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2618 days ago

More than 800,000 Southern Cross customers stripped of funeral insurance

A letter was sent to all 801,000 premium customers signed up to the UltraCare Base health policy on Monday, alerting them that their funeral allowance would no longer be covered in their plan. A public hospital cash allowance and surgical procedure for sleep apnoea was also removed. Despite the benefit cuts, that were planned to kick in on December 1, customers would not see a reduction in the amount they paid for their insurance.
Southern Cross chief marketing officer of health insurance products Chris Watney said without these changes, the company would have had to increase premium rates by a lot more. "We know that premium affordability is a concern for our members. And we know that members value both the day-to-day use of their insurance, and the peace of mind that comes with knowing that the 'big stuff' like cancer or other life-changing diagnoses are covered." On the flip side a skin lesion service with a limit of $10,000 per member per claims a year was now included in the premium policy package - along with an extraction of teeth claim. Chief executive of Health Funds Association of New Zealand Roger Styles said in the last decade we have seen it increasingly difficult to access public funded services so a lot of people were using their health insurances more to avoid the wait times and jump the hoops."Pressures also come from medical price inflation, new procedures and new drugs that weren't funded by Pharmac - these things just weren't available two decades ago. "If something becomes available people want it and they want it tomorrow so it's about balancing that with affordability," Styles said. Watney said funeral allowance - that was limited to $2500 - was not related to healthcare service and was generally available under life insurance policies. "Its removal from our policies offers an opportunity to reduce overall claims cost and their impact on premiums." While it was no longer included in Southern Cross' health care policy, it was still seen as a vital coverage. Funeral Directors Association of New Zealand president Gary Taylor said the cost of funerals was going up. "In Auckland the price of a burial site, and that didn't include the actual funeral, was between $5000 to $7000. "Of course cremation was a lot cheaper between $500 to $1000 but for some that wasn't culturally sensitive." On top of that, families were expected to foot the bill for the casket, catering, food, venue and the rest.
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2 hours ago

Andy Warhole Triple Elvis at Auckland Art Gallery

Jackie from Titirangi

Something different and worth visiting, See special for Elvis Fans below
Pop to Present: American Art from the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
One of the most iconic artistic tributes to The King is now on display at Auckland Art Gallery
Andy Warhol’s Triple Elvis — a legendary artwork that helped shape Elvis Presley’s image as a global pop culture icon — is a standout highlight of Pop to Present: American Art from Virginia Museum of Fine Arts , a landmark exhibition of American art.
This is a rare, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see a work that celebrates Elvis’s enduring legacy, alongside masterpieces by Jackson Pollock, Roy Lichtenstein, Mark Rothko and more.
✨ Don’t miss your chance to see Elvis through Warhol’s eyes. ✨
Special promotions
Quadruple Elvis Comeback Special: Thursday 8 to Sunday 11 January 2026
In honour of Andy Warhol's Triple Elvis, featured in Pop to Present, we're holding a special promotion to celebrate The King of Rock and Roll's birthday.
Inspired by Warhol's work, the Gallery invites you to become the art and take it from a Triple Elvis to a Quadruple Elvis. From Thursday 8 January to Sunday 11 January, anyone who comes dressed in their best Elvis getup will receive 50% off their entry to Pop to Present. Think: sunglasses, sideburns and slicked hair. Dust off the jumpsuit and leather jacket or even an Elvis Tee Shirt, and join us for a weekend of Pop-inspired fun.

15 days ago

Scam Alert: Fake information regarding December Bonuses from MSD

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

The Ministry of Social Development is reporting that fake information is circulating about new ‘December bonuses’ or ‘benefit increases’

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