Southern Cross Health Society

The Southern Cross Medical Care Society (trading as Southern Cross Health Society), founded in 1961, is a society and New Zealand’s largest health insurer, with more than 870,000 members. The Health Society funded more than NZ$830m of healthcare services in the year to 30 June 2017, including 240,000 elective surgeries, or 73% of the country's health insurance claims. It also offers life insurance and corporate wellness programmes.

In April 2019 Southern Cross Health Society announced it would launch an AI-powered digital assistant which helps users learn about health insurance and how it can add value. 'Aimee' was launched in November 2019, providing answers to frequently asked questions, such as how the health system works, and helping to define insurance-specific terms. Over time, Aimee is expected to answer further, more complicated questions too.

A subsidiary of the 60-year-old Southern Cross Healthcare Group, SCHS holds a 62% market share and is widely considered as the nation's leading health insurance provider.

The Group's services include Health, Travel, Pet and Life Insurance. Southern Cross Travel Insurance is a leading online travel insurance provider in New Zealand and Australia, while Southern Cross Pet Insurance is a prominent New Zealand pet insurance brand. 

In March 2020 Southern Cross Health Society announced a new range of financial support options for those struggling with the affects of the global Covid-19 pandemic. The options include a 3- or 6-month policy pause for members who have experienced a loss of income or other financial hardship. Members will retain their pre-existing cover but are not required to pay premiums, while being unable to make claims. Eligible members can also add an excess to their plan, remove add-on modules or downgrade their plans if they wish.