Affordable Life Insurance & Funeral Cover for New Zealand Families

Rest easy, knowing your family's taken care of

Nobody likes thinking about the day they won't be around. But when that day comes, the last thing you want is for the people you love to be left worrying about money on top of everything else. 

That's what MyFamily is here for. Brought to you by Instant Finance, MyFamily offers simple, straightforward life insurance and funeral cover — designed to give your family real financial choices when they need them most, without adding stress to an already hard time. 

No medical exams. No health questions. Just a quick chat with our team and guaranteed acceptance — brought to you by a name New Zealanders have trusted since 1971. 

Read more in our simple policy brochures below.

Download a copy of our MyFamily Life Insurance (QuickCover) brochure.

Download a copy of our MyFamily Funeral Cover (The Funeral Plan) brochure.

Why families choose MyFamily.

• You're accepted, guaranteed — no medical exams, no health questions, ever, within the eligible age ranges.

• Quick and easy to arrange — a simple conversation with our team, done in minutes, over the phone or in-branch.

• 100% Kiwi owned — Instant Finance has been looking after New Zealand families since 1971.

• No nasty surprises on price — clear, fixed premium structures and premium affordability options so you always know where you stand.

• 30 days to make sure it's right — a full free-look period on every policy, so you can read everything through and change your mind if you need to

• A name you already know — 26 branches around the country with online support 

Life insurance vs. funeral cover: what's the difference?

They get mixed up a lot, but they're really solving two different problems for your family.

In short: if your family would need help with debt or day-to-day living costs without your income, Life Insurance gives them more room to move.

If your main concern is simply making sure funeral costs never fall on your family, funeral insurance is a smaller, more affordable way to have that covered.

Plenty of families choose to hold both — and if you take out MyFamily Life Insurance, you can move across to Funeral Cover on preferential terms once you turn 65, so the cover stays with you for life.

MyFamily QuickCover Life Insurance 

QuickCover is a simple life insurance policy that pays out a lump sum when the insured person passes away, or if they're diagnosed with a terminal illness. It's designed to give your family real choices at a really hard time — whether that's paying the mortgage or rent, covering everyday costs while they adjust, replacing your income, or simply making sure funeral costs are taken care of.

At a glance

• The cover: choose from $50,000 up to $200,000, with a stepped premium to suit.

• The benefit: a lump sum payment to cover your family's multiple financial needs.

• When it pays out: upon the death of the insured person, or when diagnosed with a terminal illness (as defined in the policy wording) — as soon as the right documents are provided, such as a medical diagnosis or death certificate.
  

Guaranteed acceptance

Anyone aged 21 to 60 can get QuickCover — and acceptance is guaranteed, regardless of your medical history. There's a two-year stand-down period for anything you're already dealing with (more on that below), but once that's passed, you're covered for existing conditions too. Once your policy's in place, cover continues right through to age 65, when you'll have the option to move onto The Funeral Plan on preferential terms.

How the two-year cover period works.

Because you don't need to answer any health questions to be accepted, cover is provided in two simple stages:

• The first two years: you're covered for accidents, and for any new condition that develops after your policy starts. The only thing not covered in this window is a claim linked to a condition you already had before you took out the policy.

• After two years: you're covered for new and existing conditions alike, with a small number of things always excluded — see "What's not covered" below.

What's a "pre-existing condition"?

Fair question — it's simply any health issue you have, or have had, before your policy start date. That covers anything you already know about, anything you've taken medication for, anything you've sought (or meant to seek) medical help for, and anything with symptoms most people would have already seen a doctor about. It sounds broad, but the key point is it only affects the first two years. After that, you're covered regardless.

Stepped premiums, explained simply.

QuickCover runs on a "stepped" premium — meaning your payments start lower and increase gradually as you get older, rather than staying fixed. It's a common way life cover is priced, and it means your premium reflects the increasing risk as you age. 

What's not covered

A small number of situations are permanently excluded from QuickCover, alongside the two-year condition above — for example, death or terminal illness caused by the effects of alcohol or drugs (other than as prescribed by a registered medical practitioner), or as a result of war. The full list is set out in the policy book, which we're always happy to talk you through.

Download the MyFamily QuickCover policy book for further detail

MyFamily The Funeral Plan funeral insurance

The average funeral in New Zealand costs around $10,000* — and for a full service or burial, it can run well beyond that.

There's minimal general government funding to help with this; but the WINZ Funeral Grant is means-tested, capped at a few thousand dollars, and only available to people already receiving certain benefits and ACC will only cover a few thousand dollars too provided the death was caused by an accident, medical misadventure, or work-related.

For most families, whatever's left to find comes from savings, from the estate, other family members, or straight from their own pocket, right when they can least afford the added stress.

Read more on how much it costs to have a funeral on the Citizens Advice Bureau's site

MyFamily The Funeral Plan life insurance is designed to make sure that gap — the cost of a funeral — never falls on your family.

At a glance

• The cover: choose from $5,000 up to $20,000, for a fixed premium to suit.

• The benefit: a lump sum payment to meet funeral expenses and take away the financial worry.

• When it pays out: upon the death of the insured person, as soon as the right documents are provided, such as a death certificate.

Guaranteed acceptance

Anyone aged 30 to 70 can get The Funeral Plan, and acceptance is guaranteed regardless of your medical history. There's a two-year stand-down for any medical condition you're already dealing with, and after that, you're covered for death by any means, including conditions that existed before you started. Once your policy's in place, there's no expiry — as long as your premiums are up to date, the cover's there whenever it's needed.

Never pay more than what you're covered for

Here's the bit families tend to love: with The Funeral Plan, you'll never pay more in premiums than the amount you're covered for. Once your total payments reach your chosen cover amount, they simply stop — and your cover keeps going, at no further cost, for as long as you're with us.

How the two-year cover period works.

• The first two years: you're covered for accidental death from day one. If death happens from natural causes during this window, we'll refund every dollar of premium you've paid — though the funeral cover amount itself isn't payable in that case.

• After two years: you're covered for death by any means at all, including conditions that existed before you started the policy.

Level premiums explained simply.

The Funeral Plan runs on a "level" premium — meaning what you pay stays exactly the same for as long as you hold the policy, rather than increasing with age. Paired with the payment cap above, it means you always know exactly where you stand.

Download the MyFamily Funeral Plan policy book for further detail

Do I need a medical exam or health check?

No — and that's really the whole point of MyFamily. There are no medical exams, no blood tests, and no health questionnaires at any stage of applying. Whether you're accepted comes down to your age, not your health.

That makes MyFamily a genuinely simple option if you've been turned away from life or funeral cover elsewhere because of a health condition, or if you'd just rather have cover sorted quickly without a lengthy back-and-forth and possibly exclusions or other special terms.

How to apply.

Getting covered with MyFamily takes two easy steps:

1. Choose your cover — decide between Quick Cover life insurance, The Funeral Plan funeral insurance, or both, and think about the amount that feels right for your family, your financial needs and your budget.

2. Talk to our team — call us, request a call back, or pop into a branch, and we'll take you through the options and costs together. With no health questions to answer, there's really nothing holding it up — it's a conversation, not a long-winded form filling exercise.

Prefer we come to you? Leave your details below and a member of our team will be in touch to talk through your options.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is guaranteed acceptance life insurance?

It's life insurance where you're accepted automatically within the eligible age range — no medical exam, no health questionnaire, no waiting to hear back based on your health history.

How much does a funeral cost in New Zealand?

Funerals in New Zealand typically cost anywhere from $5,000 for a simple service to $20,000 or more for a traditional funeral or burial, with the national average sitting around $10,000. The final cost depends on your region, your funeral director, and the choices made around the service itself.

What's the difference between QuickCover and The Funeral Plan?

QuickCover is designed to give your family broader financial choices — paying off debt or replacing income — with cover amounts to match. The Funeral Plan is a smaller, more targeted amount specifically to cover funeral and final expenses, with a level premium and a built-in cap on what you'll ever pay. Many families choose to hold both.

Is The Funeral Plan the same as a pre-paid funeral?

No. The Funeral Plan is a life insurance policy — it pays a lump sum to your family when you pass away, which they can use however they need to, including for funeral costs. A pre-paid funeral is a different arrangement made directly with a funeral home, where you plan and pay for the funeral itself in advance. The two aren't linked, and you don't need one to have the other.

Do I need a medical exam to get MyFamily cover?

No. Both MyFamily Quick Cover life insurance and The Funeral Plan life insurance are guaranteed acceptance — there are no medical exams or health questions at any stage.

What is a pre-existing condition, and does it stop me being accepted?

No — a pre-existing condition never stops you from being accepted into either policy. It's defined as any health issue you have, or have had, before your policy start date, including anything you've been medicated for or sought medical help for. It only affects what's covered in the first two years; after that, you're covered regardless.

What's the difference between a stepped and a level premium?

A stepped premium starts lower and increases gradually as you get older — that's how QuickCover works. A level premium stays exactly the same for the life of the policy — that's how The Funeral Plan works, so you always know exactly what you'll pay.

Is the WINZ Funeral Grant enough to cover a funeral?

Usually not, on its own. Work and Income offers a means-tested Funeral Grant, but it's capped at a few thousand dollars and only available to people already receiving certain benefits — typically covering just a fraction of an average funeral's cost. It's a big part of why many families choose to arrange their own funeral cover ahead of time.

If someone dies in an accident, does ACC help with funeral costs?

It can, alongside the WINZ Funeral Grant. If the death was the result of an accident, ACC can contribute toward funeral costs and may also pay a one-off survivor's grant to a spouse or partner and to dependent children, plus ongoing weekly compensation in some cases. It's worth applying for if it's relevant to your situation — but like the WINZ grant, it's generally a contribution rather than the full cost, which is exactly the gap MyFamily The Funeral Plan life insurance is designed to help with.

Who receives the payout, and can I choose?

Yes — when you take out a MyFamily policy, you can nominate who you'd like to receive the payout. If you don't nominate anyone, the payout is generally made to your estate, to be distributed according to New Zealand law. Our team can talk you through how to nominate or update this at any time.

Will my family have to pay tax on the payout?

Generally, no — life insurance and funeral cover payouts in New Zealand aren't taxed. Everyone's situation is a little different, so if you'd like certainty for your own circumstances, it's worth a quick chat with an accountant or tax advisor, but for most families, the full amount goes straight to the people who need it.

How do I make a claim?

A claim can be made by the policy owner or the personal representatives of their estate, as soon as it's practical to do so. You'll need the right supporting documents — such as a death certificate, or a medical diagnosis for a QuickCover terminal illness claim. Just get in touch and our team will walk you through exactly what's needed.

What is the 30-day free-look period?

It's a 30-day window from when your policy starts where you can look everything over properly, ask any questions, and cancel for a full refund if you decide it's not right for you.

What ages are eligible for MyFamily cover?

QuickCover is available from age 21 to 60. The Funeral Plan is available from age 30 to 70 — and you can move from QuickCover to The Funeral Plan once you turn 65. 

How much cover can I get?

QuickCover offers cover from $50,000 to $200,000. The Funeral Plan offers cover from $5,000 to $20,000.

Is MyFamily only available to existing Instant Finance customers? 

No — MyFamily is open to any eligible New Zealander within the age range for each policy. You don't need to already be an Instant Finance loan customer to apply. 

MyFamily is underwritten by Autosure Insurance Limited 

Instant Finance has been looking after New Zealand families since 1971 and we have partnered with Autosure Insurance Limited to bring these products to our customers, their families and friends. Like us, Autosure are Kiwi owned, a proud member of the Financial Services Federation, and trusted by thousands of Kiwis around the country.  

MyFamily now brings that same Instant Finance down-to-earth, no-judgement approach to life insurance and funeral cover.