General insurance claims
Assessing your insurance claim
Contact your insurance company for any damage after a natural disaster, including extreme weather.
Your insurer will assess your claim, including cover for earthquake damage, for damage to residential land or property that is a direct result of the event.
Your insurer will handle this process for you as your single point of contact.
Insurance claim settlement times
Most vehicle and contents insurance claims can be settled relatively quickly. Other types of claims, such as for damaged homes or insured residential land, may take longer depending on how complex they are.
Complexities may include:
- time required for the property to dry out
- the scale of assessment required
- land damage
- safety concerns.
Completing work that has been approved
Building, rebuilding and repairing properties after an extreme weather event may take longer than normal.
Buildings might need to be stripped. They also need to be dry before they can be re-lined and repaired.
Most of the time, significant building work takes months to complete and rebuilding of a property often takes over a year.
Temporary accommodation cover
Most house and contents insurance policies include temporary accommodation benefits.
The amount of money you will be paid and how long you will be covered for depends on your policy.
Talk to your insurer to understand what cover you have and what it can be used for.
Temporary accommodation benefits in house and contents policies
You can read about the temporary accommodation benefits (PDF 335 KB) on the Insurance Council of New Zealand website.
Concerns about moving back to your home
Contact your insurer if you are worried about moving back to your home and would like to wait before completing your settlement.
Residential land damage
Your insurer will manage any claim related to insured residential land damage as a result of a natural disaster. This includes Earthquake Commission Cover for residential land claims.
In July 2024, the Earthquake Commission (EQC) changed its name to Natural Hazards Commission Toka Tū Ake.
New Zealand Claims Resolution Service (NZCRS)
The NZCRS helps homeowners with insurance claims after natural disasters.
It is a free and independent service that provides residential homeowners with:
- expert advice
- case management support
- access to legal, technical, and well-being services.
If you have concerns about your claim or are unsure about the process, contact the NZCRS on 0508 624 327, email contact@nzcrs.govt.nz or visit nzcrs.govt.nz.