Welcome to Star Insure, NZ’s leading niche vehicle insurance specialist.

At Star Insure, we understand that special cars deserve specialist insurance. Our insurance is for people who have particular vehicle interests and needs that are anything but ordinary. We fully understand the categories we insure and the people who own those vehicles. Highly customisable and specific, our insurance policies are designed for New Zealander drivers with extraordinary vehicles.

Tailored policies
We evaluate every quote request personally, so that we can prepare insurance options as individual as you and your vehicle. Our insurance policies are fully customisable. We work closely with you to determine a deep understanding of your vehicle, its useage and your needs, so that we craft a tailored insurance policy to suit your unique vehicle and protects you in the real world.

More value
We’re passionate about creating the perfect policy for your vehicle that delivers the best outcome for you in the event of a claim. We provide policy benefits that nobody else would dream of offering, especially without added costs. We also provide monthly insurance options in addition to industry-standard annual policies.

Less stress
We are industry-leading specialists in niche vehicle insurance. That means more experience and expertise, and less stress. When you join Star, you deal directly with the decision makers at every stage, which means answers fast, from the people who are empowered to take action. We have an in-house claims team and even employ our own specialist assessors covering New Zealand to speed up the whole process.

Star Insurance Specialists and Star Insure are trading names of Star Underwriting Agents Ltd (Star). Star acts as an agent of Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Company (incorporated in Nebraska, USA) (“BHSI”) as authorised under the terms of an Underwriting Management Agreement established between the two companies. Star does not act as your agent nor does Star act as an insurance broker or insurance advisor.

BHSI is part of the Berkshire Hathaway’s National Indemnity group of insurance companies and is authorised by the Reserve Bank of New Zealand to carry on general insurance business in New Zealand. The New Zealand Company Number of BHSI is 5737531 and its Financial Service Provider number is 445946. BHSI has been given a A++ insurer financial strength rating by A.M. Best and a AA+ insurer financial strength rating by Standard & Poor’s. 

What is an underwriting agent / managing general agent?

An underwriting agency is a specialised type of insurance agent that has been granted underwriting authority and can administer and negotiate policies for an insurer. An underwriting agency’s functions can include issuing insurance policies, underwriting and pricing premiums, settling claims.

At its core, the underwriting agency manages all or part of the insurance business of an insurer and acts as an agent for the insurer. The insurer will maintain regulatory requirements relating to financial strength requirements and supply the capital requirements and take financial responsibility for claims made on policies issued by their underwriting agent. 

In other markets, underwriting agencies are known as managing general agencies (MGAs) or managing general underwriters (MGUs). In the UK, the term ‘MGA’ has been adopted by the market to refer to what was once known as a ‘coverholder.’ Associations that represent MGAs or underwriting agencies in specific regions today include:

• Managing General Agents’ Association (MGAA) in the UK, which was formed in 2011
• American Association of Managing General Agents (AAMGA), which was established in 1926 and has since merged with the National Association of Professional Surplus Lines Offices (NAPSLO) to form the Wholesale & Specialty Insurance Association (WSIA)
• Canadian Managing General Agents (CAMGA), a relatively new association formed in 2017
• Underwriting Agencies Council (UAC), based in Australia
• New Zealand Underwriting Agencies Council (NZUAC).

Star Underwriting Agents Ltd is a foundation member of the New Zealand Underwriting Agents Council.

Reference: Insurance Business Mag