New Zealand insurers processed approximately 10,000 claims in the aftermath of severe weather conditions that swept across the nation in October. The South Island and lower North Island bore the brunt of the impact, with particularly significant damage in Southland and Otago, which together accounted for roughly 70% of all claims filed.
On Oct. 23, a significant wind event triggered widespread property damage and power failures affecting tens of thousands of properties. The scale of destruction prompted authorities to declare a state of emergency in Southland and Clutha regions. Fallen trees, fence damage, and structural harm to residential and commercial buildings characterised much of the reported damage across affected areas.
A representative for the Insurance Council of New Zealand (ICNZ) provided context on claim characteristics. “Most of the claims received to date are for wind-related damage, and insurers are working with customers to assess and progress these as quickly as possible,” the spokesperson said, as reported by RNZ.
FMG processed more than 3,000 claims stemming from the Oct. 23 weather event. The company estimated financial exposure for these claims at more than $28 million. Geographic distribution of FMG claims showed 1,500 originating from Southland, 700 from Otago, and over 650 from Canterbury, with approximately 80 Canterbury claims involving irrigation infrastructure.
The FMG spokesperson provided a status update on claim resolution. “We’re not expecting the number of claims to change significantly now. We’re continuing to work to resolve claims as quickly as possible – with 10% of claims closed and over $1.5 million already in communities,” the spokesperson told RNZ. An earlier wind event on Oct. 21 generated an additional 350 FMG claims, with Canterbury accounting for approximately 100 of those.
Tower received 850 claim notifications related to the Oct. 23 event. According to Lisa Maxwell, Tower’s head of natural disaster response, the geographic distribution included 260 claims from Southland and 150 from Otago. Maxwell characterised the damage profile as follows: “The majority of claims are for minor damage, for example, fences, roofing, and damage from debris.”
IAG's combined portfolio – comprising AMI, State and NZI brands – documented receipt of more than 4,300 claims from Oct. 23. Within this total, more than 3,000 claims originated from Southland and Otago. An IAG spokesperson itemised the damage categories: “Most of the strong wind damage caused smashed windows and doors, flying roofs and sheds, and also spoiled food as a result of the power outages.”
A separate hailstorm event impacting Timaru and South Canterbury on Nov. 15 generated additional claim volume, with more than 1,000 claims filed. The weather event brought severe hail and heavy precipitation that caused extensive destruction across residential properties, motor vehicles, and landscaped areas. The ICNZ said it is still too early to estimate the total cost of the event, but it expects that the volume of insurance claims will rise as more property owners complete their initial assessments.
