Homeowners, whose properties have suffered damage from the storm that hit the country last week, are being urged to contact their insurer and the Earthquake Commission (EQC).
They have three months to lodge an EQC claim from the time that the storm, flood or landslip damage occurred, according to EQC head of response and recovery Robyn Nation.
“Our message to people in the affected areas is to always put their well-being first after these storm events,” she said. “There is plenty of time to lodge a claim with EQC and the priority is for people to look after themselves, their families, and friends and take stock of what’s happened to their properties.
“We have seen a number of storms hit different parts of the country this year and unfortunately some regions have had such bad weather more than once.”
The commission is calling on anyone whose land has been damaged to lodge a claim for each event. Customers, who may or may not have all the information they might need to provide, are urged to still lodge a claim and start the process. EQC’s approach is to cash settle claims for land damage and it is the homeowner’s responsibility to arrange for the necessary work to clear or repair their land.
“Our advice is talk to us before you make any urgent repairs that mean you need to incur a cost,” Nation added. “Either way take lots of photos to help us understand your damage.”
