Medical Assurance Society (MAS) has been rated the country’s top insurer for customer satisfaction across three categories, according to new research.
This comes as separate studies show wider concerns about industry performance and a steady rise in financial complaints.
MAS earned Canstar’s Most Satisfied Customers Awards in home and contents, motor, and seniors insurance, based on feedback from more than 6,400 policyholders nationwide.
Survey participants evaluated insurers on measures such as customer service, policy coverage, cost and overall value.
Among 17 large insurance providers reviewed, MAS was the only firm to secure five-star ratings across multiple measures in all three award categories.
Canstar group manager for wealth, health, and New Zealand, Tom Slee, said recognition in three separate segments indicated consistent performance across customer groups.
“Winning one Canstar customer satisfaction award is a great achievement, but to earn three in the highly competitive insurance market sets MAS well above the competition when it comes to delivering customer satisfaction,” he said.
This year marked the first time Canstar introduced a category for seniors.
Slee said the award acknowledged the expectations of older customers and MAS’s ability to meet them, particularly in communication and service.
“For MAS to earn top 5-Star ratings for communication and customer service across all three awards is testament to the MAS team’s dedication to its customers,” he said.
MAS chief general insurance officer Chris Sutherland said the results reflected the experiences of its members.
“It’s a powerful endorsement of the care and quality we strive to deliver every day through responsive service, fair and transparent cover, or simply being there when it matters most,” he said.
Although MAS was recognised, separate findings from Accenture Song’s Brand Experience Gap report suggest many New Zealanders remain dissatisfied with companies’ delivery on promises.
The survey of 1,527 people across six industries found that 72% believed businesses fell short of commitments. For financial services, including insurers, the figure was 63%.
General insurers were assessed separately, with a 71% gap reported between expectations and outcomes.
Participants highlighted several areas for improvement, including more affordable pricing, stronger recognition of customer loyalty, and better use of digital tools to simplify transactions.
Other sectors with high gaps included travel and tourism (76%), telecommunications (72%), and utilities (68%). Media and entertainment recorded the largest shortfall at 79%.
Further pressure on the sector is reflected in data from Financial Services Complaints Limited (FSCL).
The dispute resolution service received 1,469 complaints in the year to June 30, 2025, up from 1,426 the previous year and about double the level of five years earlier.
FSCL financial ombudsman Susan Taylor said that while the number of complaints has remained high since the pandemic, the types of concerns have diversified.
“What’s changed is the spread. Complaints are now more evenly distributed across a broader range of financial services rather than being concentrated in just a few areas like non-bank lenders,” she said.
Lenders accounted for 38% of complaints, although many were resolved before requiring investigation.
Of 366 cases that proceeded to a formal review, 23% related to financial advisers – including insurance and mortgage brokers – 20% involved lenders, and 17% concerned insurers.
