New Zealand has the OECD’s third highest obesity rate and one of the worst diabetes problems in the developed world*. Scientifically linked with heart disease, it kills more Kiwis than cigarettes*.

As a health insurer, Sovereign sees the consequences daily, based on claims paid out annually. Healthy By Sovereign (HbS) is a revolutionary USP helping Sovereign transform from being an ambulance at the bottom of the cliff to an enabler rewarding Kiwis for improving their health.

HbS is New Zealand’s first loyalty programme to reward Kiwis for healthy behaviours, not purchases.  Aggregating big data, HbS gives customers a unique single view of their health, measuring health status online by calculating your Health Age and providing a plan for improvement. It awards points for daily steps via an activity tracker: exercise via attendance at a gym, nutrition measured via New World shopping receipts detailing fresh meat, fruit or veggies, and health wellbeing via receipts for dental, optical or health checkups. 

Points are redeemed for an annual cashback to offset against insurance premiums and other fitness rewards.

After four months, almost double the target number of eligible policyholders have joined, plus sales and health insurance quote requests are up.  Importantly, a huge percentage of independent advisers, Sovereign’s key sales channel, have requested that their clients be contacted and over 200% more leads have been generated than the number achieved in the four months pre-launch.

Over the longer term, HbS will reduce health issues, claims, and could lower the burden on NZ’s national healthcare. HbS isn’t a marketing campaign. It’s a disruption in the category, a step towards brand transformation and a shift into big data and customer centricity.

* Ministry of Health 2015