NZ brokers assisting clients as wet weather continues

New Zealand brokers say clients are lodging claims and are continuing to assess damage after torrential rainfall hit the country last week, causing flooding and landslips in South Island regions.

Tasman Insurance Brokers owner Karen Botica, based in Nelson, says 25 claims have been lodged through her company already including one total loss for a dwelling.

Ms Botica says four claims have arrived this morning and it’s likely that further claims will be made as clients assess damage after the recent events. The region is also facing more wet weather at the end of the week.

The MetService New Zealand issued red weather warnings for Nelson and other parts of the South Island last week ahead of the severe weather, which caused people to evacuate homes due to the inundation and the risk of landslips.

“We have had major flooding before but nothing with this amount of road and infrastructure damage,” Ms Botica told insuranceNEWS.com.au. “The ground is so wet and sodden that if we get another event come through it is just going to create more chaos.”

Nelson insurance broker Chris Collins told Radio New Zealand that there are long delays in travelling around the area, and client experiences included the case of a landslip that had occurred overnight, threatening their home.

“It was rain like I have never seen before,” he said. “It was sort of relentless and we are really starting to see right now what the damage actually is.”

Mr Collins says the current disaster has shown the vulnerability of the area, which has been affected by bushfires and is earthquake prone.

People affected have been urged to contact their brokers and insurers for assistance on the claims process.

Insurance Council of New Zealand CEO Tim Grafton says the recovery from a flood and landslides can be extensive, with insurers and Crown entity Toka Tū Ake EQC having a role in assisting the recovery of the communities affected.

EQCover provides cover for some residential land, with limits, damaged by a storm or flood. Home and contents damage are covered by private insurance according to the terms of the policy.