If your home, car, or contents have been damaged by the severe weather, take photos before you remove or repair anything and report it to your insurance company as soon as possible. You only need to contact your insurance company and they’ll let you know what you need to do next, how to claim and – if applicable – how EQ Cover from Toka Tū Ake EQC works.

If you need to make your home safe, sanitary, secure, and weather tight, please record the work done, take before and after photos, and keep copies of the bills you paid.

If you don't have house insurance but do have contents insurance, speak to your insurer about what is covered. Make sure you take lots of photos and keep good records before you throw anything out, where possible.

Free and independent advice is available through Residential Advisory Service (RAS) within MBIE provide advocacy services and advice to homeowners who are navigating insurance claims to remediate damage suffered due to an event. You can contact info@advisory.org.nz or ring 0800 777 299, 03 379 7027 for more information.

EQCover for this event

EQCover provides the following:

• Landslip damage, EQCover available for damage to house and land
• if the house is damaged by the landslide, cover available up to the building cap (up to $150k or $300k, depending on policy renewal date)
• cover for repair or reinstatement of some residential land, up to the value of the insured land.
• Flood and storm damage, EQCover only applies to insured land, with private insurers generally providing cover for homes.
• removal of flood debris such as silt and fallen trees

Land claims can take some time to resolve and communication between impacted people and their insurer is critical. Information that may be useful for homeowners are in links below:

General guidance

• Householders' Guide to EQCover – overview of how EQCover works, what is and isn't covered, and how EQCover claims are settled.
• Householders' Guide to Residential Land – overview of how EQCover works for insured residential land, what is and isn't covered

Specific guidance (these can be printed, as needed)

• Land Cover – Storms and Floods factsheet – how EQCover works for storm or flood damage to insured residential land
• EQCover – Land claims factsheet – steps involved in an EQCover land claim, people involved and how settlements are calculated

This information has been taken from the Cyclone Gabrielle – What support is available and where you can get help factsheet.