Your cover

• The Earthquake Commission (EQC) 

  The Earthquake Commission (EQC) is New Zealand's primary insurer of natural disasters (including earthquakes), providing what is called 'EQCover'.

  Most residential damage caused by the earthquakes is covered by EQC through the EQC levy you pay as part of your house and/or contents insurance premiums. For that reason the management of your claim for earthquake damage is likely to be a more complex process.

• House and Contents insurance – what is covered by EQC? 

  Dwellings

  Self-contained premises used as a home, including rental houses and apartments, up to a maximum amount of $100,000 + GST ($115,000) per earthquake event. Read EQC's definition of 'residential building' and 'dwelling' at www.eqc.govt.nz . An excess is payable to EQC.　

  Most personal property

  But excluding some items such as motor vehicles, art and jewellery, up to a maximum amount of $20,000 + GST ($23,000). An excess is also payable to EQC.　

  The land immediately around the dwelling (under and within 8 metres of the buildings)

  Main driveway accessways and retaining walls within certain defined limits. Visit www.eqc.govt.nz  for further clarification.

  You only need to lodge a claim with Southern Response against your AMI insurance policy for loss or damage not insured by EQC and / or if you have significant damage to your house and contents likely to exceed the maximum amount EQC will pay for that earthquake event.

• House and Contents insurance – what is covered by your AMI insurance policy? 

  The difference between the maximum amount EQC will pay and your sum insured

  If the earthquake damage to your house and/or contents exceeds the maximum amount EQC will pay, the AMI policy you had at the time of the event provides a top-up cover. You may hear this type of claim referred to as over cap. This claim will be the responsibility of and managed by Southern Response.

  Property covered by your AMI policy but not insured by EQC

  There are some parts of your property covered by your policy at the time of the event that EQC does not cover. If you have damage to these parts of your property, you may hear this type of claim referred to as being out of scope. This claim will be the responsibility of and managed by Southern Response.

  Temporary accommodation

  If your house is unfit to live in, your AMI Contents policy includes cover for temporary accommodation up to the value of 25% of your sum insured or a time limit of 12 months (cumulative), whichever is reached first. While your Contents policy states 6 months, due to the extreme circumstances created by the earthquakes, the time limit was extended to 12 months. It is not required to be 12 consecutive months - you can put this on hold and resume at any time. EQC does not cover temporary accomodation. This claim will be the responsibility of and managed by Southern Response.

  Read more about temporary accommodation 

  Loss of rent

  This applies if you had selected lost rent cover under your AMI House or Rental House policy during the period of cover for the earthquake event. Please check your policy schedule that was in place at the time of the event to confirm whether you had this cover. EQC does not cover loss of rent. This claim will be the responsibility of and managed by Southern Response.

  Read more about loss of rent 

• Maximum amount EQC will pay for each earthquake event 

  The maximum EQCover for house and contents
  House	$100,000 + GST ($115,000)
  Contents	$20,000 + GST ($23,000)
  Land	EQC pays to repair or replace damaged land up to certain defined limits. Southern Response is not responsible for damage to land. Visit www.eqc.govt.nz for information about cover for your land.

   

  An excess is payable by you for each claim notified to EQC for damage to your house, contents or land.

  Over cap - If the cost of reinstating the damage to your house and / or contents exceeds the maximum amount EQC will pay, your claim will be referred to as being over cap. An over cap claim is the responsibility of and managed by Southern Response.

  Read more about over cap claims

  Under cap - If the cost of reinstating the damage to your house and / or contents does not exceed the maximum amount EQC will pay, your claim will be referred to as being under cap. An under cap claim is the responsibility of and managed by EQC.

  Read more about under cap claims

  Out of scope - EQCover does not apply to all items of your house and contents. Items not subject to EQCover but which may be covered by your AMI policy at the time of the earthquake event will be referred to as being out of scope. An out of scope claim is the responsibility of and managed by Southern Response.

  Read more about out of scope claims

• Why continue your insurance? 

  Irrespective of the extent of damage, it is important you maintain your fire and general insurance cover at this time to ensure you are covered for any subsequent damage to your house, contents or land.

  You must have current fire and general insurance at the time any damage is incurred to be able to lodge a claim for that damage. If you have lodged a claim for earlier damage, but sustain new damage from a subsequent earthquake / aftershock (or other event such as a fire), your insurance will need to be current at the time of that new event for you to be covered for the new damage.

  EQCover only applies to those with a current House and / or Contents policy at the time the damage is sustained. Your land may still sustain new damage in subsequent earthquakes. While AMI does not cover damage to land, EQC insures land provided you have current House insurance at the time the damage is sustained.

  While your house is still standing, you need legal liability cover in case damage is accidentally caused to other people's property by your house. For example, if your chimney or other parts of your house fall and damage your neighbour's property.

  If you are still living in your house, you may require cover for any new damage that occurs prior to any repairs or rebuild being undertaken. For example, a house fire or if you accidentally break a window.