Insurance and Re-entering Your Home
Insurance and Re-entering Your Home
Insurance claims are stressful to manage at the best of times. After a major earthquake, when you are dealing with the shock of the event, possibly without power or running water, and under pressure to make decisions quickly, they are much harder.
The time to prepare for your insurance claim is now — before an event happens.
This page covers what to do before an earthquake to prepare your claim, what to do immediately after to protect it, how to re-enter your home safely, and where to get help.
The single most useful thing you can do for your insurance claim is create a pre-loss record of your property. Most people don't have one.
Walk through every room and photograph or video everything — furniture, appliances, built-in fixtures, and any items of value
Open cupboards and drawers and photograph the contents
Photograph the exterior of the building from all four sides, including the roof if possible - Note serial numbers for appliances and electronics
Keep receipts for significant purchases
Store this record somewhere other than the house — cloud storage (Google Drive, iCloud, Dropbox), email it to yourself, or keep a copy with a family member outside the area. A record stored only on a hard drive or phone inside the house is useless if the house is damaged.
Review and update the record annually, or whenever you make significant purchases or renovations.
In a major event, insurance claims will not be your first concern and phones may not be working. That is fine. The claims process will happen when things have stabilised — insurers will be dealing with a large number of claims and the process will take time regardless of when you call.
What matters immediately is protecting your evidence.
Before you touch, move, or clean up anything:
Photograph and video all damage in place — every room, every broken item, every crack in walls or ceilings
Photograph the exterior before anything is moved or repaired
Make a written list of damaged or destroyed items including estimated values
Keep all receipts for any emergency expenses — temporary accommodation, emergency repairs, equipment hired
If you need to do urgent work to make your home safe — boarding a broken window, covering a damaged roof — record everything before you start. Take photos before and after. Keep all receipts. Insurers expect emergency repairs and will generally cover reasonable costs, but they will want evidence.
If you have contents insurance but not home insurance, talk to your insurer about what is covered when you are able to. Take lots of photos and keep a record of anything you throw out.
When phones and services are restored, contact your insurance company to start the formal claims process.
New Zealand has a national natural hazards insurance scheme run by the Natural Hazards Commission — Toka Tū Ake. If you have home insurance that includes fire cover — which most policies do — you automatically have natural hazards cover for your home and some land.
Natural hazards cover applies to events like earthquakes, landslides, and floods. It covers the structure of your home and limited areas of land, including some retaining walls, bridges, and culverts, to a limit.
When you make a natural hazard claim, you deal with your own insurer — not directly with the Natural Hazards Commission. Your insurer will assess, manage, and settle the entire claim, including the natural hazards portion.
More information at naturalhazards.govt.nz/insurance/about-nhcover
Managing an insurance claim after a major disaster is genuinely difficult. Most people do not have the skills, time, or mental state to deal with an insurance company immediately after a major event. There is a free government service to help.
The New Zealand Claim Resolution Service can help you with any questions or concerns about your house insurance policy or the claims process. The service is free and independent.
Phone: 0508 624 327
Email: contact@nzcrs.govt.nz
Website: www.nzcrs.govt.nz
Use this service early if you are unsure about any part of your claim — do not wait until a dispute has developed.
Aftershocks can cause further damage to already-weakened structures. A building that survived the main earthquake may become unsafe after a strong aftershock.
Expect aftershocks for weeks or months after the main event
Reassess your home's structural condition after any significant aftershock before continuing to occupy it
Keep shoes, a torch, and essential documents near the door so you can leave quickly if needed
If authorities issue a building safety assessment for your area, wait for the result before returning to a building that has been damaged
Food and Water — water safety after an earthquake
First Aid — household medical preparedness
During An Earthquake — what to do when shaking starts
John Creek — Warnings — re-entry advice specific to lake-edge residents
Cannot Get Home — if you are away from Hāwea when an event strikes
Last reviewed: May 2026.