IAG received 41,596 weather claims in New Zealand during September-February – five times more than the 8293 received in the same period a year earlier.  

The total includes 14,396 for Cyclone Gabrielle – which had climbed to 21,000 by Tuesday – and 23,497 for January’s record North Island floods. 

The two events generated more weather-related claims than IAG had received in the previous two-and-a-half years, says CEO of IAG brands AMI, State and NZI Amanda Whiting.  

“The impact these storms have had on our country is profound,” she said. “These events are not only becoming more frequent but impacting more people, some repeatedly, and the level of property damage is significant.  

“Clearly our climate is changing and our future weather patterns will be different to what we have seen in the past.” 

A survey of 1000 people in late February found New Zealanders concerned about weather events has almost doubled to a record high of 83%, yet only around two-thirds of people in the upper North Island and a third in the lower North Island prepared for either storm despite weather warnings.  

The survey “gave a sense that people felt they wouldn’t personally be impacted, which as we can see from the claims numbers is simply not true,” Ms Whiting said, noting IAG presented a plan to government in August calling for it to identify the most flood-prone locations across New Zealand, agree to stop building there, and invest in flood-protection infrastructure. 

“That plan is more relevant than ever,” Ms Whiting said. “Inaction won’t just result in higher insurance costs but in the further loss of lives and livelihoods and in the fear and trauma of loss in communities across the country. 

“We want to keep insurance available and affordable for all. But ultimately, we need to reduce the risk and impact of flooding.”