On the ball

When Craig Savage saw the photo of Sam’s hand following a cycling accident, he could tell it was likely Sam would need several weeks off work to recover. The day after the accident, Craig got in touch to recommend Sam make a claim under his income protection insurance policy.  Although it was unclear at that…

Get the right broker on board 

In a post-earthquake environment, Matt says there’s one piece of advice he has for commercial property owners, ‘you’ve got to have an insurance broker in your corner’. As chair of a property syndicate, Matt inherited relationships with an insurance broker and insurer, and a whole heap of problems after the Canterbury earthquakes damaged the syndicate’s…

Doing the right thing 

It was truly a case of “it’s not what but who you know” for Erin and Ian when they were faced with a devastating diagnosis and a claims stalemate with their health insurer. While Erin was extremely ill, the couple literally had to go into bat with their insurer to get the full cost of…

Showing up when we’re needed

When a fire broke out in one of Amherst Properties’ commercial buildings in the early hours of a Saturday morning, it was clear the claim wouldn’t be straight-forward.  The multi-storied building housed several businesses, each with their own insurance arrangements, and with an entire floor virtually gutted and some smoke damage to the rest of…

Getting the right advice

When considering insurance, it can be tempting to think insurers and their policies are all the same.  There’s a tendency to focus on the bottom line and choose the cheapest premium. But as Kathy and Ray found, the old adage ‘you get what you pay for’ really does ring true. In the aftermath of the…

New Manager Abbott Christchurch

After 14 years with Abbott Insurance Brokers on the client side, Andrew Dufton has taken on a new challenge as Christchurch Branch Manager. Leading our flagship branch is an exciting prospect for Andrew and one he’s well suited to.  Since joining Abbott Insurance Brokers in 2004, Andrew has been a dedicated commercial broker, a broker…

Finding the right loan for you

Bernie McCrea will canvas lenders nationwide, so you don’t have to. He has relationships with all the major banks, along with second tier lenders specializing in more complex loans in the development/bridging space. Whatever your borrowing requirements, Bernie will do the legwork, find the best deal, and structure a loan that works for you. For…

Lindsay Kerr: a stellar innings for North Canterbury

Lindsay Kerr embodies the Abbott difference – that special collection of personal qualities, professionalism, passion and care you can’t quite put your finger on, but you recognise when you experience it. He’s exactly the sort of person you want on your team. A long-time insurance professional, Lindsay’s career spans more than 50 years.  Starting as…

Parasitic worm unlikely hero

A trans-Tasman research team believes hookworms may be the key to treating Coeliac Disease.  Remarkably, it seems these parasitic worms produce molecules beneficial to gut flora in people suffering from inflammatory diseases of the digestive tract. It’s called worm-induced immune modulation and, according to the Bowel and Liver Trust’s General Manager, Margaret Fitzgerald, it could…

Risky business

We all love the convenience and ease of digital life, but cyber insurance is one of the fastest growing insurance lines for a reason. The simple fact is, the bigger your digital footprint, the greater the risk of unwelcome attention – to you, your family, your business and your customers.  And while it’s tempting to…