A central-Christchurch property owner says attempts by insurance companies to limit the amount of money they end up paying out for earthquake damage, is just part of doing business.
Topics - Insurance premiums are expected to rise across the board, as insurance companies look to recoup some of the massive losses from the Canterbury earthquake. and what lasting effects might children suffer from the earthquake?
Today Ali talks to Jesse about the insurance debacle for Christchurch home owners trying to settle with companies over their earthquake damaged homes. She advocating for the establishment of an "Insurance Department" as they have done in California.
The impact of the Canterbury Earthquake on insurance and the EQC's finances.
The Supreme Court has ruled that a class action by Canterbury insurance holders against Southern Response can go ahead. Ali Jones, insurance claimants advocate explains to The Panel what this means for home owners who've been fighting for years to get their fair entitlements.
New Zealanders are paying too much for house and contents insurance, according to a new survey. Consumer NZ's price comparison survey shows climate and natural hazard risk is being factored in, and is more expensive than ever. Quotes for a large house differed by more than $3,000 across Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin, and there's a more than $2,000 difference between the cheapest and most expensive policies on offer for a standard-sized house. If you live somewhere with a higher chance of earthquakes - such as Wellington or Christchurch - you'll be charged more for insurance. The cost of house and contents insurance has risen by 5.6% this year, over the past ten years it's gone up 150%. Kathryn is joined by Consumer NZ's Gemma Rasmussen and Katrina Shanks Chief Executive of Financial Advice New Zealand, which represents independent and professional financial advisors.
The Insurance Council is ranking the Canterbury earthquake as the world's third most expensive insured event this year.
The Insurance Council is ranking the Canterbury earthquake as the world's third most expensive insured event this year.
Mounting claims from the Christchurch earthquake have forced AMI insurance to go to the Government for a possible bailout.
The Earthquake Recovery Minister says he's sick of insurance companies giving baseless excuses for delaying earthquake claims in Christchurch .
Insurance company Tower says yesterday's earthquake in North Canterbury will cost it a maximum of just over seven million dollars.
The Insurance Council is mounting a legal challenge against the Christchurch City Council over its rules regarding earthquake-prone buildings.
A Christchurch lawyer with more than 100 insurance cases before the courts is dismissing Labour's plans for a special Earthquake Court.
Earthquake damaged Christchurch homes written off by insurance companies are becoming hot property for investors wanting to make money renting them out.
Some earthquake-affected residents in Christchurch are having their pensions and benefits cut, because they are earning interest on their insurance payouts.
Commercial property owners are facing not just higher insurance premiums following the Christchurch earthquakes, but also the prospect of much higher excesses.
Those displaced or affected by the Auckland floods and Cyclone Gabrielle can get help with insurance claims through a new service from today. The Government has launched the New Zealand Claims Resolution Service for homeowners to resolve issues and settle claims. The service is modelled on two that were used during the Canterbury earthquakes. Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs Duncan Webb spoke to Guyon Espiner.
Three years on from the February 22nd Christchurch earthquake hundreds of businesses are still waiting for their insurance claims to be settled.
Insurance company, Tower, says it's started the year on a positive note despite bad weather and lingering complex claims from the Christchurch earthquakes.
As we approach the tenth anniversary of the Christchurch earthquake there are renewed calls for an inquiry into how Southern Response dealt with Canterbury earthquake claimants. Last year the government set up a support package for those who were short changed by Southern Response for their earthquake repairs. It came after a landmark High Court case found Southern Response misled and deceived Karl and Alison Dodds. Insurance claimants advocate, Ali Jones, says ten years on, lessons haven't been learned from how people were treated by Southern Response. She told RNZ reporter Sally Murphy that dealing with them is hell.
The Insurance Council says it can give Cantabrians a guarantee that insurers will go as fast as they can to settle earthquake-related claims.
A Christchurch man has begun a hunger strike over an earthquake insurance claim. Fonterra changes its policy and promises to pay bills more promptly.
A Christchurch couple in a long running dispute over the insurance payout for their earthquake damaged home have reached an out-of-court settlement with Southern Response. The class action was brought on behalf of former AMI Insurance/Southern Response policyholders who believe the company misled them into settling their claims for less than their policies entitled them to. The lawyer for Brendan and Colleen Ross, Grant Cameron, talks to Max Towle about the settlement.
Are men with lower voices more attractive to the opposite sex; The Canterbury Earthquake insurance deadlock; Speed Camera tickets have doubled over the last year.
The insurance arms of Suncorp New Zealand have reported lower profits off the back of the Kaikoura earthquake and a rise in Canterbury earthquake claims. .
Frustrated Christchurch residents are banding together to take on their insurance companies, who they say are taking too long to process their earthquake damage claims.
A Canterbury woman has finally settled an insurance claim seven years to the day her family home was damaged in the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake.
The Christchurch couple taking their insurance company to the High Court over their earthquake payout have knocked almost a quarter of a million dollars off their claim.
Nearly seven years on from the Christchurch earthquake, some quake damaged homeowners with unresolved insurance claims say they are being driven to the point of complete exhaustion.
National MP Gerry Brownlee says it's a great tragedy that the former chairman of government insurer Southern Response has been treated the way that he has. Ross Butler resigned on Tuesday night after a State Services Commission inquiry found Southern Response had broken its code of conduct and possibly the law, when it used private investigators to secretly record meetings of earthquake victims. The Minister for Christchurch Regeneration Megan Woods says Mr Butler was aware of what was going on, as was Mr Brownlee when he was a Minister.