About us
Southern Cross is a group of businesses that share an interest in your health and wellbeing. Our range of products and services, combined with our not-for-profit focus, size and experience, means Southern Cross plays a unique and important role in the New Zealand health sector.
Southern Cross first opened for business in 1961, introducing health insurance to New Zealanders and laying the foundations for one of New Zealand’s most enduring, best known and trusted brands. Southern Cross was established because its founders strongly believed New Zealanders should have ongoing access to private healthcare options.
More than 50 years later Southern Cross Healthcare Group represents a diverse range of health and financial services businesses:
- The Southern Cross Health Society is New Zealand's leading health insurance business with 820,000 members.
- Southern Cross Hospitals is the largest network of private surgical hospitals in the country, last year providing treatment to 65,000 patients at its 17 wholly owned or joint venture medical facilities.
- Southern Cross Travel Insurance is a leading online travel insurance provider in New Zealand and Australia.
- Ellenco is a prominent New Zealand pet insurance brand.
- Southern Cross is also partnering with the general practice sector through the establishment of Southern Cross Primary Care.
Legal structures
Southern Cross businesses are operated by Southern Cross Medical Care Society (a not-for-profit friendly society constituted under the Friendly Societies and Credit Unions Act 1982) and the Southern Cross Health Trust (a charitable trust registered as a charitable entity under the Charities Act 2005).
The Southern Cross Healthcare Group is not, in itself, a legal entity. It is the strategic core of the Southern Cross businesses, united by a common brand, a not-for-profit philosophy and the goal of achieving better value healthcare for New Zealanders.
