Sign In / Register
Natural disasters come in many forms, from fires and floods to tornados.
Nobody is immune to the possibility of being in the path of a wild storm or fire, but the better prepared people are to cope, the faster the recovery.
Those affected by the tornado in Mangawhai who have insurance will, no doubt, have already reached out to their insurer. The Insurance Council of NZ says it is this type of unexpected and sudden event that insurers are there to provide support for.
“A tornado is classed as a storm and, therefore, Natural Hazards Cover only provides cover for damage to land (within the limits set by legislation), with damage to homes covered by private insurance.
“If your home insurance policy includes fire insurance (and most do) then you have natural hazards cover.”
The council said once it was safe to enter a damaged house or property, there were some things that would help make the claims process a little easier. Their advice was to:
Take photos of any damage and note details of valuable items, and don’t dispose of anything until you’ve spoken to your insurer. It will help speed up claim assessments
• Take photos of perishable or unsanitary items before disposing of them
• Make your home safe and sanitary, but don’t do non-essential repairs
• If safe to do so, try to protect your home from further damage
• Get essential services repaired and keep copies of invoices
• Always wear protective gear, including gloves and masks, in case of exposure to hazardous material
• Do not do anything that puts your safety at risk or causes more damage to your property
If your home is uninhabitable due to damage from the event, you may be eligible for a temporary accommodation benefit. This is in most home and contents policies, and it would pay to check with your insurer to see what support they can offer.
Uninsured assistance
Support is also available from Work and Income and other agencies.
Work and Income Northland regional director Kiriwai Welsh says assistance could be for things like food, bedding or clothing.
“People can apply for a wide range of benefit payments and one-off grants, and if their need is caused by an emergency, this is taken into consideration,” Welsh says.
“If the government declares an emergency in a certain area and activates Civil Defence Payments, residents of that area can apply for these through Work and Income if they are affected.”
See more:
Emergencies – Work and Income
https://www.workandincome.govt.nz/eligibility/emergencies/index.html
Urgent or unexpected costs – Work and Income
https://www.workandincome.govt.nz/eligibility/urgent-costs/index.html
A-Z benefits and payments – Work and Income
https://www.workandincome.govt.nz/products/a-z-benefits/index.html
