Frequently Asked Questions

If you have current home and/or contents insurance, you also have the Earthquake Commission’s cover.

EQC covers damage to residential property caused by the following perils:

• Earthquake
• Landslip
• Tsunami
• Volcanic eruption
• Hydrothermal activity
• Storm or flood (land only – not the property on it)
• Fire following any of the above.

Residential property is your home, its contents and the land immediately surrounding the dwelling.

For more information see the Householders' Guide to EQCover.

It covers residential property as follows:

Property Insured

• Dwellings (self-contained premises used as a home, including apartments)
• Most personal property but excluding some types (e.g. motor vehicles and art)
• The land immediately around the dwelling, main accessways, and retaining walls, within certain limits.

There are various exclusions e.g. swimming pools, paths and fences.

Certain household services which you own are also covered, such as water pipes and electrical cables up to 60 metres from the dwelling or other insured buildings, or up to the edge of the property, if this is less than 60 metres.

Under EQC cover, dwellings are insured up to a maximum of $100,000 + GST and are covered on a replacement value basis.

If you own a building or a part of a building with more than one dwelling in it, you should tell your insurance company before it suffers natural disaster damage; otherwise, you will have EQC cover for only one dwelling.

EQC pays up to $100,000 + GST for house repairs and $20,000 + GST for contents. Your insurance policy should cover any additional costs. The amount payable for land remediation depends on the value and size of the land.

This limit on an EQC payout is renewed:

• when your insurance policy is renewed and your EQC levy paid
• after a payout (even if only partial).

However, your insurer will generally cover what EQC does not.
 

An excess is the amount you have to contribute towards a claim that is accepted by EQC. The amount of the excess is deducted from the final settlement amount of your claim.

Your home, or your home and personal possessions/contents:  If your claim is for $20,000 or less, EQC will deduct an excess of $200 and pay the rest. If your claim is for more than $20,000, EQC will pay 99% of it, deducting an excess of 1%.

Personal possessions and contents only: Whatever the amount of your claim, EQC will deduct an excess of $200 and pay the rest.

Land: If your claim is $5,000 or less, EQC will deduct an excess of $500 and pay the rest. If your claim is for more than $5,000, EQC will deduct an excess of 10% up to the maximum excess amount of $5000.

If your property can be repaired or replaced for less than the amount of the excess, then EQC will pay nothing. You will have to meet the cost of repairs or replacement yourself.

The excess is deducted from any settlement payment to you. If repairs are organised by you and we receive an invoice from a contractor for that work (then after checking) we would pay the contractor less the excess and you would pay the difference.

No. Your private insurer may, depending on your policy.

No. EQC covers residential property only. It does not cover non-residential or commercial property.

EQC’s cover is dependent upon the cover available under your insurance policy.  The replacement of spectacles or dentures will be covered but not necessarily any examination costs.

The following are not insured by EQC:

• Any items excluded in your home and/or contents insurance policies;
• Intangible property, for example, information stored on a computer;
• Jewellery, precious stones, money, works of art, securities, documents or stamps;
• Motor vehicles, or the parts or accessories of a motor vehicle;
• Trailers, or the parts or accessories of a trailer;
• Boats, or the parts or accessories of a boat;
• Aircraft or anything in or on an aircraft;
• Explosives;
• Any bush, forest, tree, plant or lawn;
• Growing crops (including fruit trees and vines) or cut crops in the open fields;
• Animals, including livestock and pets;
• Tennis courts, whether inside or outside and whatever the surface;
• Jetties, wharves or landings;
• Roads, streets, drives or paths;
• Bridges or culverts more than 8 metres from your home, or if they are on the main driveway, more than 60 metres from your home;
• Dams, breakwaters, moles, groynes, fences, poles or walls*;
• Drains, channels, tunnels or cuttings*;
• Reservoirs, swimming pools, baths, spa pools, tanks or water towers*;
• Burglary, theft or vandalism following an earthquake or natural disaster;
• The costs of staying somewhere else temporarily after an earthquake or natural disaster.

* These items will be insured if they are part of the building which is your home.

For more detailed information see the Householders' Guide to EQCover.

No, as long as you have house insurance you will have EQC's insurance cover.

The owner and mortgagee at the time of the damage occurring has the insurable interest in the property. The new owner does not. Therefore EQC is bound to look at this aspect under Section 29 of the Earthquake Commissions

Act 1993, as follows:

29. Settlement of claims - (1) Subject to any regulations made under this Act -

(a) A claim may be made in respect of any insurance under this Act only by a person who has an insurable interest in the property concerned and;

(b) Without limiting section 31 of this Act, where more than one person has such an insurable interest, the

Commission shall in settling any claim have due regard to the respective insurable interests.

However there is a solution to this aspect. To accept a claim and pay the new owners, EQC would need written permission from the current owners (preferable that the written permission comes from the solicitors involved in the conveyance process) or written agreement from the old and new – again from the solicitors is best, that any claim can be lodged and settled to the new owners (words to that effect).

EQC does not reimburse any solicitors fees for the agreement/letter.

If the new owner wants the claim they must pay the price for that aspect, and in fact several solicitors have already asked these questions and have indicated they would not charge their clients additional for this to be provided.

• If you have not previously made a claim then please do so by calling EQC on 0800 DAMAGE (0800 326 243). You will be asked when the damage occurred and the normal claims process will begin.
• If you had previously made a claim and that claim has been settled, then you should make a new claim. A new excess will apply to this new claim
• If you had previously made a claim and your property has not been inspected and you have a worsening of previous damage (such as cracks in walls getting longer) then please contact us on 0800 DAMAGE (0800 326 243)and we will add information about this to your existing claim.
• If you had previously made a claim and your property now has separate and identifiable damage then you should lodge a new claim even if the earlier claim has not been inspected.

Any costs resulting from safety checks or inspections initiated by a property owner are their responsibility.  If there is earthquake damage identified as a result of an inspection, EQC may repay the cost of the inspection and the cost of repairs according to our policies. 

We cannot guarantee any payment for advice you obtain such as engineers' reports done without an EQC full assessment and our approval before the engineer’s visit etc. takes place.

Claims can be lodged by calling EQC's free phone number 0800 326 243 (0800 DAMAGE) (international call +64 4 978 6400 or +64 4 978 6401) and an operator will talk you through the process. Claims can also be lodged online at www.eqc.govt.nz.

The deadline for lodging a claim for an earthquake is 3 months after the event. This deadline is set in legislation (The Earthquake Commission Act 1993) and it does not allow EQC to accept claims after the deadline. 

Call us on 0800 DAMAGE (0800 326 243) to talk with the call centre staff, or email claims@eqc.govt.nz.  

You should call us on 0800 DAMAGE (0800 326 243) (international call +64 4 978 6400 or +64 4 978 6401) and lodge a new claim.  If the additional damage has affected weatherproofing and/or habitability then you would be entitled to emergency repairs. For more information about this, please see the FAQs about emergency repairs.

If the objects are fixed in place i.e. what would stay with the house if you sold it, then list it as part of your house claim.

Yes you do. 

Once the assessment and claim costing process is complete, payment of a settlement amount will depend on the nature and value of the damage.

• For all claims under $10,000 (except for structural and/or chimney damage) and all contents claims up to EQC's limit of $20,000 plus GST, you will be sent a cheque and a copy of your Statement of Claim.
• Building claims in the $10,000 to $100,000 + GST range are being referred onto our project manager, Fletcher Construction. EQC will manage payments to them directly. (See here for more information about opting out of using Fletcher to repair your home)
• Where a building claim is estimated in excess of the maximum that can be paid by EQC i.e. $100,000 + GST, then the payment depends on whether or you have a mortgage.
  • If you do have a mortgage, money will be paid to your mortgagee.
  • If you do not have a mortgage, then the $100,000 will be paid direct to you.

You will need to discuss the financing of any rebuilding process with your bank or mortgage lender.

If your claim appears to be suitable for managed repair by Fletcher EQR, EQC will refer your claim to Fletcher EQR.  If not, your claim will be cash settled.

But a referral to Fletcher EQR is not a final decision by EQC to repair your property.  Further information may come to light during the Fletcher EQR process resulting in EQC deciding to cash settle part or all of your claim (for example pre-existing construction defects or ’leaky home’ issues) that are not insured under the Earthquake Commission Act 1993 (EQC Act).

EQC will only make a final decision to reinstate any part of a property with damage or issues not covered under the EQC Act when it commences or continues to repair the relevant part of the property with full knowledge of the particular damage or issues not insured under the EQC Act.

Contact EQC on 0800 DAMAGE (0800 326 243) or www.eqc.govt.nz to make a claim if you have contents insurance and your contents have been damaged by an earthquake. You have 3 months after an earthquake to lodge your claim with EQC.

Complete your contents claims information:

• Fill in the Schedule of Contents form, making a list of damaged items including make, model and serial number. This form is on our website, either as a hand-written form (PDF 94KB) or fill it out electronically (PDF 1.2MB).
• Include your claim number on the Schedule of Contents form, any letter or supporting documentation.
• Photograph the damaged items and sending them in with your schedule of contents form.
• Keep damaged items of significant value (greater than $500), where possible, in case we want to inspect them.
• Obtain quotations or valuations for items of significant value (greater than $500).and sending them in with your schedule of contents form.

Return the contents schedule and the additional information to:
Contents Team
Earthquake Commission
PO Box 311
Wellington 6140

Forward your valuations, quotations, receipts, photos and invoices for damaged items along with your completed Schedule of Contents to us.  If you already have a claim number for your property, please write this number on this information you provide us.

The more information you can provide the better. Formal valuations, receipts, invoices, copies of warranties/manuals, current replacement costs are all helpful.  If it is difficult to find proof of value, contact us with your claim number on: 0800 DAMAGE (0800 326 243). Use this information to help you fill in the schedule of contents form, either as a  hand-written form (PDF 94KB) or fill it out electronically (PDF 1.2MB).

Retain all damaged items of significant value (greater than $500). Audit teams will be attending selected properties at random to inspect damaged items that have been claimed.
 

Any contents items valued at or over $500 need to be kept for subsequent inspection if requested. Proof of ownership, the item's value and evidence that the item has sustained earthquake damage must be established before your contents claim can be settled. Any perishable items can be disposed of after you have listed and photographed the damaged items.

Yes you can. If you have contents insurance, EQC covers the cost of removal or disposal of damaged contents if it was caused by an earthquake. Make sure you get a tax invoice from the contractor and keep any receipts such as tip receipts so that you can claim back costs from EQC, if this work was caused by earthquake.

Yes, you can email your contents claim though the EQC system won't accept attachments larger than 5MB. Make sure you have your claim number on your email and attachments. The email address is: contentsonly@eqc.govt.nz.

If you want to follow up your claim please don't email this address - please ring our call centre 0800 DAMAGE (0800 326 243), or email info@eqc.govt.nz. Have your claim number ready to tell the call centre.

Contents claims are being prioritised by the order in which the supporting documents are received. Contents claims are also being escalated for those residents who are vulnerable (sick, elderly, very young).

All of greater Christchurch is divided into four residential zones for the purposes of assessing suitability to rebuild – red, orange, white and green.  The red zone is the most affected areas and the green zone the least. On 28 October 2011, the Department of Building and housing announced three technical categories of green zone property (TC1, 2 and 3), with TC1 requiring little or no remediation to rebuild, and TC3 properties needing individual mitigation solutions.  The Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority, based on economic analysis and also with advice from geotechnical engineers,  decide which properties are in which zone and/or technical category. 

To find out which zone and/or technical category affects your house, go to CERA’s new website: www.landcheck.org.nz. You can also download a fact sheet on what the zoning means.

In general, EQC will either pay for the repairs to any damage to land caused by the earthquakes in Canterbury, or if repair is not possible or not economic, EQC will pay the landowner the insured value of the land, up to the maximum payment specified in EQC’s legislation. 

EQC will pay for land under the buildings and within 8 metres of the building if the buildings are insured. Land within 60 metres of the house which forms the main accessway is also covered.

For homeowners in the green zone, in Technical Categories 1 or 2 a range of standard options are available for the repair and rebuilding of foundations, designed to reduce future earthquake damage to your home.

In Technical Category 3, site-specific geotechnical investigation and specific engineering foundation design will be required to repair or rebuild your home. For more information see the TC3 section of our website. In general, your insurance will cover the costs of these foundations. Policies can differ however, so it’s best to check with your insurer.

Red Zone
You need to move. Talk to your insurer about your alternatives.

Green Zone – home needs total rebuild
You need to talk to your insurer about your claim.

Green Zone – no damage to land or foundations
The rebuild/repair process will continue as usual for you.

Green Zone – TC1
The process will most likely continue as usual for you, as your home can be rebuilt or repaired with standard residential foundation construction methods.

Green Zone – TC2 or 3
If you are with Fletcher EQR, they will manage the repair of your home, and will be in touch about when this will occur. Otherwise, contact your insurer.

Green Zone – assessed
You should have been assessed by now. Contact the call centre on 0800 DAMAGE if you have not been assessed.
 

This will depend on the extent and nature of land damage. 

This is a building consent issue, so you need to speak to Christchurch City Council.

EQC covers damage to a building up to the limit of $100,000 per event, to bring it back to the state it was in prior to the event (so, for most Canterbury houses, prior to September 4, 2010). If new or repaired foundations are required as part of a consent EQC will cover it as part of the claim. In many cases, this is likely to mean the claim will exceed the $100,000 limit per event, and the homeowner or mortgagee will be cashed out.

Depending on the policy, your insurer is likely to pay for a geotechnical report. Generally, EQC would only cover the cost of the report if the total cost of the repair/rebuild was less than $100,000.

Repairs of $10,000 (+ GST) or less: EQC will pay you the settlement amount and you will manage the repairs yourself; or If you’d prefer, we can refer your claim to Fletcher EQR to manage your repairs.  To ‘opt in’ to this process please call 0800 DAMAGE (0800 326 243).

For repairs between $10,000 & $100,000 (+ GST) : EQC will generally work with Fletcher EQR to manage your repairs rather than pay you the settlement amount. If you have a preferred contractor you may use that contractor in the Fletcher EQR process if your contractor is accredited, or becomes accredited with Fletcher EQR; or you can also choose to ‘opt out’ of using Fletcher EQR.  If you choose to 'opt out', you will be responsible for managing all repairs, including ensuring that the repairs comply with the Building Act; that all necessary consents are obtained; and that any disputes with contractors are resolved.

For repairs over $100,000 (+ GST): If your property has a mortgage or other financial security on it, then we will pay the settlement amount to the lender. If your property is not subject to any loan or security, then we will pay you directly. We will refer your claim on to your insurer and they will contact you to discuss the resolution of your claim.

If your claim appears to be suitable for managed repair by Fletcher EQR, EQC will refer your claim to Fletcher EQR.  If not, your claim will be cash settled.

But a referral to Fletcher EQR is not a final decision by EQC to repair your property. Further information may come to light during the Fletcher EQR process resulting in EQC deciding to cash settle part or all of your claim (for example pre-existing construction defects or ’leaky home’ issues) that are not insured under the Earthquake Commission Act 1993 (EQC Act).

EQC will only make a final decision to reinstate any part of a property with damage or issues not covered under the EQC Act when it commences or continues to repair the relevant part of the property with full knowledge of the particular damage or issues not insured under the EQC Act.

Yes. Someone must be at the property for an assessment as the assessor must inspect the inside of the property.

EQC will notify claimants before an assessment as they will need to be present during the assessment.

After the EQC assessors visit your home, they will give the information to our claim officers who will:

• collate and analyse your claims since September 2010.
• calculate the monetary value of the damage, caused to your property by each event since September 2010, which has been identified by the full assessment. EQC is required to determine the amount of damage caused by each event.

After this process, we will be able to resolve your claim in one of two ways:

1. If your claim exceeds the maximum amount available from EQC, we will refer your claim onto your insurer. They will contact you to discuss the resolution of your claim.
2. If your claim is within the maximum cover provided by EQC and has no structural damage, we will settle the claim directly with you, or if there is structural damage we will pass your claim to our project manager Fletcher Construction who will, acting on our behalf, manage the repair process.
   • You can choose to opt out of using Fletcher. This means you will be responsible for managing all repairs and ensuring that the repairs comply with the Building Act; resolving any disputes that may occur; and all necessary consents.
   • Alternatively if you have a preferred contractor you may remain in the Fletcher process if your contractor is accredited, or becomes accredited with Fletcher.  For further information about the Fletcher repairs or the opting out process: www.eqr.co.nz or phone our call centre on 0800 DAMAGE (0800 326 243).

We will advise you of the outcome within a month of your assessment. After your assessment EQC will research your claim – including looking at previous claims lodged since 4 September and any previous assessments and payments already made – and decide how to proceed. Depending on the amount of damage and the amount of EQC cover available in the individual customers’s circumstances, the claim may be referred to our project managers Fletcher Construction for repair, or be referred to the insurer.

Your insurer will decide whether or not to write off your house. This decision is not made by EQC.

If you believe your house is unsafe you should contact the Christchurch City Council on 03 941 8999. EQC does not decide whether houses are safe or red sticker properties.

If you need urgent repairs, are have been impacted by earthquakes in Canterbury, you should contact EQC on 0800 DAMAGE (0800 326 243) and we will organise for the repairs through Fletcher EQR to be done on your behalf. Urgent repairs are those that make your home safe, secure, sanitary and weather resistant.

If you do choose to have work completed, and it has not been approved by Fletcher EQR and EQC, you are liable for the cost of this repair until such time that EQC accepts the invoice. 

Any costs resulting from safety checks or inspections initiated by a property owner are the property owner's responsibility. If there is earthquake damage identified as a result of an inspection, EQC may repay the cost of the inspection and the cost of repairs according to our policies. 

If you have insurance, EQC covers the cost of removal or disposal of liquefaction. Make sure you get a tax invoice from the contractor and keep any receipts such as tip receipts so that you can claim back costs from the EQC, if this work was caused by earthquake.

If you need urgent repairs, you should contact EQC on 0800 DAMAGE (0800 326 243) and we will organise for the repairs through Fletcher EQR to be done on your behalf. Urgent repairs are those that make your home safe, secure, sanitary and weather resistant.

If for some reason you choose to engage with a contractor to do your repairs without contacting us, and it has not been approved by Fletcher EQR and EQC, you are liable for the cost of this repair until such time that EQC accepts the invoice. 

For repairs between $10,000 & $100,000 (+ GST)  EQC will work with Fletcher EQR to manage your permanent repairs; or if you have a preferred contractor you may remain in the Fletcher EQR process if your contractor is accredited, or becomes accredited with Fletcher EQR or you can choose to ‘opt out’ of using Fletcher EQR. To find out about the Fletcher EQR managed repair process visit their website www.eqr.co.nz

A referral for repair to Fletcher EQR is not a final decision by EQC to repair the relevant property. Where damage comes to light during the Fletcher EQR scope of works process that is not insured under the Earthquake Commission Act 1993, EQC may cash settle part or all of the claim. EQC will only make a final decision to reinstate any part of a property with damage or issues covered under the EQC Act when it commences or continues to repair the relevant part of the property with full knowledge of the particular damage or issues not insured under the EQC Act.

Yes.  If you do not wish to have EQC’s project managers Fletcher Construction perform the work and manage the process, you may use a contractor of your choice either by opting out of the process or by contacting Fletcher Construction to see if your contractor is accredited with Fletchers by emailing: contractor@eqr.co.nz

• If your contractor is accredited, they will do the repairs but all liability, quality audits, building consents, heating issues around the repairs will be managed by Fletcher Construction.
• If your contractor is not accredited, you can suggest they apply for accreditation by contacting Fletcher Construction. An accreditation process has been established to give people certainty about the qualifications and experience of contractors. Those with recognised industry accreditation (such as Master Builders and Certified Builders) qualify automatically for accreditation but are assessed for their capabilities. Others need to complete a specially-established accreditation process – there is further information on that at: www.eqr.co.nz or email contractor@eqr.co.nz
• You can opt out of using Fletcher Construction to manage your building process. It involves some risk on your part as you will need to manage the building process, including any building consents etc. If the work completed is over the EQC assessed value of work, you will have to pay the difference. Please call EQC on 0800 DAMAGE (0800 326 243) to request an “Opt Out’ form, and see this section of our website for more information. 

You will need to obtain a fully detailed quote from your builder. The quote must cover the same areas as those detailed on the scope of works completed by the EQC estimators.The quotation, in its entirety, must be submitted to EQC for approval before proceeding with any repair work. Once EQC has accepted the quote, the builder may begin the repair work. Progress payments can be made by EQC after receiving a valid tax invoice to cover the costs of completed work only.

Impact damage is where an element or part of a building sustains earthquake damage and then breaks away or collapses causing damage to another part of the building.  An example is a chimney that has collapsed and caused damage to roof tiles.

Structural damage refers to damage that requires an element to be removed and replaced, such as major cracking to plaster-board or external cladding that has been dislodged. It also relates to damaged foundations, roof structures and internal framing, where damage to the property is significant structural damage and could affect the overall structural integrity of the dwelling.

Cosmetic damage refers to damage that can be repaired without having to move the damaged element from its original location, such as minor cracking to plaster-board.
 

All our assessor staff carry EQC photo ID. Our photo IDs have security features including watermarks.  If you have any doubts about the authenticity of the photo ID produced call us on 0800 DAMAGE (0800 326 243) or the Police.

Yes. Call 0800 DAMAGE (0800 326 243) to book an appointment to see our EQC Community Contact Team at:

• Earthquake Assistance Centre Avondale
• Earthquake Assistance Centre Kaiapoi
• Beckenham Service Centre
• City Civic Offices

EQC staff are available to meet with customers who need help with their claims, or simply have questions or issues they’d like resolved. Priority will be given to people who live in the red zone. 

See the Where we are working section of our website for more information.

For information and emergency financial support call the Government Helpline on 0800 779 997. For non-English speakers, Language Line is available on 0800 656 656. If you, your family, or someone you know needs someone to talk with, contact the Quake Support and Counselling Line on 0800 777 846.

You can read our e-Newsletter or sign up to receive it by emailing info@eqc.govt.nz with 'Sign up to EQConnects' in the subject line.

Facebook:  www.facebook.com/earthquakecommission

Twitter:  www.twitter.com/eqcnz

Youtube:  www.youtube.com/theEQC

EQC’s project managers Fletcher Construction website: www.eqr.co.nz

Call Centre:   0800 DAMAGE (0800 326 243)  

Canterbury Temporary Accommodation Service (CTAS) is available for homeowners - including those in the Red Zone - whose homes are uninhabitable and their insurance cover for temporary accommodation has or is about to run out.

Canterbury Temporary Accommodation Service can help with rent, board or motel stays. This is available to all eligible homeowners, regardless of income.

Visit www.quakeaccommodation.govt.nz for details.

Yes, when you make a claim include the Body Corporate number. They should also be listed as the Insured party.

Yes, but generally only the Body Corporate will receive the information and the Body Corporate secretary should pass on the information.

We can release information to the individual unit owners but we need permission by the Body Corporate secretary or property manager to do so. The owner's name and details can then be added to that claim but as per notes it is much easier if the only person with access to the file is the secretary /manager.

We can release information to the individual unit owners but we need permission by the Body Corporate secretary or property manager to do so. The owner's name and details can then be added to that claim but as per notes it is much easier if the only person with access to the file is the secretary /manager.