Life changes. Your cover can too.

Kiwi women are building lives on their own terms. Whatever stage you're at, it's always a good time to talk about something practical: protecting everything you're working for.

For many Kiwi women, life insurance sits in the “I’ll get to it later” basket. We wait for the next promotion, the next house or until life feels a bit less expensive.

But the reality of modern life in Aotearoa is that women are carrying more responsibility and independence than ever. Today, 62.8% of women aged 15 and over are in the workforce¹ and women are increasingly the primary drivers of their own financial futures. Whether you’re building a career, managing a household or supporting a family, the contribution you make has tangible financial value.

Whatever stage of life you are in, it is worth asking: if your income or your ability to care/support your family stopped tomorrow, what would that mean for the people and plans that depend on you?

The changing face of the Kiwi family

The "traditional" path is shifting. Women are choosing to have children later (according to Stats NZ the median age is 31.7 ²), have fewer children (average number in 2025 was 1.55, down from 2.1 in 2011), or are not having children at all - whether by choice or by circumstance.

Regardless of family structure, New Zealanders need the ability to protect themselves and their future - yet we remain one of the most under-insured countries. Only around 35% of adults hold life insurance, with women statistically less likely than men to be covered.³ Financial independence, whether built through a career, home ownership or caregiving, is worth protecting at every stage.

The coverage gap may reflect something deeper. Recent insights from the Financial Services Council NZ suggest that while around 67% of men feel confident in their savings, that figure drops to around 45% for women. It's a reminder that financial resilience isn't just about having a policy in place - it starts with feeling informed and confident enough to take that first step. 

Protection at every stage of life -

The 20s: The era of independence

In your 20s, one of your greatest assets is your ability to earn an income. With fewer women in this age group starting families than in previous decades, the focus is often firmly on building a career and financial autonomy. That income is worth protecting.

Only 19% of New Zealanders have income protection,⁴ yet many don’t realise that ACC often doesn't cover loss of income resulting from illness, mental health events, or chronic conditions.⁴ Whether you are earning a salary or managing a household, a health event that stops you from working for months could impact your rent, mortgage and lifestyle.

It's worth knowing that income protection isn't the only option and for some, like stay-at-home parents, it might not be available. Trauma and Total Permanent Disablement (TPD) cover may provide financial support if you are unable to work, helping to bridge the gap and maintain your financial stability when it matters most.

If you have debt or people who rely on you financially, life insurance is also worth considering - even at this stage. The earlier you put protection in place, the simpler and more affordable it tends to be.

Into your 30s and 40s: Navigating peak responsibility

As Kiwi women move into their 30s, financial commitments often grow. New Zealand household debt now sits at 166% of gross income, ⁵ driven largely by mortgages. 

For those who are parents, the financial stakes are at their highest. There is a common misconception among Kiwi families that only the primary breadwinner needs life insurance. In reality, every financial contribution, paid or unpaid, matters to the household.

The 2023 Census found approximately 138,000 solo-parent families in New Zealand, of which 82.2% of them are headed by women.⁶  For working solo parents, available financial support may only cover a portion of ongoing expenses, making income protection an important consideration for maintaining stability. Even for two-parent families which may include a stay-at-home parent, it is worth asking: would your partner manage, financially, practically and with childcare, if you weren't there or unable to carry on with your everyday tasks and duties? There's no accurate calculation that works out what a stay-at-home parent or primary caregiver is worth, but the costs of raising children and running a household are real. This is where trauma cover could prove valuable, to help cover additional costs like childcare and home help (as well as any additional expenses associated with the parent’s own care).

And should the worst happen, a life insurance policy could provide the financial breathing room for a partner to adjust, rather than scrambling under pressure.

Your life, your cover

Life insurance isn't only for parents. For many women, cover is about protecting your lifestyle, your independence and your future self.

Proactive planning can help to ensure your financial foundation is solid, whatever life brings. The right cover can help you manage debts like your mortgage if your ability to work changes and may help you access the care and support you need to get back on track. It’s about backing yourself and the future you’re working for.

The ‘Sandwich Generation’: The double load

For many women in midlife, responsibilities can often stretch in two directions, from supporting teenage or adult children to helping ageing parents. Managing these dual priorities is a balancing act. Having the right cover in place may provide a buffer and can help to ensure the financial support you provide for your whānau is protected, even if life takes an unexpected turn.

Middle age and beyond: 50+

By your 50s & 60s, your insurance needs may look different. Your mortgage might be significantly smaller or even paid off, and your children grown. But life doesn't always go to plan. A serious illness can bring unexpected costs that your savings weren't built to absorb like specialist treatments, time off work, or home adaptations. And while no one expects the unexpected, an illness or accident in your 50s or early 60s can throw out the best laid plans - especially if you still have debts, a partner, or others who were counting on you. At this stage, insurance such as income protection or trauma cover is about stopping a health crisis from impacting all you’ve worked hard to build, and from draining your retirement. This is vital for women, who typically have smaller savings but live longer (in NZ women generally live to 83.5 years compared to 80.1 for men)⁷. And life cover can help ensure that if the worst happens early, your loved ones aren’t left struggling with your debts.

Even if you’re lucky enough to no longer have debt, a terminal illness diagnosis can require funds to cover the costs of additional care, additional household support and making memories – life cover can also assist with this.

If your only concern is covering the cost of your funeral so that your loved ones can send you off in the way you deserve, then funeral cover may suit your needs.  

You don’t need to have it all figured out first.

You just need to know what you want to protect: your income, your home, your independence now and in the future, or your family's ability to keep going.

Make sure you take the time to back yourself.

Speak with an Independent Financial Adviser or directly with a Chubb Life Adviser today to understand the options that suit your life right now.