The short answer

Most insurance calculators online are lead-capture forms wearing a calculator costume — you enter your details and the answer arrives via a salesperson. These do not do that. The maths runs in your browser, the result appears immediately, and what you do next is entirely your call.

Last reviewed 2026-07-30

Why these three

Because they answer the three questions that decide what cover makes sense, in order:

How much?The sum insured, built from your debts and dependants
How long?Your runway — which sets your wait period
What is missing?The ACC gap, in your own dollars
A vehicle on an empty New Zealand highway running toward the ranges

A number you built yourself is much harder to talk you out of.

A note on what a calculator can and cannot do

These produce a starting figure, not a recommendation. They cannot see your health history, your relationship property position, your trust structure, your employer's scheme, or which insurer would underwrite you most favourably. What they are good for is arriving at a conversation with a number you understand and can defend, instead of accepting the first one you are offered.

Keep reading

This page is general information about how insurance works in New Zealand. It is not regulated financial advice and it does not take your situation into account. For advice about your own cover, talk to a licensed financial adviser.