AA Life Funeral Insurance

Almost every NZ funeral insurance policy applies a non-accidental-death waiting period (commonly 12 or 24 months) before the full sum-insured pays. Death from accident is typically covered from day one. This is the single most important clause for buyers signing up while in poor health.

waiting period months: 24 accidental death cover from day one: true — accidental death (injury caused solely and directly by an accident, with death within 90 days) is covered from the date cover starts, with no waiting period.

NZ funeral policies offer different sum-insured options — typically low-to-mid five-figure cover. Maximum caps vary by entry age. This page documents each insurer's sum-insured offering verbatim.

sum insured range nzd: Maximum combined cover under all Funeral Cover policies issued by Asteron Life is $30,000 per person insured (excluding Additional Accidental Death Benefit). Individual cover amount set out in policy summary.

NZ funeral premiums are mostly stepped (rise with age) or level (flat within a tier). The shape decides whole-of-life cost — stepped is cheaper at signup but compounds. Some policies stop charging premium past a defined age.

premium structure: Annual renewable policy (term of one year, renewing each year). Premiums are age-based as set out in the policy summary. We can increase premiums only if the same increase is applied to every other Funeral Cover policy issued under the same offer. premium continuation rules: Premium payments will end on the policy anniversary date after the person insured reaches age 90. Cover under this policy will continue until a claim is accepted, death occurs, or you cancel the policy.

Most NZ funeral insurers cap entry age in the late 70s or low 80s. Some products don't accept new business beyond a certain age band. This page documents each insurer's entry-age and renewal-age limits verbatim.

max renewal age: Cover continues after age 90 (premiums cease at policy anniversary after age 90) until a claim is accepted, death occurs, or the policy is cancelled.

Some NZ funeral cover is offered guaranteed-acceptance (no medical questions); others require a short medical questionnaire. The trade-off: guaranteed-acceptance pricing is higher and waiting periods longer. This page documents each insurer's underwriting approach verbatim.

guaranteed acceptance: Not explicitly stated as guaranteed acceptance — no medical underwriting questions described, but the policy does not use the phrase 'guaranteed acceptance'. medical underwriting rules: No medical underwriting questions described for policy issue. When a claim for terminal illness is made, we may require you to have one or more medical examinations at our expense.

Funeral costs rise over decades; a fixed sum-insured at signup may not cover the funeral at claim time. Some NZ insurers CPI-index the sum-insured; others leave it fixed. This page documents each insurer's indexation approach verbatim.

indexation rules: Not specified in the policy wording — no CPI indexation provision described.

Standard exclusions across NZ funeral insurance: death by suicide in the first 12-13 months, war, criminal activity, intoxication-related death. This page lists each insurer's exclusion clause verbatim.

exclusions: • Within the first two years of continuous cover: any illness, disease, naturally occurring condition, degenerative process, or symptom of any of these that the person insured has, or has had. • Within the first two years of continuous cover: suicide or a deliberate act by the person insured causing injury to themselves, whether they are sane or insane, unless that injury is indirect and unintended. • No exclusions apply two years after the later of the date your cover starts or restarts.