Greenstone Financial Services (company)

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Greenstone Financial Services (Greenstone) is an insurance distributor founded in 2007 in Sydney, Australia. [1] It specialises in designing, marketing, distributing, and administering personal insurance products, including life, funeral, income protection, pet, home, health, landlords, car, and travel insurance. [2] Greenstone operates in Australia, New Zealand, and Canada. [3] The company distributes insurance products under both proprietary brands and affinity partnerships, using a direct-to-consumer model. [4]

History

Greenstone was established in 2007 as part of the Hollard Insurance Group’s expansion in Australia. [5] In its first year, the company began distributing insurance under the Real Insurance, which later became one of its flagship offerings. [6] [7] [8] In January 2015, Greenstone expanded its portfolio by acquiring Australian Seniors Insurance Agency (trading as Australian Seniors). [9] [10]

In 2016, Canadian institutional investor Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) acquired a 44% stake in Greenstone. [11] [12] [13]

Greenstone entered the New Zealand market in early 2019, establishing local operations and launching two market-specific brands: New Zealand Seniors and OneChoice.

In 2021, the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan Board (OTPP) acquired a 33.4% stake in the company. [14]

In March 2022, Greenstone acquired Pinnacle Life, a New Zealand-based life insurance provider. [15] [16]

In early 2023, the company expanded into Canada with the launch of two new insurance brands. FiftyUp, developed in partnership with Teachers Life, offers final expenses insurance for Canadians aged 50 and over. [3] North Cover, also backed by Teachers Life, began with final expenses cover and later expanded into life insurance. [3] [17]

References

  1. Ruth Liew (5 June 2015). "Entrepreneurial Greenstone founders undeterred in bid to raise $1b". smh.com.au. The Sydney Morning Herald.
  2. "Greenstone seeks private investor after IPO pullout". insurancenews.com.au. 8 February 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 Lyle Adriano (16 February 2023). "Teachers Life forms partnership with direct specialty provider Greenstone".
  4. Staff. "Ontario Teachers' investing in Australian insurance distributor".
  5. "Report: Australian Life Insurance Industry" (PDF). aph.gov.au. Parliament of Australia.
  6. Ruth Liew (5 February 2016). "Real Insurance owner Greenstone to stay private". The Australian Financial Review. afr.com.
  7. "Greenstone optimism blamed for failed IPO". sbs.com.au. SBS. 10 June 2015.
  8. "Greenstone releases $984 million float prospectus". insurancenews.com.au. 25 May 2015.
  9. "Australian Seniors Insurance Agency launches bricks-and-mortar store". thesenior.com.au.
  10. "Australian Seniors Insurance Agency". pitchbook.com.
  11. Sarah Thompson, Anthony Macdonald and Tim Boyd (26 April 2021). "Greenstone mandates Goldman Sachs for review; CDPQ stake eyed". The Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  12. Staff (7 June 2016). "CDPQ acquires 44 pct interest in Greenstone". Reuters.
  13. Sarah Thompson, Anthony Macdonald and Joyce Moullakis (20 January 2016). "Greenstone to sell minority stake; Goldman, Macquarie mandated". The Australian Financial Review.
  14. "Ontario Teachers' reaches agreement to become a significant shareholder in Greenstone". 13 September 2021.
  15. "Pinnacle Life Overview". PitchBook.
  16. Miko Pagaduan (29 April 2023). "NZ insurance provider Pinnacle Life gets financial strength rating boost". Insurance Business.
  17. "Our Partners - Teachers Life".