Partners Life says sales better than expected

Chief executive Naomi Ballantyne says that the company has received proposals which total more than $1 million of API in its first three weeks and that the applications have been for bigger sums than expected.

She says the applications have been five times higher than what they were expecting at this point in time.

"The volumes are unbelievable," she says. "We couldn't have had a better start."

The biggest percentage of applications have been from combined life and trauma cover.  There has not high demand for standalone medical cover and around half of the combined applications also had income protection.