With New Zealand now on COVID-19 (coronavirus) Alert Level 4, the government has identified insurance as one of the essential services for Kiwis. Therefore, insurers will remain open to help customers.
The Insurance Council of New Zealand (ICNZ) has welcomed the announcement, offering assurances that the industry is committed to supporting New Zealanders.
“Insurance is a vital service to support the financial resilience of New Zealand, and we are glad it has been identified as one of the essential services during this time,” Tim Grafton, chief executive of ICNZ, commented.
“New Zealanders can have confidence that should the unexpected happen during the Alert Level 4 period, their insurer will be there to help and will be able to arrange emergency and critical safety repairs.”
The ICNZ confirmed that the industry had put measures in place to maintain its services, with processes being performed in a way that would limit or eliminate the risk of spreading the virus.
“All ICNZ members have activated their business contingency plans (BCP), scaling up their work from home capacity to protect their staff and are well equipped to maintain their level of service to their customers,” Grafton confirmed. “If you need your insurer, don’t hesitate to contact them. New working arrangements mean it may take a little longer for them to respond, so we ask people to try to be patient.”
