Making a house insurance claim can feel stressful - especially after significant damage to your home. This guide walks you through the entire process step by step, from documenting the damage and contacting your insurer through to assessments, temporary accommodation, natural disaster claims, and what to do if things go wrong.
Not every instance of property damage warrants a house insurance claim. Before you pick up the phone, it is worth considering whether the cost of the damage exceeds your excess. If your excess is $500 and the repair bill is $600, making a claim may not be worthwhile - especially since a claims history can affect your premiums at renewal.
You should make a claim when the damage is significant enough that the repair cost clearly exceeds your excess, when the damage involves a third party or liability issue, when the event is one covered by your policy (fire, storm, flood, earthquake, theft, or vandalism), or when the property is uninhabitable and you need temporary accommodation.
If you are unsure whether to claim, many NZ insurers allow you to make an enquiry without lodging a formal claim. Tower, AA Insurance, and AMI all have claims enquiry lines where you can discuss the situation before committing to a formal claim. For general guidance on the claims process across all insurance types, see our guide to making an insurance claim.
Always check your policy wording to confirm the event is covered. Most house insurance policies cover sudden and accidental damage - but gradual damage, maintenance issues, and wear and tear are typically excluded. Our guide to what house insurance covers has a full breakdown of common inclusions and exclusions.
Thorough documentation is one of the most important things you can do to support your claim. Start as soon as it is safe to do so - ideally before any clean-up or temporary repairs begin.
Take photos and videos from multiple angles, including wide shots that show the overall extent of damage and close-ups of specific areas. If damage is spread across multiple rooms or areas, document each one separately. Include any damage to the surrounding property such as fences, driveways, or retaining walls.
Keep damaged items where possible. Your insurer or their assessor may want to inspect them. If you need to dispose of damaged materials for safety or health reasons, photograph them first and keep samples if practical.
The Consumer NZ guide to home insurance reinforces the importance of having a home inventory for claims purposes. If you do not already have one, documenting what you can now will still help.
| What to Record | How to Record It | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Overall damage to the property | Wide-angle photos and video walkthrough | Shows the full scope of the event and helps assessors understand the extent of damage |
| Close-up damage to specific areas | Detailed photos of each affected area | Provides evidence for repair cost estimates and supports your description of the damage |
| Date and time of the event | Written notes with timestamps on photos | Establishes when the damage occurred, which is critical for policy coverage |
| Weather conditions (if relevant) | Screenshots from MetService or NIWA records | Confirms the cause of damage for storm, flood, or weather-related claims |
| Emergency or temporary repairs | Photos before and after, plus receipts | Most insurers cover reasonable temporary repair costs - receipts ensure you are reimbursed |
| Damaged or destroyed items | Photos of items in place before disposal | Supports contents claims or house claims that include fixtures and fittings |
| Correspondence with contractors | Saved emails, quotes, and invoices | Provides evidence of repair costs and helps if there is a dispute about the settlement amount |
| Pre-existing condition of the property | Previous photos, building reports, or valuations | Helps demonstrate the damage was caused by the event rather than pre-existing issues |
Once you have documented the damage and confirmed the event is likely covered by your policy, it is time to lodge your claim. Here is the typical process for a house insurance claim in New Zealand:
For most house insurance claims above a certain value, your insurer will send an assessor (loss adjuster) to inspect the damage. Understanding what this involves can help you prepare.
The assessor works on behalf of the insurer to investigate the cause and extent of the damage, prepare a scope of works and cost estimate, and confirm that the damage falls within your policy coverage. They are not there to deny your claim - their job is to assess what happened and what it will cost to fix.
Before the assessor visits, make sure you have your documentation ready, have not started permanent repairs (temporary or emergency repairs are fine), and can provide access to all damaged areas. The assessor may take their own photos, measure affected areas, and ask you detailed questions about the event.
After the assessment, the insurer will send you a copy of the scope of works and their proposed settlement. Review this carefully. If you believe something has been missed or the costings are too low, raise this with your insurer in writing. You are entitled to get your own quotes and present them.
The Insurance Council of New Zealand (ICNZ) has consumer guidance on what to expect during the assessment and claims process, including your rights as a policyholder.
If your home is uninhabitable due to insured damage, most house insurance policies in New Zealand include cover for temporary accommodation. This is sometimes called "alternative accommodation" or "loss of use" cover.
The cover typically pays for reasonable accommodation costs while your home is being repaired or rebuilt. This could mean a rental property, serviced apartment, or other suitable accommodation for your household. The amount and duration of cover varies between insurers - some policies have a dollar cap, others have a time limit, and some have both.
To access temporary accommodation cover, notify your insurer as soon as you know your home is uninhabitable. They will usually need to confirm the damage makes the property unsafe or unliveable before approving alternative accommodation. In urgent situations - such as after a fire or severe storm - most insurers will arrange temporary accommodation quickly.
Keep all receipts for accommodation and any additional living expenses such as meals or storage costs that arise because you cannot live in your home. Your insurer will typically reimburse reasonable and necessary costs, but extravagant expenses may not be covered.
The Sorted.org.nz guide to making a claim has practical tips on managing living arrangements during a house insurance claim.
If your home is damaged by a natural disaster - earthquake, natural landslip, volcanic eruption, hydrothermal activity, or tsunami - the claims process involves an additional layer. The government provides a base level of natural disaster cover through what was formerly EQC (Earthquake Commission) and is now administered by Toka Tu Ake / the Natural Hazards Commission.
The good news is that since 2022, most natural disaster claims are handled by your private insurer on your behalf. You do not need to contact the government scheme separately - simply lodge your claim with your insurer and they will manage both portions. This is a significant improvement on the dual-claim process that caused frustration for Canterbury earthquake claimants.
The government scheme covers the first $300,000 plus GST of dwelling damage for qualifying natural disaster events. Any damage above this cap is covered by your private insurer, up to your sum insured. This means your private cover is critical - without it, you have no protection above the government cap, and you also lose access to the government scheme entirely.
It is important to understand that flood and storm damage are not covered by the government scheme, even if they occur during or alongside a natural disaster event. These are covered by your private insurer. For a comprehensive explanation, see our guide to EQC and natural disaster cover in NZ.
Natural disaster claims typically have a higher excess than standard claims - often $2,500 or more. Check your policy schedule for the specific natural disaster excess that applies. After a major event, there may also be delays due to the volume of claims being processed across the country.
The Toka Tu Ake website has detailed information about how natural disaster claims are managed and what to expect after a large event.
If your claim is declined or you disagree with the settlement amount, you have options. Insurers must give you clear reasons for declining a claim, and you are entitled to challenge the decision.
Start by asking your insurer for a written explanation of why the claim was declined or why the settlement is what it is. Review this against your policy wording. If you believe the decision is wrong, provide any additional evidence and request a formal internal review.
If the internal review does not resolve the issue, you can take your complaint to the Insurance & Financial Services Ombudsman (IFSO). IFSO is a free dispute resolution service that investigates complaints about insurers and can make binding decisions. You must raise your complaint with IFSO within two months of receiving your insurer's final response.
For complex or high-value disputes - particularly those involving rebuild costs, natural disaster claims, or disagreements over the scope of works - it may be worth considering legal advice. Community Law Centres offer free legal assistance for eligible New Zealanders, and some lawyers specialise in insurance disputes.
Common reasons house insurance claims are declined include gradual damage or wear and tear (which is not covered), failure to maintain the property, non-disclosure of relevant information when the policy was taken out, damage caused by an excluded event, and damage that occurred before the policy started. The Consumer NZ home insurance guide has further information on understanding your rights.
A well-prepared claim is more likely to be resolved quickly and fairly. These practical tips can help the process go as smoothly as possible.
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