Tips and advice
We really value your business and your trust in us to care for your insurance needs, we want to keep you as informed as we can. While the General insurance industry has general exclusions for pandemics and infectious diseases, the life insurance industry does not, and you are covered during this time.
General insurances are things such Insurance on Business Assets, Business Interruption, Cargo cover, Car and Contents, House etc.
Life insurances are things such as Life cover, Medical insurance and Income protection products.
We want to help support you and help with direction towards assistance that may help you and your business get through this as well as possible.
Below is some practical information during the COVID-19 Lockdown that will help you get through it in as good a shape as possible.
We aren’t Lawyers or Accountants, so you do need to check with those advisers to ensure that you are getting advice on how best to protect yourself. The key areas we recommend you consider are below:
Wage Subsidies / Employer Support
The COVID-19 Wage Subsidy and Employer Support will be paid at a flat rate of:
$585.80 for people working 20 hours or more per week.
$350.00 for people working less than 20 hours per week.
The subsidy is paid as a lump sum and covers 12 weeks per employee.
To apply Workandincome.govt
More on the qualification process Workandincome.govt/products
Mortgage payment holidays
RBNZ has relaxed rules so that banks can give coronavirus affected mortgage holders up to a 6-month payment holiday – we urge affected clients to contact their mortgage providers.
Business Finance Guarantee Scheme
The Government will underwrite 80% of bank loans to eligible SMEs, eligible businesses will have usual annual turnover between $250,000 and $80m and the loan will be limited to $500,000 per business.
Tenants meeting their rent obligations to landlords
For those tenants not able to gain access to their premises to conduct normal activities there is, unfortunately, no insurance response, however, tenants and landlords may be able to negotiate a solution.
Tax Assistance
IRD have announced some additional flexibility and tax relief for businesses affected by COVID-19
Other Useful Links;
Hardship options with Life insurers
Each insurer has a different response to this, if you are struggling to pay your life insurance premiums due to lost income, please contact our team to get your options to keep your valuable cover before choosing to cancel.
