Former Kiwibank CEO Sam Knowles joins Partners Life

The Chairman of Partners Life Boyd Klap has today announced the appointment of highly respected banking industry authority Sam Knowles to the Board of newly established and New Zealand owned life insurance company, Partners Life.

The driving force behind the Kiwibank brand says he is excited about the opportunity to help Partners Life create a fresh approach to life insurance taking on the mature Australian owned insurers.

“Partners Life is focused on finding new ways to deliver high value products to New Zealanders, concentrating on sharing value with our customers,” says Mr Knowles.

Mr Knowles joins Chairman of the Board Boyd Klap, previous Chief Executive of Prudential and Life Offices Association, Joanna Perry who is a former member of the Securities Commission and KPMG Partner, as well as insurance industry stalwarts Naomi Ballantyne, Richard Coon and Chris Coon.

Founded by Naomi Ballantyne, Chris and Richard Coon in August 2010, Partners Life is based on a business model that shares the value created with all parties – including customers.

It is an approach that has worked extremely well to date with the company experiencing rapid growth in market share across its range of life risk products including life, trauma, medical, permanent disability and income protection insurance, as well as a newly launched suite of business protection products.

 Partners Life is an innovative New Zealand owned and operated life insurance company

offering a fresh approach to New Zealand families and businesses. Their products include life

insurance, income protection, medical insurance, disability insurance, trauma cover and

business risk protection.

• Partners Life was established in August 2010 by three industry heavyweights; Naomi Ballantyne, Chris Coon and Richard Coon. Exponential growth over the last 18 months has seen the organisation grow to 75 employees. 
• Growth has also seen the company exceed original expectations, reaching an estimated new business market share of 13% and the number two spot for new business written since opening for business in April 2011. 
• Partners Life employs a unique ‘if it’s grey we will pay’ philosophy to claims. In circumstances where it is not clear from the available evidence whether a claim is genuine or not, Partners Life will support the client and pay the claim. This is based on the conviction that this is the fairest approach even though it is not necessarily common industry practice.
• Partners Life is founded on the belief that the best way of working with customers and financial advisers is one in which a true partnership is developed, value is shared and loyalty is rewarded. 
• The Partners Life business model is unique in its approach, focusing on rewarding adviser expertise as well as customer loyalty. Essentially advisers are rewarded for identifying when Partners Life products deliver the best solution for their clients and customers are rewarded for their loyalty through increasing premium discounts over time.
• The Partners Life approach to providing best-in-class life and risk coverage for New Zealanders at competitive prices is underpinned by their commitment to regular, independent market research and to the process of inviting input from advisers on what they believe New Zealand families and businesses really need.
• Partners Life have made a commitment to their clients that they will always be fair and reasonable come claims time. To prove this is not just lip service they have written these philosophies into their policy contracts, binding themselves to their word for the life of those contracts.