The history of Penberthy Insurance is the history of its founder, Bruce Penberthy. Even after 30 years at the forefront of the Insurance industry in New Zealand, Bruce  still has the drive, determination, focus and desire to grasp new opportunities and take Penberthy to new heights. No longer just as the “lone ranger” but as the figurehead of a strong management team equally driven to succeed.

“It’s all about people”

Bruce’s insurance career started in Wanganui on 11^th November 1960 with NZI. A consummate salesman with a dry wit, he would have been successful in whatever profession he chose. But taking the advice of his grandfather, he went into insurance and quickly developed a selling technique that was both simple and effective. Although the world has changed over the last thirty years, the founding principles that Bruce built the business on remain – simply put it’s all about the people – building a great team in the business and building lifetime relationships with clients who in so many cases become friends.

“It’s all in the top six inches”

Bruce’s philosophy is that success in any field is about self-belief and focus: with hard work and a hands-on approach thrown in. Applying those principles to insurance saw Bruce become the top salesman at NZI for over 17 years, not only in Wanganui but as branch manager in Te Aroha covering a wide rural community across Thames, Waihi and the Coromandel Peninsula then in Auckland where he lead a team of thirty.

On the 16^th August 1977, his birthday and the day Elvis died, he founded Penberthy Insurance and has never looked back, building a client base of over 2000 friends and associates, many of whom have been with him from the start.