Southern Cross vs UniMed — Health Insurance
Side-by-side verified policy facts. Every entry cites its source wording PDF.
Southern Cross
Southern Cross Medical Care Society · website ↗
- RBNZ rating
- A+ (S&P, Strong, Stable — Dec 2024)
- Active products
- 6
UniMed
Union Medical Benefits Society Limited · website ↗
- RBNZ rating
- A (AM Best, Excellent, NEGATIVE outlook — revised Oct 2025)
- Active products
- 4
Pharmac vs non-Pharmac drug cover
NZ's Pharmac funds a defined list of medicines. Non-Pharmac drugs (including high-cost cancer drugs like Keytruda) are excluded from public funding. Health insurance can fill that gap — but every insurer handles it differently. This page summarises each NZ insurer's non-Pharmac rules verbatim from their policy wordings.
Southern Cross
UniMed
Compare this topic across every NZ insurer → /topics/pharmac-vs-non-pharmac/
ACC interaction
In NZ, ACC covers accidental injury and treatment-injury costs. Health insurance generally excludes ACC-covered events but most policies offer an ACC Top-Up benefit for any shortfall. This page summarises each insurer's ACC interaction rules verbatim.
Southern Cross
UniMed
Compare this topic across every NZ insurer → /topics/acc-interaction/
Mental health cover
Mental health cover varies dramatically across NZ health insurers — from entirely excluded (entry-level plans) to specific psychiatric hospitalisation sublimits. This page lists each insurer's mental-health rules with the relevant NZD sublimits and admission terms.
Southern Cross
UniMed
Compare this topic across every NZ insurer → /topics/mental-health-cover/
Pre-existing conditions
NZ health insurers handle pre-existing conditions in two main ways: (1) disclose-and-accept (Southern Cross — exclude unless noted on certificate), or (2) stand-down period (nib — 3 years then covered, with permanent exclusions for certain conditions). This page lists each insurer's verbatim rules.
Southern Cross
UniMed
Compare this topic across every NZ insurer → /topics/pre-existing-conditions/
IVF and assisted reproduction
IVF, infertility treatment, and assisted reproduction are excluded from virtually every NZ retail health insurance policy. This page documents each insurer's stance verbatim.
Southern Cross
UniMed
Compare this topic across every NZ insurer → /topics/ivf-and-assisted-reproduction/
Oncology and high-cost cancer drugs
High-cost cancer drugs (Keytruda, Opdivo, etc.) are often non-Pharmac and not covered under public health. Some NZ insurers cover these via separate cancer benefits with specific NZD caps. This page summarises each insurer's oncology / non-Pharmac chemotherapy cover.
Southern Cross
UniMed
Compare this topic across every NZ insurer → /topics/oncology-high-cost-drugs/
Gap payment rules
When a provider's charges exceed what the insurer pays, the member pays the 'gap'. NZ insurers use different models — affiliated/preferred provider networks, percentage co-pays, 'reasonable charges' caps. This page lists each insurer's gap rules verbatim.
Southern Cross
UniMed
Compare this topic across every NZ insurer → /topics/gap-payment-rules/
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