Source: Radio New Zealand
Papamoa weather damage. Supplied/Jamie Troughton
Severe weather across Northland, the Bay of Plenty, Coromandel and Tairāwhiti Gisborne is likely to mean delays for insurers, the Insurance and Financial Services Ombudsman is warning.
Ombudsman Karen Stevens said consumers should be prepared for delays because insurers will have a high number of claims to process.
“Contacting insurers online is the quickest way to make a claim, helping people avoid long phone queues, which are common after major weather events,” she said.
“Insurers will prioritise the most urgent cases first, such as those with unlivable homes or those in vulnerable situations.”
She said delays often resulted from the volume of claims, limited access for assessors and the need for specialist trades.
Stevens said insurers could call on lessons they had gleaned from the 2023 floods and Cyclone Gabrielle.
“Under the Fair Insurance Code, insurers must give clear information about claim progress, usually with updates every 20 business days or at another agreed interval,” she said.
She said insurers would usually prioritise the most urgent cases.
Meanwhile, banks have offered assistance to those affected.
ASB is offering customers support such as deferring loan repayments for up to three months, emergency credit card limit increases and solutions for businesses, including access to working capital up to $100,000.
BNZ is offering similar support, including access to temporary overdrafts and the ability to review home lending facilities on a case-by-case basis.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
