Auckland – 13 April 2017 – AA Insurance says that the two cyclones to hit New Zealand in the last two weeks – Cyclone Debbie and now Cyclone Cook – have caused a big surge in insurance claims.
“Cyclone Debbie kept our claims team busy and we’ve now received almost 400 claims related to storm and flooding damage,” says Simon Hobbs, Head of Claims, AA Insurance. “We have already received over 30 claims relating to Cyclone Cook, however we expect this to rise rapidly as the worst of the heavy rain and winds are still to arrive.
“Safety should be the first priority for people affected by the weather. We’re keen to hear from customers who are unable to stay in their homes and need assistance, or who require urgent repairs to their homes to keep them watertight and warm,” says Simon.
AA Insurance advises its customers to:
Make sure you, family and pets are safe first. There is no rush to make a claim for your home or contents, so once you're safe and settled, get in touch with us if you need to make a claim
If you need urgent repairs to make your home safe, or if you need temporary accommodation, call us on 0800 500 216
Do not attempt to inspect or repair any damage until it is safe to do so
If the floors are wet, lift your furniture off the floor to prevent staining
Keep your damaged items if they are safe to do so, or take photos – this is useful to confirm what needs replacing
If your vehicle has been damaged or suffered flooding it may be unsafe to drive
About AA Insurance
AA Insurance is a New Zealand-based joint venture between Vero Insurance New Zealand Limited and the New Zealand Automobile Association Limited ('NZAA'). Vero is owned by Suncorp Group Limited, a listed Australian company. NZAA is an incorporated society that is governed by a National Council and Board. Since 1994 we have provided home, contents and car insurance in New Zealand and in 2018 we introduced small business insurance.
We underwrite our own policies and sell direct to New Zealanders. Our New Zealand-based teams looks after 560,000+ customers with more than 1,100,000 policies. Standard and Poor's (Australia) Pty Ltd has given us an Insurer Financial Strength Rating of AA- (Very Strong).
We are consistently recognised in industry awards and honours. This includes being voted the Reader's Digest Most Trusted General Insurer for 14 years running, named Canstar's 2023-2024 Outstanding Value Award winner for Home and Contents insurance and ranked 6th among 50 of New Zealand's top consumer-facing corporates in the Kantar Corporate Reputation Index in 2024.
Find out more at www.aainsurance.co.nz
For more information please contact:
AA Insurance Media Team
mediacontact@aainsurance.co.nz