2017 Hot List Recipient
2020 Hot List Recipient
2021 CEO of the Year
Accolades
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2011
2012
2015
2016
2023
2021
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2012
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2010
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2016
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2023
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2021
Based in Auckland, Allianz Partners New Zealand employs more than 100 staff, specialising locally in providing and managing assistance services, travel insurance, student insurance and pet insurance through our New Zealand and international business partners. Our strength lies in combining the solidarity and trust that comes from being part of an established global organisation with the local expertise of our New Zealand team.
Company Profile
75+
No. of country locations
70
No. of languages used in customer service
66 million
Calls handled last year
72.5 million
Cases handled last year
1.2 million
No. of global medical providers in network
Bio
Spotlight
Milestones
Media
Accolades
Company Profile
Years in the industry
20
Tenure at current position
2017 - Present
BAsed In
Auckland
Fast Fact
Spent 12 years in British Military Intelligence, including being on active service in Sarajevo during the Bosnia war
Kevin Blyth
CEO at Allianz Partners New Zealand
Kiwis are travelling again, but Allianz Partners’ unique insights show that, in a more dangerous and expensive world, we are seeking better risk coverage regardless of destination
Read on
“We have had more high-cost claims this year, including repatriations via air ambulance and the like, than in any year before”
Kevin Blyth,
Allianz Partners New Zealand
“The industry needs to ensure that travellers do not forget about travel insurance now that COVID is not the concern that it once was”
Kevin Blyth,
Allianz Partners New Zealand
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2011
Are you ready for the new world of travel?
Karen Adams has had a remarkable journey to her current role as CEO of Fundserv. Originally from Toronto, Adams earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and economics at Queens University, followed by an MBA in international finance at the University of British Columbia. After graduating, she set off across the globe, holding various positions with HSBC that took her to London, Dubai, Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Seoul and Mumbai.
That global experience gave Adams a unique perspective, prompting her to develop a leadership style that’s based on developing relationships with each individual, listening and understanding to help them reach their potential. That approach goes well beyond her own team, allowing Fundserv to succeed in creating solutions for its members.
“Having worked in many different countries, people ask if I am an expert in multicultural leadership,” Adams says. “I always say there is no such thing because that assumes you manage people based on their background. I have learned that people all want the same things: to develop our careers, give our kids a good future, etc. When she returned to Canada learned that people all
A recent Allianz Partners survey conducted by Kantar underscored where the anxieties lie for Kiwis wanting to travel.
“Concerns around flight cancellations or delays topped the list [41%], while one third [34%] were concerned about their luggage going missing and one in three expressed concerns about catching COVID-19.
“What this has meant is more Kiwis are choosing travel insurance as a safeguard, with 43% admitting they are more likely to purchase travel insurance now than pre-pandemic and three quarters [77%] responding that they would purchase travel insurance for their next trip, regardless of the destination,” says Blyth.
While the headlines this year have hammered home problems around missing luggage or cancellations due to the weather, or aircraft availability, what is not so well known is that post-pandemic, Kiwis are getting themselves into more expensive predicaments more often than they did in the past.
“We have had more high-cost claims this year, including repatriations via air ambulance and the like, than in any year before at Allianz Partners in New Zealand,” says Blyth.
This is mainly due to inflation pushing up the cost of services, including medical services. An air ambulance from the Pacific Islands back to New Zealand is now a six-figure cost.
“If you leave home without travel insurance and need assistance, it could cost you much more than you anticipated.”
Concerns around the cost of living have clipped the destination ambitions of some Kiwi travellers.
“The cost of travel has remained a challenge to many, but this has resulted in increased numbers of people heading for Australia and the Pacific Islands,” says Blyth. “The USA and UK/Europe remain popular too, despite the inflated cost of getting there, fuel prices
and the weak NZ dollar.”
From those forums, a common theme arose that has plagued the industry for years: the amount of paper required in transactions.
“We have a motto to ‘axe the fax,’ and we saw this opportunity where members didn’t want their staff going into the office, but there are still physical cheques going back and forth,” Adams explains. “We put in place, in just six months, Ad-Hoc Money Movement [A$M]. We responded to the industry and are in the process of replacing cheques, which I think is awesome. We launched in January and have seen so much volume. We think ultimately we are keeping people healthier by not having to travel into the office.”
Against this background, Blyth is keeping a wary eye on whether higher numbers of people heading abroad will continue to result in higher levels of coverage for the trips. New Zealanders can sometimes be blasé about travel insurance, but the events of the last few years have served as a timely reminder that if you cannot afford comprehensive travel insurance, you cannot afford to travel.
Spotlight
Company Profile
Years in the industry
Tenure at current position
BAsed In
Fast Fact
Read on
Share
Share
Accolades
Media
Are you ready for the new world of travel?
Karen Adams has had a remarkable journey to her current role as CEO of Fundserv. Originally from Toronto, Adams earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and economics at Queens University, followed by an MBA in international finance at the University of British Columbia. After graduating, she set off across the globe, holding various positions with HSBC that took her to London, Dubai, Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Seoul and Mumbai.
That global experience gave Adams a unique perspective, prompting her to develop a leadership style that’s based on developing relationships with each individual, listening and understanding to help them reach their potential. That approach goes well beyond her own team, allowing Fundserv to succeed in creating solutions for its members.
“Having worked in many different countries, people ask if I am an expert in multicultural leadership,” Adams says. “I always say there is no such thing because that assumes you manage people based on their background. I have learned that people all want the same things: to develop our careers, give our kids a good future, etc. When she returned to Canada learned that people all
A recent Allianz Partners survey conducted by Kantar underscored where the anxieties lie for Kiwis wanting to travel.
“Concerns around flight cancellations or delays topped the list [41%], while one third [34%] were concerned about their luggage going missing and one in three expressed concerns about catching COVID-19.
“What this has meant is more Kiwis are choosing travel insurance as a safeguard, with 43% admitting they are more likely to purchase travel insurance now than pre-pandemic and three quarters [77%] responding that they would purchase travel insurance for their next trip, regardless of the destination,” says Blyth.
While the headlines this year have hammered home problems around missing luggage or cancellations due to the weather, or aircraft availability, what is not so well known is that post-pandemic, Kiwis are getting themselves into more expensive predicaments more often than they did in the past.
“We have had more high-cost claims this year, including repatriations via air ambulance and the like, than in any year before at Allianz Partners in New Zealand,” says Blyth.
This is mainly due to inflation pushing up the cost of services, including medical services. An air ambulance from the Pacific Islands back to New Zealand is now a six-figure cost.
“If you leave home without travel insurance and need assistance, it could cost you much more than you anticipated.”
From those forums, a common theme arose that has plagued the industry for years: the amount of paper required in transactions.
“We have a motto to ‘axe the fax,’ and we saw this opportunity where members didn’t want their staff going into the office, but there are still physical cheques going back and forth,” Adams explains. “We put in place, in just six months, Ad-Hoc Money Movement [A$M]. We responded to the industry and are in the process of replacing cheques, which I think is awesome. We launched in January and have seen so much volume. We think ultimately we are keeping people healthier by not having to travel into the office.”
Against this background, Blyth is keeping a wary eye on whether higher numbers of people heading abroad will continue to result in higher levels of coverage for the trips. New Zealanders can sometimes be blasé about travel insurance, but the events of the last few years have served as a timely reminder that if you cannot afford comprehensive travel insurance, you cannot afford to travel.
“COVID-19, followed by 2023’s weather events, has ensured that travellers remain aware of the need for travel insurance, but it is the job of the industry to ensure that this remains front of mind,” he says.
After all, the next pandemic could be just around the corner. In fact, Blyth and his team have already planned for it in the policy fine print.
“Allianz Partners made a conscious decision not to limit coverage specifically to COVID-19 [but include all epidemic and pandemic diseases.] This has future-proofed our policies to ensure continued customer support should another epidemic or pandemic arise,” says Blyth.
Blyth expects an increase in young people doing their OEs, and more people to take advantage of flexible work arrangements by working while they travel in 2024.
While she’s proud of the strides Fundserv made in 2020, Adams acknowledges that it was a challenging time as a leader. Not only did she have to ensure Fundserv kept running efficiently as her team transitioned to working from home, but she was also filled with concern for her team members.
“I just worried about our employees, their mental health and if they would be OK,” Adams says. “I like to see people, so I set up one-on-ones just to connect with them.
Moving forward, Adams says Fundserv’s goals remain aligned with those of its members, and her team will continue listening and understanding what members need so the organization can evolve accordingly. She adds that she wants Fundserv to be so good at providing a secure and reliable service that members forget it’s there – and she wants the company to continue to inspire change in the industry.
“It is sad that it took a pandemic to recog-nize the cheque issue and solve it,” Adams says. “What we will do in the future is root out those things in the industry and not wait for a pandemic to ignite change. There is no reason we can’t change. Change, like auto-mation, will accelerate from now, and we’ll do our part to keep it going.”
Spotlight
Concerns around the cost of living have clipped the destination ambitions of some Kiwi travellers.
“The cost of travel has remained a challenge to many, but this has resulted in increased numbers of people heading for Australia and the Pacific Islands,” says Blyth. “The USA and UK/Europe remain popular too, despite the inflated cost of getting there, fuel prices and the weak NZ dollar.”
But there is some good news on the horizon for those on a tight budget.
“This year it has become much easier to get to Australia and the US due to the increase in airlines coming to New Zealand. The gradual return of airlines and resultant increased capacity should see a continued reduction in the cost of travelling,” says Blyth.
He is picking 2024 for a reduction in flight prices due to the increased competition, meaning that there
could be even higher demand for travel next year.
Corporate travel is also returning, although with a
post-pandemic flavour.
“There is an increased focus on sustainability. Airlines are focused on this, with the likes of Emirates and Virgin Atlantic already having flown on long journeys with 100% sustainable aviation fuel,” says Blyth.
“The cost of living crisis will also be impacting corporate travel, where we still see companies looking at whether their people really need to travel or whether there are other ways of interacting and engaging.”
Even so, some corporate activities can be difficult to do remotely, and the value of face-to-face interaction is well established when it comes to building trust quickly and getting deals across the line.
Company Profile
Years of Experience
Tenure at current position
BAsed In
Fast Fact
Read on
1890
1995
2010
2017
2023
2021
Allianz is founded
1890
Allianz Global Assistance is launched
1995
Allianz Global Assistance acquires CTI in New Zealand
2010
Allianz Global Assistance rebrands to Allianz Partners globally
2017
Allianz is named world’s #1 insurance brand in Interbrand’s 2023 Best Global Brands for fifth year in a row and voted #31 in overall Interbrand ranking of top 100 global brands. Allianz brand value tops US$20 billion with year-on-year growth of 11.5%
2023
Allianz is named world’s #1 insurance brand in Interbrand’s 2023 Best Global Brands for fifth year in a row and voted #31 in overall Interbrand ranking of top 100 global brands. Allianz brand value tops US$20 billion with year-on-year growth of 11.5%
2023
Milestones
Travel insurance top of mind post-pandemic
So, where to from here?
Travel insurance top on mind post-pandemic
Published 30 Jan 2024
Find out more
Find out more
Find out more
Find out more
He is picking 2024 for a reduction in flight prices due to the increased competition, meaning that there could be even higher demand for travel next year.
Corporate travel is also returning, although with a post-pandemic flavour.
“There is an increased focus on sustainability. Airlines are focused on this, with the likes of Emirates and Virgin Atlantic already having flown on long journeys with 100% sustainable aviation fuel,” says Blyth.
“The cost of living crisis will also be impacting corporate travel, where we still see companies looking at whether their people really need to travel or whether there are other ways of interacting and engaging.”
Even so, some corporate activities can be difficult to do remotely, and the value of face-to-face interaction is well established when it comes to building trust quickly and getting deals across the line.
Against this background, Blyth is keeping a wary eye on whether higher numbers of people heading abroad will continue to result in higher levels of coverage for the trips. New Zealanders can sometimes be blasé about travel insurance, but the events of the last few years have served as a timely reminder that if you cannot afford comprehensive travel insurance, you cannot afford to travel.
“COVID-19, followed by 2023’s weather events, has ensured that travellers remain aware of the need for travel insurance, but it is the job of the industry to ensure that this remains front of mind,” he says.
After all, the next pandemic could be just around the corner. In fact, Blyth and his team have already planned for it in the policy fine print.
“Allianz Partners made a conscious decision not to limit coverage specifically to COVID-19 [but include all epidemic and pandemic diseases.] This has future-proofed our policies to ensure continued customer support should another epidemic or pandemic arise,” says Blyth.
Blyth expects an increase in young people doing their OEs, and more people to take advantage of flexible work arrangements by working while they travel in 2024.
Concerns around the cost of living have clipped the destination ambitions of some Kiwi travellers.
“The cost of travel has remained a challenge to many, but this has resulted in increased numbers of people heading for Australia and the Pacific Islands,” says Blyth. “The USA and UK/Europe remain popular too, despite the inflated cost of getting there, fuel prices and the weak NZ dollar.”
But there is some good news on the horizon for those on a tight budget.
“This year it has become much easier to get to Australia and the US due to the increase in airlines coming to New Zealand. The gradual return of airlines and resultant increased capacity should see a continued reduction in the cost of travelling,” says Blyth.
High costs impacting destination choices
Travel insurance top of mind post-pandemic
A recent Allianz Partners survey conducted by Kantar underscored where the anxieties lie for Kiwis wanting to travel.
“Concerns around flight cancellations or delays topped the list [41%], while one third [34%] were concerned about their luggage going missing and one in three expressed concerns about catching COVID-19.
“What this has meant is more Kiwis are choosing travel insurance as a safeguard, with 43% admitting they are more likely to purchase travel insurance now than pre-pandemic and three quarters [77%] responding that they would purchase travel insurance for their next trip, regardless of the destination,” says Blyth.
While the headlines this year have hammered home problems around missing luggage or cancellations due to the weather, or aircraft availability, what is not so well known is that post-pandemic, Kiwis are getting themselves into more expensive predicaments more often than they did in the past.
“We have had more high-cost claims this year, including repatriations via air ambulance and the like, than in any year before at Allianz Partners in New Zealand,” says Blyth.
This is mainly due to inflation pushing up the cost of services, including medical services. An air ambulance from the Pacific Islands back to New Zealand is now a six-figure cost.
“If you leave home without travel insurance and need assistance, it could cost you much more than you anticipated.”
New Zealanders are showing greater interest in taking out travel insurance since the pandemic than they did before it, and it’s just as well, given the higher costs involved should something go wrong.
“Travel insurance should not be a grudge purchase, as the price of repatriation, even from some of our closest neighbours, can result in the need for a Go Fund Me page if evacuation is required and you do not have it,” says chief executive Kevin Blyth at Allianz Partners New Zealand.
The higher stakes involved for travellers led to greater demand for insurance policies at the Auckland-based travel insurer in the first half of 2023, with policies sold during that period nearly matching the total policies sold both in 2022 and pre-pandemic in 2019. This is despite the insurer’s 2023 traveller numbers as of September tracking at 91% of pre-COVID levels.
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For Allianz Partners, the new year will see diversification of its product line and a focus on making insurance easier to understand.
“Something worth mentioning is Allyz, which is a digital companion revolutionising modern travel. Allyz has not yet launched in the New Zealand market, but it has in other markets globally, and it’s proving to be a game changer,” says Blyth.
Designed as a digital companion for contemporary travellers, Allyz provides advice and expertise for those travelling by combining policy management, security, medical assistance and logistical convenience in a single app.
“It’s a comprehensive travel assistant providing an overall holistic experience and service, promising to transform the way we experience journeys.”
Key to staying ahead of the curve is doing as much as possible to anticipate likely developments on the back of powerful data-driven insights.
Allianz Partners can analyse travel trends better than its rivals due to its strong focus on gaining an understanding of the emerging new behaviours and needs of customers; this comes from New Zealand market research as well as insights provided by its global Customer Lab proprietary quantitative database.
“Having our finger on the pulse and being agile makes us proactive, ensuring that we are always one step ahead and there for our customers in their time of need,” says Blyth.
But keeping up with these needs over the last few years has been a Herculean task in the face of unprecedented challenges. Travellers have certainly learned that nobody has a crystal ball, and that phrases like “once in a century” mean little when disaster strikes or an accident occurs. This is why insurance is so important.
The pandemic reinforced the fragility of the systems our world relies on and made us all more risk averse, at least for a time. But just because it’s in the rear-view mirror doesn’t mean there aren’t more potholes ahead.
“The industry needs to ensure that travellers don’t forget about travel insurance now that COVID is not the concern that it once was,” says Blyth.
High costs impacting destination choices
Subhead text here
While she’s proud of the strides Fundserv made in 2020, Adams acknowledges that it was a challenging time as a leader. Not only did she have to ensure Fundserv kept running efficiently as her team transitioned to working from home, but she was also filled with concern for her team members.
“I just worried about our employees, their mental health and if they would be OK,” Adams says. “I like to see people, so I set up one-on-ones just to connect with them.
Moving forward, Adams says Fundserv’s goals remain aligned with those of its members, and her team will continue listening and understanding what members need so the organization can evolve accordingly. She adds that she wants Fundserv to be so good at providing a secure and reliable service that members forget it’s there – and she wants the company to continue to inspire change in the industry.
“It is sad that it took a pandemic to recog-nize the cheque issue and solve it,” Adams says. “What we will do in the future is root out those things in the industry and not wait for a pandemic to ignite change. There is no reason we can’t change. Change, like auto-mation, will accelerate from now, and we’ll do our part to keep it going.”
Contact Us
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Best in Insurance
Resources
Risk Management
TV
News
NZ
RSS
Sitemap
Contact us
About us
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Copyright © 2024 KM Business Information NZ
Contact Us
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High cost a factor in destination preference
So, where to from here?
Copyright © 2024 KM Business Information NZ
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2011
Milestones
“COVID-19, followed by 2023’s weather events, has ensured that travellers remain aware of the need for travel insurance, but it is the job of the industry to ensure that this remains front of mind,” he says.
After all, the next pandemic could be just around the corner. In fact, Blyth and his team have already planned for it in the policy fine print.
“Allianz Partners made a conscious decision not to limit coverage specifically to COVID-19 [but include all epidemic and pandemic diseases.] This has future-proofed our policies to ensure continued customer support should another epidemic or pandemic arise,” says Blyth.
Blyth expects an increase in young people doing their OEs, and more people to take advantage of flexible work arrangements by working while they travel in 2024.
But there is some good news on the horizon for those on a tight budget.
“This year it has become much easier to get to Australia and the US due to the increase in airlines coming to New Zealand. The gradual return of airlines and resultant increased capacity should see a continued reduction in the cost of travelling,” says Blyth.
He is picking 2024 for a reduction in flight prices due to the increased competition, meaning that there could be even higher demand for travel next year.
Corporate travel is also returning, although with a post-pandemic flavour.
“There is an increased focus on sustainability. Airlines are focused
on this, with the likes of Emirates and Virgin Atlantic already having flown on long journeys with 100% sustainable aviation fuel,” says Blyth.
“The cost of living crisis will also be impacting corporate travel, where we still see companies looking at whether their people really need to travel or whether there are other ways of interacting and engaging.”
Even so, some corporate activities can be difficult to do remotely,
and the value of face-to-face interaction is well established when it comes to building trust quickly and getting deals across the line.