New Zealand’s Earthquake Commission (EQC) has received Kaikoura quake claims from as far away as Auckland in the north to the nation’s far south.

The distance from the quake epicentre to Auckland and to the southern city of Invercargill is more than 600km.

Claims arising from the November 14 quake have risen to 16,652 as of this morning, and EQC Head of Customer and Claims Trish Keith says early estimates suggest up to 50,000 may be lodged before the February 14 deadline.

“What is noticeable at this early stage is that the impact of the event has been felt over a large geographical area and the EQC has received claims from both urban and rural customers from Auckland down to Southland,” she told insuranceNEWS.com.au last week.

The commission says people should not wait to lodge claims, which can be updated later if additional damage is found.

“The EQC is working with the Insurance Council of New Zealand and private insurers on negotiating a co-ordinated approach to how and when assessments will take place,” Ms Keith said.

“The aim is to simplify the claims process for customers and to make the best use of the country’s overall assessment expertise.”

Meanwhile, the commission is close to finalising land claims from the major Canterbury quakes in 2010 and 2011.

By the end of this month it expects to have resolved 97% of land claims from about 73,000 “green zone” properties, although some customers will receive their settlement next year.

“We’ve been working to get an answer to all land customers waiting to hear from us this year,” Ms Keith says in an update on the EQC website. “While we have worked hard to ensure customers have received their land settlement, we are conscious that some are still waiting.”

Resolution of claims means either payments are made to customers or they are advised they do not qualify for land damage classified as increased flooding vulnerability or increased liquefaction vulnerability.

“There are the last of the most complex claims that we need to settle, and we will do our best to continue to deliver robust settlements that can give homeowners confidence all properties have been assessed fairly and consistently,” Ms Keith says.

The EQC has also resolved 90% of the 13,879 claims arising from quakes in the Canterbury region on February 14 and 29 this year, paying cash settlements worth $NZ46 million ($44 million).

A new approach for the February quakes involved on-site and phone-based assessments, with customers given the opportunity to provide damage data and photographic evidence.

Claims have taken an average of three weeks to reach settlement from assessment.