The number of New Zealanders with health insurance is stabilising after several consecutive quarters of decline, according to the Health Funds Association (HFANZ).

Partners Life is to scrap upfront commissions on all of its medical insurance products from September 1, instead paying commission on an “as earned” basis.

Accuro is to launch a campaign to market its SmartCare+ cover to advisers as part of company attempts to raise brand awareness.

Registered Financial Advisers (RFAs) can sidestep the confusion surrounding replacement insurance as long as they make the scope of their services clear to clients from the start.

Increased real estate sales are being driven by more than just low interest rates, says Harcourts chief executive Hayden Duncan.

Most Auckland landlords are increasing the rents they charge much more quickly than the rest of New Zealand, according to the latest Crockers Auckland rental price table.

The majority of KiwiSavers are destined to fall short of their desired retirement income, according to the ASB KiwiSaver Survey.

Auckland see an almost 30% surge in sales and a new all time price high, sales up in Wellington but prices slip and Taranaki sees strongest sales rise for five years.

Authorised Financial Advisers (AFAs) will have to pay $400 and Registered Financial Advisers (RFAs) $350 in annual levies to fund the Financial Markets Authority (FMA).

Realestate.co.nz will promote environmentally-friendly and energy-efficient properties in a new deal with home environmental rating system Homestar.

A decline in residential activity led a 0.4 per cent drop in building work in the March 2012 quarter, Statistics New Zealand has revealed.

Auckland house prices rose to a new high of $582,285 in May as sales hit their highest level since 2005, according to Barfoot & Thompson.

Advisers are ideally positioned to help tackle the looming retirement savings shortfall but are failing to convince KiwiSavers of the value of advice, says Mercer NZ head Martin Lewington.

New property listings surged 16% in May to the highest monthly total since July 2010, according to the Realestate.co.nz NZ Property Report.

Housing consent numbers suffered an April fall after a large jump in March, but remain 33% above April 2011, according to Statistics New Zealand.

Low interest rates, poor returns from other investments and improving housing market sentiment have created a psychological ‘go' trigger in the minds of property investors, according to BNZ economist Tony Alexander.