The Southern Cross group, a collection of independent, health-oriented businesses in New Zealand, operates on not-for-profit principles and is New Zealand’s largest non-public healthcare organisation. The group’s businesses include health insurance, private hospitals, healthcare, travel insurance, pet insurance, life insurance and wellness. The group, not itself a legal entity, is made up of two organisations - the Southern Cross Medical Care Society and the Southern Cross Health Trust. Southern Cross Medical Care Society: Founded in 1961, the Medical Care Society, trading as Southern Cross Health Society, is a friendly society and New Zealand’s largest health insurer, with more than 800,000 members. The Medical Care Society also operates Southern Cross Pet Insurance, Southern Cross Travel Insurance and Southern Cross Life Insurance. Southern Cross Health Trust: The Health Trust was established in 1977 and is a Charitable Trust which exists to benefit all New Zealanders. The Trust has a subsidiary company – Southern Cross Healthcare Limited (which operates the hospital network and invests in other healthcare businesses)