How are you garage-ing?
Home is where the heart is and, for many Kiwis, the beating heart of their home is the garage. From home gyms to workshops, the Kiwi garage is a space of endless possibilities.
Canstar's 2023 - 2024 Outstanding Value Home & Contents Insurance award winner.
We take great pride in protecting the things that matter to New Zealanders so this recognition of our products and service offerings means the world to us.
We've crunched the numbers
91% of Kiwis agree that the garage is an important part of their home.
Our research1 revealed that it’s so much more than a space to park the car.
It’s a place to create and engage in hobbies, like sewing, woodworking, gaming and DIY projects.
It's a place to progress with goals, setting up home gyms and work-from-home stations.
It’s a place to connect with family, friends and the community.
The garage is a "me" space...
The garage, for some, is a judgement-free “me” space; a spot in which to relax, escape, or pursue passion projects. 48% say they’re embarrassed about the state of their garage. We know that mess is just proof that the space is being used to its full potential. And Kiwis are doing just that!
As well as cars, Kiwis like to keep high value items in the garage:
72% use it to store tools
53% park bikes and e-bikes in there
34% do their laundry in the garage
30% keep sentimental items in the garage
30% see it as a space that allows them to release their creativity.
27% feel it’s an important space for them to relax and unwind.
24% find it’s a special place for them and a repository of memories.
Some tips to help protect your garage
Contents calculator
It can be easy to underestimate how much your stuff is worth, especially the things that are hidden away in the garage. Our contents calculator can help you estimate the value of your contents to assist you with setting your sum insured2. Your contents sum insured is the total amount your belongings are covered for under your contents insurance policy. It's a good idea to review your sum insured and set it accurately so you can replace your contents should you need to make a claim.
Weather proofing
The garage is often on the bottom floor of the house, which can make it vulnerable to weather and natural hazards. Regular maintenance is not only a condition of your insurance but a good way to future-proof your home. Checking gutters and downspouts and installing weather stripping around the garage door can help keep your garage watertight. Storing items off the floor or in plastic buckets can helps protect your contents from the elements. We've shared more resources to help you prepare, respond and recover from natural hazards and weather events on our blog.
Fire safety
Our claims data3 from the past three years shows that 1 in 10 fires have started in the garage. Top causes include sparks from machinery and power tools, electric battery charging, overloaded power boards, old wiring and simmering fireplace ashes left in the garage. We’ve got a few tips to help you improve the fire safety of your garage.
Burglary and theft prevention
Our research found that 57% of Kiwis are concerned about burglary, but only a quarter lock the garage when it’s not in use and around three quarters don’t have a security/burglar alarm, a motion-activated or sensor light installed. These are a few simple actions that can improve the security of your home. Here are more ideas to help keep your property safe when you’re away from home.
Live a little freer with award-winning insurance.
Home insurance
Home insurance can protect you against the unexpected costs of sudden, unforeseen and unintended damage or loss and from specific events, such as burglary, fire, flood and natural disaster. The purpose of a home insurance policy is to cover the cost of rebuilding or repairing your home if it is damaged or destroyed.
Contents insurance
Our stuff is worth more than we think it is and it can cost a surprising amount to replace everything in one go. Contents insurance is a great way to protect yourself and your property against the financial burden of unexpected damage or loss to your possessions, or damage you cause to someone else's property.
Car insurance
There are many reasons to consider car insurance. It protects you against sudden, unforeseen and unintended damage or loss. Depending on the level of cover you choose, this can include theft or sudden damage to your car as a result of an accident, as well as damage you might cause to someone else's car or property.
1 AA Insurance Kiwi Garage Report - AA Insurance research conducted by Kantar. A nationally representative sample of over 1000 New Zealanders (aged 18+) completed an online survey in February 2024 (margin of error 3.1%).
2 AA Insurance’s contents calculator is provided for information and does not constitute financial advice. You must make your own decision on the sum insured for your contents insurance that is appropriate for your own personal circumstances.
3AA Insurance Internal fire claims data from 2021, 2022 and 2023 – these include home, contents and landlord claims.