Natural Hazards Commission Toka Tu Ake has encouraged New Zealand homebuyers to have “their eyes open about natural hazards” when deciding on purchases. 

Chief resilience and research officer Jo Horrocks says the commission has produced a one-page checklist to help buyers.  

“We know that 84% of people who have recently bought or are considering buying a property have natural hazard risks on their minds, but we don’t know if this translates to ticking all the essential natural hazard boxes,” Ms Horrocks said.  

“This includes getting a pre-purchase inspection from an accredited provider, understanding what insurance is available for the house and especially for the land, as well as looking at the Natural Hazards Portal before buying a new home.”  

The portal provides access to more than 360,000 NHC-settled claims, allowing users to view mapping and causes of loss.  

“We know that only one in three New Zealanders confidently understand their insurance, but we also know that when people are buying a home, they are more likely to pay attention to the details,” Ms Horrocks said. “We urge homebuyers to pay attention to the limits of [natural hazards cover] for land. It is often only a contribution to repairs, so it’s important to understand the risks to the property and think about how you’d cover any shortfall in cover if the worst happened.”  

She says buyers can also check local council files on a property and should observe what home features could be most at risk from a natural hazard.  

“Doing due diligence on a property will ensure a home is as resilient as it can be in the face of the natural hazards our country is prone to.”