Success Stories

At Special Risk Insurance we help you to succeed.

Because we’re experts in securing insurance cover for people not considered to be ‘normal risk’, we understand the challenges you face. Read on to see how Special Risk Insurance has helped many New Zealanders find insurance cover to meet their specific needs - and how we can help you.

"Having experienced health issues in the past and having had difficulty gaining trauma and life insurance cover as a result of this, it was great to work with Special Risk and Brian to gain the security through insurance that I needed. I did not want to put my family at risk financially should something happen to me and through the hard work done by Brian and his team I no longer have to worry about that - it's all covered and the premiums are realistic."
Read more testimonials

Heart Conditions

Six years after having a heart transplant, our client was seeking cover for business purposes. Under regular medical supervision, all indicators were that he was doing well. However, having paid a local Insurer's Extreme Underwriting Fee for assessment, he was offered insurance Terms that were simply unacceptable to both himself and Special Risk Insurance. We pursued the matter on his behalf and secured acceptable Terms for him from another insurance company.
Having undergone a mitral value replacement some 20 years prior, subsequent episodes of atrial fibrillation and hypertension made obtaining insurance difficult for our client. Needing cover for mortgage purposes, we put together a comprehensive Case Presentation highlighting the clients' lifestyle changes and adherence to treatment programmes. In doing so, we secured for him a limited term contract.
A 50 year old male came to us after being declined by two insurance companies. He had a moderate risk of heart problems and a history of reactive depression. Our investigations highlighted the proactive steps he was taking to deal with life stresses and the treatment he was receiving. Though he did need to pay higher premiums, he was successful in gaining life, trauma and income protection insurance.
Following the decline in the property market in the early 1990’s, a property developer came to us for life cover after suffering a heart attack. We obtained a very thorough medical report from his cardiologist and succeeded in gaining offers for him from two insurers.
With ischemic heart disease and hypertension, our 60 year old client had very little chance of personally obtaining cover for a $30,000 bank loan. We were able to organise cover for him, despite the fact he was still a smoker.
Following the accidental discovery of congenital mitral regurgitation, a 32 year old professional was declined income protection insurance. After agreeing to undergo an extensive cardiac and medical assessment we recommended she was offered life insurance and trauma insurance, with exclusion only for heart valve surgery.
A businessman in his 60’s required life insurance to cover his business loans. After feeling off-colour for a while, doctors discovered he had high cholesterol and an enlarged heart. Life insurance was costly for him, however the offer we successfully arranged was vital to secure the future of his business and livelihood.
With a family history of heart disease and pancreatitis, after a lifetime of heavy drinking, our client needed life cover to protect a $200,000 business debt. Although most insurance companies declined him cover, we found one company who offered acceptable terms.
After applying for income protection insurance, a health consultant in her 60’s was offered unacceptable premiums. She had controlled hypertension, mild angina when exercising excessively, and a family history of heart disease and cancer. We recommended she have a full cardiology assessment and were subsequently successful in finding her income protection insurance with greatly reduced premiums.
At age 50 our client had suffered a mild heart attack following long hours working in a high stress environment. He also had asthma, a family history of heart disease, stroke and cancer. We successfully found him income protection insurance at favourable terms.

Diabetes

Recently we obtained life insurance for a woman in her 40’s who had lived with Type 1 (insulin dependent) diabetes since she was 16. The insurance company was happy with the glowing references we obtained from her physician, highlighting the very disciplined, proactive self-management regime she had followed for 25 years.
A 48 year old man came to us after being told by several agents and insurers that he was uninsurable. He had been living with diabetes for 25 years and was insulin dependent. Though he was required to pay higher premiums, we were successful in gaining him a choice of two life insurance policies.
As an insulin dependent diabetic for 22 years, a gentleman was having difficulty obtaining life insurance. Despite suffering mild complications we were able to demonstrate his compliance with regular medical treatment and reviews, and his personal commitment to regular exercise and a healthy diet. We successfully obtained suitable life insurance cover for him.
After being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes mellitus, a 38 year old man came to us seeking life insurance. He had made changes to his lifestyle to ensure his diabetes was under control. After his medical results were collated, we presented his case to several insurance companies and he chose the policy which he was happy gave him the best cover for his needs.

Mental Health

Requiring cover for a business loan, we were asked to obtain Terms for a female client with a long history of depression. Most likely attributable to a slow growing benign tumour/cyst in her brain, she underwent brain surgery, her recovery from which has been remarkable, with few adverse effects. After preparing a Case Presentation containing one of our largest medical files to date, we were successful in securing insurance cover for her loan.
A self employed retailer found his history of anxiety made it impossible for him to obtain any form of disability income cover for his personal and business overheads. We secured long term disability income cover for him with exclusion for psychiatric conditions, which he was very satisfied with, as he felt his condition was well under control.
Our client was finding it difficult to obtain additional life and disability income cover after an incident of mental health problems 4 years previous. We found an insurer who would offer him both life cover and disability income cover.
A young man contacted us seeking life insurance, after he had settled into a new career and been medication free for 4 years. Because of several episodes of mental illness during a previously stressful career, he’d been unable to obtain insurance, despite his long term mental health outlook being very good. Although he was excluded for mental illness, he was happy with the life insurance cover we arranged for him.
Needing insurance for mortgage protection, a woman in her 40’s was having difficulty finding any because of a history of anxiety and depression. She was in good health generally and we were able to demonstrate how well she was managing the stresses in her life which could bring on an event. We successfully gained standard terms for life insurance, which gave her protection for her mortgage.

Stroke

After taking out life insurance for partnership protection, our client suffered a mild stroke. When he needed additional life cover for a new home mortgage we secured this for him.
A keen distance runner unexpectedly suffered a mild stroke after a run one day. Fighting fit, he made an excellent recovery, but was subsequently declined for income protection insurance. After gaining extensive medical records we secured the insurance he needed.
An owner-operator truck driver came to us for income protection insurance after suffering a brain haemorrhage two years previously. Because he had modified the way he ran his business, we were able to organise cover for him which included pre-existing conditions.

Blood pressure

A client with high blood pressure was referred to us after being declined insurance cover. His leisure pursuits of diving, jet boating and flying adding to his risk profile. However, he had started a good exercise regime and was working to minimise his stresses at work. After a comprehensive presentation we were successful in gaining life and trauma cover for him (with exclusions for diving, jet boating and flying).
Raised blood pressure was making it difficult for a couple to find life insurance to cover their condition. We obtained extensive updated medical data and were able to find both of them life insurance for a reasonable premium, including greatly improved cover for their medical conditions.
A man in his 20’s with raised blood pressure, found the life insurance premiums he was offered too costly. As he had started a weight reduction and fitness programme we were able to find him life cover with much better terms, and a lower premium.

Cancer

Diagnosed with a rare melanoma in 2002, our client had lived for almost four years without the condition reoccurring. By identifying positive lifestyle changes he had made, we assisted him to gain standard Trauma Cover (cancer excluded), with only a minimal additional insurance charge for the next 5 years.

Kidney disease

With a family and personal history of polycystic kidney disease, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol levels, our customer had no chance of personally gaining life insurance cover. We successfully gained life insurance cover for him, which he gratefully accepted.
After two kidney transplants our customer wanted to extend his life cover to protect his young family for the following 10 years. He came to us after several comprehensive rejections from insurance companies. We amassed extensive medical evidence to support his case and he was subsequently accepted by one insurer for a 10 year life policy.

Other health issues

HIV: This year, we faced an interesting challenge for a lovely couple both of whom had the HIV virus. With a lot of cooperation from their Specialist Physician, we complied a thorough Case Presentation showing the pair were vigilantly committed to their treatment, monitoring and overall control. In what could be termed 'ground breaking', they were offered and accepted a 5-year contract for Life Cover of $500,000 each with a mininal premium extra. With future medical advances, it is hoped they will be able to extend their cover after 5 years.
Bladder problems: Not satisfied with the life cover terms offered to him because of a recurrent bladder problem, this gentleman was referred to us. We successfully found an insurer who was happy to give him standard life cover terms.
Short stature: An insurance agent referred a lady to us who was having problems finding life cover due to her small stature (height: weight ratio). We were able to obtain the life cover she required.
Poor health: A company director in his 40’s was referred to us by his insurance agent after being refused stakeholder protection insurance. He had a poor family medical history alongside current problems of hypertension, a peptic ulcer, excessive cholesterol, high alcohol intake and a bout of depression. After gaining a full medical examination, updated blood tests and additional information, we found two insurers who offered him stakeholder protection cover.
Ulcerative colitis: Family protection cover was vital for a solicitor in her 30’s. Unfortunately her condition had been unstable for 10 years and she had other complications, including arthritis. After obtaining and presenting extensive medical records and evidence, we were able to secure for her the insurance cover she required.

High risk work / leisure pursuits

After being accepted for an international helicopter pilot’s course, this student’s parents wanted to protect themselves in case he was killed overseas. Declined by several insurance companies, we successfully found them the life cover they required.
Owning and operating his own plane for business travel, our client was unable to find an insurance company that would give him disability income cover without wanting to exclude aviation activities. After extensive presentations by us, he was offered terms by two companies – both including aviation activities.
A security officer was having problems gaining income protection insurance because of his occupation. We found two insurance companies who were able to provide reasonable terms and cover for him.
The business owner of a top dressing firm was unimpressed with the insurance premiums he was offered. After being approached by his insurance broker, we were able to secure him a saving of $7500 per year on his premiums

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Life Insurance | Critical illness or trauma | Disability Insurance | Loss of earnings | Health Insurance
0800 774 757 expert@srisks.co.nz