Canterbury residents rate dealing with the Earthquake Commission (EQC) and insurers as their main source of stress.

People are more anxious about recovery issues than they are about aftershocks, workplace safety and dealing with upset children, according to the latest wellbeing survey conducted for the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority.

AC Nielsen surveyed 2476 residents last September.

About 23% say dealing with the EQC and insurance issues has a negative impact on their daily life, down from 26% in April last year and 37% in September 2012.

About 26% are satisfied or very satisfied with the EQC, with 41% dissatisfied or very dissatisfied.

The satisfaction rating for private insurers is 33%, with 28% dissatisfaction.

The Insurance Council of New Zealand says insurers have paid out nearly $NZ2 billion ($1.89 billion) since the survey.

“We’re interested in whether lumping the EQC and insurance companies in the survey is appropriate, given insurers are dealing with only 13% of the total residential dwelling claims,” a spokesman told insuranceNEWS.com.au. 

“And, of course, the stresses involved in a rebuild or the major repairs insurers are handling are completely different to the stresses of the minor repairs the EQC undertakes.”

He says commercial claims have been settled much faster than the larger number of residential claims that may involve interaction between the EQC and private insurers, and insurance issues in relation to business or work negatively affect only 12% of respondents.