The New Zealand Financial Markets Authority has published research on Māori experiences with insurance, finding that affordability, inaccessible information, low trust and products poorly suited to collective ownership contribute to coverage inequities. The study combined a literature review, two forums with Māori insurance professionals and landholders, and a survey of 952 Māori. In the survey, 82% agreed that insufficient money was a barrier, 52% said the industry does not understand Māori communities and 33% reported low trust in the industry to treat people fairly, compared with 21% who reported trust. Collectively owned land, marae and housing on Māori land face particular problems because standard policies and valuation methods often assume individual ownership and market value. Among participants involved with multiple-owned land who knew its insurance status, 12% reported an insurance issue, commonly involving affordability, governance, limited coverage or administrative barriers. The most-supported responses were iwi-provided insurance and access to claims navigators, each backed by 71% of participants, followed by insurance offered to collectives at 62%.
2026-08-25New Zealand Financial Markets Authority
New Zealand Financial Markets Authority research identifies affordability and accessibility as key insurance barriers for Māori
New Zealand Financial Markets Authority research identifies affordability, accessibility, low trust and unsuitable product design as key insurance barriers for Māori. Affordability was cited by 82% of survey participants, while collective land and marae faced valuation and coverage problems. Iwi-provided insurance and claims navigators were the most-supported solutions, each backed by 71%.