Rod Bolivar

freelance news writer

18 years experience7,041 Total views on Insurance Business New Zealand in 2025

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Rod's specialty topics

property insurance commercial insurance risk management

Rod Bolivar is a journalist and communications professional writing across insurance, mortgage, employee benefits, and workplace safety. His bylines appear in Key Media titles such as Insurance Business, Benefits and Pensions Monitor, Mortgage Professional, and Wealth Professional.

He brings more than 18 years of experience across broadcast journalism, public relations, and institutional communications. His broadcast career spans television, radio, and digital platforms.

Rod holds a bachelor's degree in mass communication and a master's degree in Government Management. He also completed a Certificate in Strategic Marketing for Competitive Advantage from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

How I think about writing for this industry…

“I cover insurance by focusing on the issues that matter to insurers, brokers, and policyholders, from market trends and regulation to emerging risks. I aim to deliver clear, accurate reporting that gives readers useful context and helps them understand how industry developments affect the people and businesses they serve”

Awards and recognition

Investigative Story of the Year for Digital (Winner), Globe Media Excellence Awards 2022, Philippines
Gandingan Award for Best Development-Oriented News Story (Winner), UPLB Gandingan Multi-Media Awards 2017, Philippines
News Reporter of the Year for Radio (Mindanao Finalist), Globe Media Excellence Awards 2022, Philippines
Reporter of the Year for TV (Mindanao Finalist), Globe Media Excellence Awards 2019, Philippines
Environmental Story of the Year for TV (Mindanao Finalist), Globe Media Excellence Awards 2019, Philippines
Reporter of the Year, Iligan City Youth Choice Awards 2018, Philippines

Also published by

ABS-CBN · Wealth Professional · Mortgage Professional · Benefits and Pensions Monitor · Canadian Occupational Safety

Featured content from Rod

Insurers eye data centre climate threats – First Street Kaikōura river's repair bill exposes New Zealand's funding fight MAS reports third consecutive year of profit

Previous experience

ABS-CBN Corporation — news correspondent, broadcast journalist
Mindanao Development Authority — public relations writer

Education

Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication, Siliman University (Philippines)
Certificate in Strategic Marketing for Competitive Advantage, The Wharton School, (Institute of Executive Education – Online), University of Pennsylvania, USA

Read the latest stories by Rod

Wellington port death puts statutory liability cover under scrutiny

A recent court ruling has quietly redrawn who regulators can pursue first when a worksite has more than one employer

MAS reshapes its investment book as it heads into its fourth year of profit

The composite mutual is moving away from a passive climate-aligned index toward an actively managed BlackRock mandate. For anyone tracking MAS as an insurance counterparty, the financial results sitting behind that change are the more important number

Bupa launches 2026 Healthy Cities challenge as NZ employer health costs climb

With New Zealand medical plan costs rising 18% this year, Bupa's step-counting and tree-planting initiative gives employer clients a low-cost way to signal investment in staff wellbeing during a renewal season that needs it

ACC's rehabilitation gains mask a growing levy risk

Employers can influence ACC's work performance through the Accredited Employer Programme. They cannot influence Sensitive Claims, which added $541 million to the scheme's outstanding figure last year alone. The next levy round will price in both

Your file, not the tech, decides renewable energy deductibles

Underwriters are now pricing New Zealand solar and battery risk on the strength of the paperwork behind it

HDI International has given a strategist the CFO chair

Weldi's background is M&A, investor relations and communications, not conventional finance. That choice signals something about the next phase of HDI International's development