Countdown has launched its range of personal insurance products, backed by specialist life insurer Cigna.

Countdown Insurance offers bill protection, pet (underwritten by Southern Cross Benefits), travel, accidental death insurance and life insurance, with applications processed online or over the phone.

The supermarket is the first in New Zealand to offer such products, which it sees as building on the daily relationship it has with the 2.7 million customers that shop there weekly.

Countdown MD Dave Chambers said Countdown Insurance is another way to meet customers’ everyday needs.

“Our customers know us and we’re well-placed to custom-design an insurance solution for Kiwis that’s simple, great value and able to help make their lives a little bit easier,” he said.

“Countdown has a proud history of doing things first and innovating to improve the experiences of our shoppers. Countdown Insurance reflects that same spirit and drive.”

Cigna CEO Lance Walker said that the company, which has been operating in the NZ insurance marketplace for over 90 years, is excited to be supporting Countdown with a service that will provide customers with simple and easy to understand policies, with great value premiums.

“While Countdown might be new to the insurance game, they’ll be solidly backed by our knowledge and expertise every step of the way.”

Research commissioned by Countdown to support the launch found that the main barriers for Kiwis not securing any form of insurance cover were that they felt that insurance was expensive, they were too busy or they would never use it. Just 49 per cent of those surveyed had personal insurance, while 89 per cent had car, house or contents insurance.