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The three-month deadline for lodging Kaikoura quake claims has come to an end.
The Earthquake Commission (EQC) said it received 26,875 claims up until the February 14 deadline, but the number is expected to increase as some of the claims were still lodged with insurers and had not yet been transferred to EQC.
“EQC received claims from across New Zealand and the majority were received from customers in the main urban areas. The number of claims lodged for Christchurch was 5,597 and 3,972 were lodged by customers in Wellington city,” said John Johnston, EQC acting GM customer and claims.
“70% of the claims with EQC are for buildings only, with 11% lodged for buildings and contents, 9% for contents, and the remaining 10% involving land damage.
“The areas around Kaikoura and Marlborough also suffered damage and the districts around the epicentre accounted for a relatively high claim number as well.
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“Outside of Christchurch and Wellington, 3,646 claims were from customers in Marlborough, 2,189 in Hurunui, 2,006 in Lower Hutt, with 1,715 lodged in the Kaikoura area. Again, we expect the numbers from across the regions to change once we have received the claims from the insurance companies.”
Johnston said the Kaikoura earthquakes had unique characteristics, and had impacted both rural and urban customers on a large geographical area.
Speaking about the commission’s response to the customers’ varying needs, Johnston said: “EQC’s agreement with the insurance companies is a tailored approach to respond to this event and streamlines how customers’ claims are managed.
“The insurance companies are taking the lead on claims for damage to houses and contents. Once a claim is settled, the insurers will deduct the EQC excess from payments to customers, and EQC will reimburse the insurers for their assessments and for any settlement payments made on its behalf. Customers need to talk to EQC if they have suffered land damage.
“All parties under the agreement are working together to resolve customer claims.”
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