Partners Life is up against Asteron Life and the company it plans to acquire, Fidelity Life, as it seeks to retain the Life Insurance Company of the Year title at the 2026 ANZIIF New Zealand Insurance Industry Awards.

The three insurers make up the shortlist for the award, which Partners Life won in 2025. Asteron Life took the title in both 2024 and 2023.

This year’s awards also introduce a category recognising financial advice businesses, with Invicta Financial, Resure and RIVAL Wealth named as finalists for Financial Advice Provider/Authorised Body of the Year.

ANZIIF says the new category recognises the growing importance of advice-led models in delivering strong customer outcomes.

The addition gives advice providers their own place in an awards programme that also recognises insurers, claims teams and service providers.

ANZIIF chief executive Katrina Shanks says the finalists reflect the industry’s commitment to customers.

“The calibre of this year’s finalists reflects the professionalism, innovation and commitment to customers that continue to strengthen New Zealand’s insurance industry,” Shanks says.

Asteron Life, Fidelity Life’s claims team and Partners Life are also finalists for Claims Team of the Year.

Insurance technology company Simfuni is one of six finalists for Service Provider to the Insurance Industry.

In the people categories, Fidelity Life’s Sam Paterson and SHARE NZ – The Advisory’s Joey Gregory are among 10 finalists for Young Insurance Professional of the Year. Medical Assurance Society’s Life and Investment Centre Manager Nick Swiney also makes the shortlist.

Gregory entered financial services in 2019 after making a claim on his own insurance policy. He says that experience showed him the value of having the right cover in place to protect his family.

He went on to win Fidelity Life’s emerging adviser award in 2021 and specialises in working with self-employed and rural clients.

Winners will be announced at a gala dinner next month. Details are available in the Good Returns Diary.