibly while waving pitchforks and sharp objects on poles in their direction.

Yes, you've heard it before, you should have medical insurance and income protection. Well here's a story of exactly why you need to consider insurance cover.

Your life may depend on it.

We have a client who has had ongoing issues with immunity for some time. They have the cover and have been able to access treatment in a reasonably timely way.

Strokes, also known as cerebrovascular accidents, are one of the most sudden and unpredictable conditions we as humans can suffer from. Most of the time and with no warning, we can go from fully active and living life normally, to being bed-ridden and incontinent, or in some cases, dead.

Medical researchers and scientists have been working on identifying tools, techniques and medication which can reduce the effect strokes have on the human body. One of their findings is using the supplement melatonin. While relatively new, giving melatonin for stroke recovery is showing positive signs, and we’re going to look into these findings in depth today. We will also explain what a stroke is, plus treatment and rehabilitation too.

Interesting comments from Consumer, quite contrary to the experience we have seen.

Consumers are more likely to find their policy doesn't work as expected when they have arranged their cover directly with the insurer because the majority of consumers don't know what they don't know.

When you apply for insurance, we as your underwriter will perform a risk management assessment on you. This looks at three key factors: what your world and health look like, and the financial aspects that make up your picture. A risk management assessment is done to help us identify the most appropriate type of insurance cover for you.

While writing my last article on redundancy cover and why it should be considered, I had some additional thoughts while reading the research.  

It highlighted for the average punter, just getting on with life, that they didn't necessarily have the time, energy, or inclination, to do the research I had done. And even if they did, they may not have understood what they were seeing.

Having been around business for over 20 years working either on the coal face of businesses or managing aspects of companies, we have accumulated plenty of experience navigating the market.

One thing that is coming clear is it isn't often the quality of staff or even the stability of a business that dictates when a company might restructure and lay off a whole bunch of staff, or even just one person.

With this, we have a feel for what goes on with job ebbs and flows, and we are entering a cycle where the likelihood of disruption that forces job changes on people is higher than what we would consider normal.

In our busy lives and lifestyles, we often overlook the very valuable activity of stopping and spending some time thinking.

I've taken the opportunity recently to look back over the last three or four years of the Asset Magazine, a financial services publication here in New Zealand and it has been interestingly similar.

The couple of key things I noticed; there has been much shuffling with people moving around, and much noise about new things and change, but the reality has been very little has actually changed.

If I reflect on my early years in the industry, again the reality on the coal face with good advisers doing the right thing for clients, not much has changed there either.

The report on New Zealand Mental Health is a disappointing read. Yes, we need more funding in mental health, up there with no **** Sherlock. But the fundamental approach by those with the power to effect real change continues to ignore the suggestions from grassroots New Zealand on what is needed.

Mike King, by his own admission, is an addict and a bully, and after realising this is doing his piece to make a difference and address those things that cause many of the issues the report has determined they don't have a solution for. Mike has had some awesomely effective ideas, yet has been completely shut out of the process.

You’re looking for insurance cover, be it for your life, home, income or health. You have two choices. You can use an insurance advisor to do all the hard work for you, or you could purchase straight from the insurer's website. Which one will you pick?

Obviously, we recommend that you use an insurance advisor and today we’re explaining the five most important reasons why.

Right oh, if you are reading this from the perspective of trying to claim, we might be a bit shutting the gate after the horse has bolted. Though there may still be things we can do, so do check out our claims advocation service. Where we can we help people get the support they need from what is available.

For those who are looking for life insurance and wanting to find the best deal on life insurance, this is the starting point. Knowing what you don’t know that can hurt you.

The best deal in life insurance is a policy that responds and works when it is needed, not the premium you pay. Because paying a cheap premium doesn’t necessarily mean you have the right cover. Nor does it guarantee you put it in place correctly.

Just when you thought you'd sorted out your business insurance, someone asks if you've got small business liability insurance. Well, thanks so much for that, not! Who would have thought that besides insuring your stock and your business premises that there were further policies to consider?

The thing is, when running a small business in New Zealand, you're exposing yourself, your employees and your clients or customers to risk. The level of that risk depends on the services or products you provide, but it's still there regardless. By keeping informed about the small business liability insurance cover available, we can make informed decisions for our businesses.