Environment / Climate

Insurance expert: Floods a wakeup call to two-thirds of Kiwis

09:28 am on 20 July 2021

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An insurance expert says the weekend's flooding at Westport should be a warning to the two-thirds of New Zealanders who live on a flood plain. Melissa Heath is director of Residential Risk Analysis, which advises councils on climate change-induced disaster risk and helps would-be homebuyers with potential insurance and financial issues with a property before purchase. She says New Zealand is unique in that insurers still cover events that wouldn't be covered overseas - but premiums are steadily increasing and homeowners are often under-insured.

Buller High School and surrounds in Westport, flooding, 17 July 2021 Photo: Supplied/NZ Defence Force