Cumulo9 has released the sixth edition of its Essential Email Insights Report, analysing millions of transactional emails sent by New Zealand organisations, including insurers, throughout 2025.
The report found essential emails continue to significantly outperform campaign emails on open rates (63.6% vs 43.5% globally), though open rates have declined for a second consecutive year. Encouragingly, click-to-open rates have risen to 6.7%, suggesting recipients are engaging more meaningfully with the emails they do open.
For insurers, the findings carry particular weight. With the Contracts of Insurance Act requiring critical communications to be properly issued and reasonably likely to have been received, email authentication practices such as DKIM configuration are increasingly important. The report’s analysis of 15 industries shows organisations with stronger authentication generally achieve materially higher open rates.
“This report provides practical guidance for insurers wanting to ensure their essential business emails – renewals, claims updates, policy documents – actually reach their customers’ inboxes,” said David Allen, General Manager, Cumulo9.
The report also explores deliverability trends, mobile engagement (66% of opens), and the growing role of multi-channel strategies.