August weather event dominates EQC claims

970 claims to the Earthquake Commission were made from the Top of the South following the August weather event, the agency said.

Toka Tū Ake – Natural Hazards Commission received a record 4,209 insurance claims in the year ending 1 December 2022, 80 per cent of which were for land damage caused by landslides, storms, and floods.

A further 900 claims were made from the wider Wellington region after the August weather event.

“The stormy winter of 2022 was disruptive and often devastating for communities across the country and resulted in record numbers of land claims,” Toka Tū Ake chief readiness officer Kate Tod says. “Notably, there was a huge increase in landslip claims, and these are usually complex and costly to fix.”

She says it’s important for homeowners to protect themselves and make sure they know what they are covered for as climate change makes its impact known through increasingly common severe weather events.

The Earthquake Commission Act only covers land damage for up to the value of your insured land, up to eight metres around your home.

“For some homeowners with larger properties, that won’t cover the cost of repairing their land, especially when complex landslips have occurred,” Kate says. “So, it’s important to know the hazards around you, understand your cover, and consider what you can do to reduce the risks.”

Some steps you can take to reduce the risk of natural hazards at your property include:

- knowing how to turn off gas, water, and electricity in an emergency (mains gas should only be turned off in an emergency),

- checking your home insurance policy to find out if you have enough cover to repair or rebuild your home if it gets damaged,

- checking your slopes and retaining walls which can crack or collapse after heavy rain or other natural disasters, like by taking occasional photos and comparing them over time, especially after heavy rainfall,

- clearing out gutters and pipes to help stop water backing up if there’s any heavy rain,

- and understanding your land cover – insurance cover for residential land is defined in the EQC Act, and it has limits. You can read more online or by talking to your insurer.

“No matter where we live in Aotearoa, whether you rent or own, there is a lot you can do to be better prepared and to keep your whānau safer for hazard events.”