Australia & New Zealand's Most Trusted D2C Brands 2026 › Southern Cross Health Society
#5 of 100 – Insurance

Southern Cross Health Society

Health insurer with 935,095 members who join direct as individuals or through subsidised group schemes offered by 2,645 employers (nearly 40% of members); its annual report does not mention advisers or brokers.

By Abhimanyu Ghosh, Chairman, WCRC, with the WCRC Business Intelligence Unit · November 2026

Consumer Trust 89/100
Southern Cross Health Society ranked #5 in Australia & New Zealand's Most Trusted D2C Brands 2026 by WCRC
Trust Score85.34out of 100
ANZ D2C rank#5 of 100
HeadquartersAuckland, New Zealand
Founded1961
Latest revenueNZ$2,052.1M premium revenue (FY2026, year ended 30 Jun 2026)
Trust pillar89/100

The Southern Cross Health Society story

Southern Cross Health Society was founded in New Zealand in 1961 by Dr Jefcoate Harbutt, Don Carnachan and a group of Auckland surgeons and is owned today by Member-owned friendly society. It is one of 16 Insurance brands in this year's ranking, where it places #2.

Why people trust Southern Cross Health Society

It paid about NZ$1.8B in claims in FY2026 and is a friendly society run for its members on not-for-profit principles.

The watch-out

Membership fell 1.8% in FY2026.

Why Southern Cross Health Society ranks #5

Strongest of the four trust-led pillars

Brand Recall, scored 90 out of 100.

Room to grow

Brand Love, scored 80 out of 100.

The WCRC D2C Trust Score gives 80% of the weight to Consumer Trust, Brand Recall, Positioning and Brand Love. Southern Cross Health Society scores 85.34 overall.

Pillar profile

Consumer Trust & Sentiment (32%)
89
Brand Recall (18%)
90
Brand Positioning (15%)
82
Brand Love (15%)
80
Product, Innovation & Delivery (10%)
82
Digital & Financial Soundness (6%)
80
Governance & ESG (4%)
84

Versus its nearest rivals

3Aussie BroadbandTech · 86.904AA InsuranceInsurance · 86.725Southern Cross Health SocietyInsurance · 85.346KoalaHome · 85.317Rip CurlFashion · 85.22

Questions people ask

What rank is Southern Cross Health Society in WCRC's Australia & New Zealand's Most Trusted D2C Brands 2026?

Southern Cross Health Society ranks #5 of 100 in WCRC's Australia & New Zealand's Most Trusted D2C Brands 2026, with a WCRC D2C Trust Score of 85.34 out of 100.

Why is Southern Cross Health Society trusted?

It paid about NZ$1.8B in claims in FY2026 and is a friendly society run for its members on not-for-profit principles.

What is Southern Cross Health Society's revenue?

NZ$2,052.1M premium revenue (FY2026, year ended 30 Jun 2026), as per company filings.

Who owns Southern Cross Health Society?

Southern Cross Health Society is owned by Member-owned friendly society. It was founded in 1961 in New Zealand and is based in Auckland, New Zealand.

What is Southern Cross Health Society's biggest challenge?

Membership fell 1.8% in FY2026.

Key facts

BrandSouthern Cross Health Society
Company / ownerMember-owned friendly society
HeadquartersAuckland, New Zealand
Founded1961
Founder(s)Dr Jefcoate Harbutt, Don Carnachan and a group of Auckland surgeons
Latest revenueNZ$2,052.1M premium revenue (FY2026, year ended 30 Jun 2026), as per company filings
SectorInsurance
Country of originNew Zealand

Sources

  • Financial accounts lodged with the regulator (ASIC or the New Zealand Companies Office) or published by the company
  • Company website, official announcements and press releases
  • Published interviews and statements by the founders and leadership
  • WCRC Business Intelligence Unit research: consumer ratings and reviews, complaint records, search demand and social data
Want the full picture? For the detailed methodology, a brand's full assessment report, or the other factors behind a score, contact the WCRC Business Intelligence Unit at consulting@wcrcint.com.
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Disclaimer
  1. Who was considered. Only brands whose owners publish financial results, or that have publicly stated their own revenue, were considered. Brands that do not publish revenue have not been assessed or ranked. Not being on this list says nothing about a brand's quality.
  2. Eligibility. Ranked brands were founded in Australia or New Zealand, are controlled there today, and sell mainly direct to consumers: online, by app, by phone or mail order, or through their own stores under their own label. The rules are applied as of November 2026.
  3. Independent opinion. This ranking is WCRC's independent research and opinion, based on publicly available information as of November 2026. It is not an endorsement of any brand.
  4. Not advice. Nothing on this site is investment, financial, insurance, medical, legal or purchasing advice. Do not rely on it to make decisions of that kind.
  5. Scores. WCRC D2C Trust Scores are provisional assessments by the WCRC Business Intelligence Unit at the time of research. They are opinions, not measurements, and may be revised.
  6. Revenue and facts. Revenue is shown as lodged with the ASX or NZX, with ASIC or the New Zealand Companies Office, or published in company results, or, where marked, as stated by the company itself. Figures are in Australian or New Zealand dollars unless noted, and are not converted. Some figures are for a parent company segment, as noted. WCRC has not audited any figure. Facts are checked twice against public sources, but errors are possible.
  7. Trademarks. Brand names, logos and trademarks belong to their owners. Their use here is for identification only and does not imply any affiliation with or endorsement by WCRC.
  8. Use of the badge. Ranked brands may use the WCRC badge only as provided, linked to their page, and unaltered. Any other use of the WCRC name, badge or data needs WCRC's written permission.
  9. Rights and AI. © 2026 WCRC. All rights reserved. The WCRC D2C Trust Score and its methodology are proprietary. Copying, text and data mining, and use of this content to train artificial intelligence models are not permitted without written permission; WCRC expressly reserves these rights, including under Article 4 of EU Directive 2019/790.
  10. Corrections. To report an error or ask for a review, write to consulting@wcrcint.com. Corrections are made promptly.