Under cover as storms become norm
This week’s stormy weather has left properties without power, houses with their roofs ripped off in the Taranaki region, flooding in Wellington, and snow blanketing parts of the South Island. And it’s only April.
So what do you need to know to make sure you’re covered by insurance for any damage caused by winter weather?
CoreLogic’s resident insurance expert, Richard Deakin, said bad weather events could be more common in the transition from autumn to winter.
He said one of the best things to do in preparation for a storm was to buckle down heavy items, or bring them inside.
‘‘In heavy winds, one of the most common causes of damage are things hitting the property.’’
Most insurance policies will have a third-party liability so a neighbour could claim against your insurance for any damage to their property.
But if you were renting and you didn’t have contents insurance, you would personally be liable for any damage to a neighbour’s property, he said.
Insurance and Financial Services Ombudsman Karen Stevens said drivers need to take ‘‘reasonable care’’ in bad weather conditions.
‘‘If a driver goes onto roads where a warning was issued that vehicles need chains and doesn’t heed that, they would be liable for any accident.’’
She said people should keep damaged items, take photos and try to find any proof of purchase. ‘‘We’ve had several cases where people thought they were doing the right thing by cleaning up and throwing things away … but then they had no proof of loss or damage and their claim was denied.’’
NZbrokers chief executive Jo Mason said as storms become more frequent, insurance would get more expensive.
Mason said the number of storm and flood claims had risen 56 per cent over the past three years, pushing up the cost of claims to insurers by 70 per cent.
‘‘I think nobody can deny climate change ... particularly in New Zealand when these storms are becoming the norm now and not extraordinary.’’