In the year to June, an extra 26,500 New Zealanders took health insurance.

“Health insurance offered as part of an employment package is often partly or fully subsidised by employers, and we have seen another year of positive employment growth playing a part in this,” said Health Funds Association chief executive Roger Styles.

“Health insurance is increasingly forming part of employers’ overall wellness packages, and is commonly sought by employees as something they expect and value as part of the job.”

Southern Cross Health Society chief executive Nick Astwick said it had seen an increase in employer interest.

"We know, from research such as the Wellness in the Workplace* survey, that Kiwi businesses recognise the need to support the wellbeing of their people,” he said. “Health insurance is an important part of that. In addition there is growing demand for holistic workplace wellbeing programmes like BeingWell.”

Overall health insurance coverage had risen consistently over the past three years, with around 60,000 more people covered than in June 2015, Styles said.

There were 5400 more people aged over 65 with health insurance in the year to June, compared to the same time a year earlier.

Health Funds data includes estimates of Partners Life and nib numbers, because they are no longer members of the association.