Insurers respond to floods in New Zealand
Following severe weather that has left many parts of West Auckland under water, the Insurance Council of New Zealand (ICNZ) – Te Kāhui Inihui o Aotearoa – confirmed that insurers will support their customers no matter the alert level
All ICNZ members have confirmed that processes have been established to ensure all necessary steps are taken to limit or eliminate the risk of spreading Covid-19.
With Auckland at Covid-19 Level 4 the process to assess the resulting damage is likely to look different than normal, with insurers likely to use a variety of socially distanced methods such as video.
"Once the rain stops and the waters recede, insurers will work closely with the emergency response teams and will follow their guidance to meet all the steps required to comply with the restrictions in place,” a statement from the ICNZ clarified. “Clearing silt, drying out houses, and getting resources and tradespeople to undertake repairs is likely to be very different at present. We expect the initial response from insurers will be to complete make safe repairs with insurers doing everything they can to help their customers as quickly as possible."
ICNZ notes that for those with homes that are uninhabitable they may be eligible for a temporary accommodation benefit included in most home and contents policies, and to ask their insurer what support they can offer.