Insurers have received an influx of early claims and expect many more to be lodged after torrential rainfall overnight caused severe flooding and damage in West Auckland, hitting a region that remains under stringent COVID-19 restrictions.

IAG says it has received 320 claims across its brands, including AMI, State, NZI, Lumley, Lantern, NAC and Swann as well as through bank partners.

“The majority of claims to date are for home insurance, followed by contents and private motor vehicles. We expect these claims numbers to increase over the coming days,” EGM Claims Dean MacGregor said.

The insurer says it’s working closely with local authorities to coordinate the recovery effort on the ground, which includes ensuring people and service providers, such as builders, cleaning companies and drying teams, are operating as safely as possible under the COVID restrictions.

New Zealand’s Alert Level 4 rules mean people can only leave home for a handful of reasons. Essential shops such as supermarkets and pharmacies are open, but other retail outlets including takeaway services are closed.

Vero Executive Manager for Claims Event Response Matthew Williams says insurers are still able to make urgent repairs to make homes safe and secure, assist customers with accommodation and begin the process of drying out homes and businesses.

“To date Vero has received over 80 claims related to the flooding in west Auckland, but this number is rising rapidly and from what we have seen we expect that this may be a major event,” he said.

“COVID-19 restrictions make this difficult time even harder for our customers and we urge them to reach out and lodge a claim as soon as possible so that we can assist them.”

The Insurance Council of New Zealand says all members have confirmed that processes have been established to ensure necessary steps are taken to limit or eliminate the risk of spreading COVID-19.

CEO Tim Grafton says the process to assess the resulting damage is likely to look different than normal, with insurers likely to use a variety of socially distanced methods such as video.

“Clearing silt, drying out houses, and getting resources and tradespeople to undertake repairs is likely to be very different at present,” he said. “We expect the initial response from insurers will be to complete make-safe repairs with insurers doing everything they can to help their customers as quickly as possible.”

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says Fire and Emergency New Zealand had responded to about 370 incidents as of this morning and Auckland Emergency Management has been undertaking a preliminary reconnaissance in the area.

“There will be no definitive numbers with respect to damaged properties and affected people until that assessment has been completed,” she told a briefing.

“I know for Aucklanders this weather event must feel like another blow at an already incredibly difficult time, and some of the damage I’ve seen to people’s homes is just devastating.”

Kumeu experienced its second wettest day on record, with 208.2mm falling in the 24 hours to 9am this morning, while other localised parts of north and west Auckland received falls of more than 100mm.

New Zealand reported 49 COVID-19 cases today, all in Auckland, with the number on a downward trajectory. The city will remain at Alert Level 4 until September 14, while the country south of Auckland will tomorrow move to Level 3 restrictions.