Two Christchurch lawyers are calling the Insurance Council of New Zealand's criticism of the establishment of an earthquake claim arbitration service, rubbish.
According to a report from voxy.co.nz, lawyers Duncan Webb and Andrew Hooker said it was totally disingenuous for the
ICNZ to suggest that there are already enough systems in place to resolve insurance claims.
“The fact is that the current system has failed, and failed woefully. The burden of an ordinary homeowner bringing a case to court is unsustainable and unfair – and the delays inordinate,” Webb said. “There are thousands of homeowners who are still stuck with their insurers or
EQC more than six years after their devastating loss. That is not a system that is working. Change is needed.”
Hooker of Shine Lawyers said it was laughable for ICNZ to say “insurers have been at pains to settle claims in Canterbury as quickly as possible.”
“I am of no particular colour politically and this isn't about a political party's policy,” Hooker said. “More than six years on, we have clients who are still jumping through hoops for insurers on basic issues that a twelve-year-old could see are unnecessarily delaying resolution. This has to stop."
Webb and Hooker said it was interesting that the ICNZ described the policy as “plans to set up an Arbitration Tribunal against insurers in Christchurch.”
"The defensive language used by ICNZ in its release clearly shows the proposed policy has hit a nerve, and maybe we should be asking why they are being so defensive and negative towards something that looks to be a way to help resolve these nightmarish situations for so many people," Webb said.
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