Home · How we help · Protecting my business
You've built something worth protecting. A single event shouldn't undo it.
Most SMEs survive less than a fortnight without their key people. We build the cover that turns a crisis into breathing room, so the business, the team, and the shareholders all come out the other side.
What we look at
Five layers, sized to your business.
Cover that's right for a 4-person trades crew looks nothing like cover for a 30-person professional services firm. The point is starting from your situation, not a template.
Key-person cover
A lump sum to the business if a key person dies or is unable to work. Buys the time to recruit, restructure, or repay debt without firefighting cashflow at the same time.
Shareholder protection
Funds the buy-out of a shareholder's estate so their family gets paid and the remaining owners keep control. Avoids the worst kind of co-ownership: with a grieving spouse.
Debt protection
Clears business debt (bank loans, supplier credit) if a guarantor dies or is permanently disabled. Stops a personal tragedy turning into a forced sale.
Cashflow protection
Replaces business income while a key person recovers. Keeps suppliers paid, staff paid, and the lights on while you're short-handed.
Employee benefits
Group health, life and income protection schemes that attract and keep good people.
Why this matters
Most NZ SMEs survive less than two weeks without a key person at the helm.
For a partnership, family business, or owner-operator outfit, the difference between "rough year" and "forced sale" usually comes down to whether the right cover was in place before things went sideways.
Questions owners ask
What we get asked in the first meeting.
We've got general business insurance, isn't that enough?
General business insurance (fire, vehicles, professional indemnity, public liability) covers things and lawsuits. It does not cover what happens if you, a co-owner, or a critical staff member can't work. That's where this advice starts.
Should the cover sit inside the company or be paid personally?
It depends on what the cover is meant to do (replace personal income vs. fund a buy-out vs. clear company debt), and there are tax and trust implications either way. We work that through with you and your accountant before anything is recommended.
How long does this take to set up?
For straightforward cases, four to six weeks from the first chat to policies in force. Underwriting (medical checks, financial information) is usually the slowest step, and we manage that end-to-end so you're not chasing forms.
Do you work with our accountant or lawyer?
Yes, and we prefer to. Shareholder protection in particular needs to line up with the shareholders' agreement and any buy-sell clauses. We're happy to sit in on a joint meeting if that's easier.
Let's pressure-test your business cover.
A 15-minute call will tell us both whether there's a meaningful gap, or whether what you've got is doing the job.
Prefer to ring?
Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5pm.