Peter Griffin Planwise Financial Services

It's that time of the year again, when life speeds up as the mad rush to take time out during the festive break approaches.

I've just received a report on the state of insurance in New Zealand, as compared with 10 developed countries.

The report compares total insurance penetration against GDP of each country. Leading the pack is Hong Kong, which has gone from 5.2 per cent in 2002 to 12.7 per cent in 2014.

New Zealand – ranked 11^th – was 1.41 per cent in 2002 and has fallen steadily to .90 per cent in 2014. Yet, NZ has gone through a number of tragic events that highlight the need to have insurance.

Unfortunately, it's not until a life-changing event happens that most people consider personal insurance – by which time the ship has already sailed.

The festive season is now upon us, and it's also a tradition for many to consider their stage in life.

If this is you, consider your current ‘Plan B' if you were suddenly unable to work due to illness, put food on the table, pay your mortgage or at worse, died and leave your family behind.

Lastly, I leave you with a few words of wisdom for the coming year; find a passion – give it everything. Be a self you can live with, have a faith you can live by.

Put the ‘wow' back into your life; and lastly, believe in yourself. On behalf of the Planwise Team, have a safe and Merry Christmas and a fantastic 2017.