Greg Strang

Background & Experience

Born and raised in Otago, Greg has accumulated over 26 years’ experience in the insurance industry which has included stints in the UK, Australia, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. This experience, particularly the life experience, gives Greg a great insight and empathy with most people’s situations and circumstances. Greg enjoys working with families but in particular small business owners to ensure that most eventualities are addressed and provided for. Living in beautiful Arrowtown, Greg is married to Kristen and between them they have 3 school aged children.

A Client Story

Hi Greg,

As you know about four years ago this May, I had a mole checked out on my back at the doctors and removed that day. I didn't really take it that seriously, went back to work the next day.

A few weeks later my doctor rang me to advise me it was a melanoma and I was required to go to Dunedin hospital to see a specialist to take a 25mm margin around what they had already removed. Again didn't really think too much of it, back at work a few days later with a 5 inch scar to show for it.

Over the next 12 months I went back to the specialist for three monthly checks. On the last check-up my specialist consultant, Patrick said "you’re all good, I'm going to set you back into the wild". Being my usual self, I made light of it.

Before leaving his office, Patrick said "Lyndon, this is serious, there is a 10% chance this could reoccur within 10 years”.

Hmmm a mole on my back.

5 weeks later I had just started an $800,000.00 building project for a client and nearly finished one of similar value, life was good just brought a new truck. I woke up one morning feeling sore under my arm and I felt a lump. It was then things got real, I rang Patrick and told him. He just said straight out its melanoma and its spread.

Within 2 weeks I was in hospital having a golf ball size tumour removed from my armpit, again taking a 2cm margin around the tumour, so basically something the size of a softball. Further complications occurred over the next few months – all putting me back in hospital. Fluid on the lungs for 10 ten days, a major infection for another ten days, another mole removed from my leg and 20 days radiation treatment.

I took 8 months before I was well enough to return to the work site and my business.

Although I am reasonably healthy now, I have had to close my successful building company of 13 years because of chronic pain in my arm due to the softball that was taken from my armpit, severing most of the nerves in my arm and reducing movement and strength also.

Thanks to you Greg, and your advice some ten years earlier I had life insurance with a lump sum trauma cover and income protection insurance. This enabled me to hire a site manager to run my business for the 8 months I couldn't. Give me the chance to finish all of my outstanding projects, pay my staff, subcontractors and suppliers. Without these insurances I would most definitely have lost my business and probably family home. 4 years on I have not been able to return to work, thanks again for the income protection policy

That just because you stop, the overheads in your business don't. They are not an expense to your business they are a cost of doing business. Just like a work truck and a mobile phone. And obviously if you are not feeling great or see a mole changing colour, get it checked out!

Regards
Lyndon Pyper