# RD-SL-24: My car was flooded in Southland. The insurer wants it repaired miles away and I can't get there easily. What can I do? Collected 11 October 2026 [Car insurance study](https://nzbrands.ai/research/insurance/car-insurance) ## ChatGPT Answer ID: 4223ce0a-e425-4434-a673-ec858fb78788 I'm sorry you're dealing with this. Having your car flooded in Southland is stressful enough without being told to get it repaired somewhere that's difficult to reach. You can push back on the insurer's proposed repair location. You may not automatically have the right to choose any repairer you want, but you can ask the insurer to arrange a practical local alternative, cover reasonable transport costs, or explain why its preferred repairer is necessary under your policy. The key is to make this a question of reasonable access, transport costs and your insurance policy, rather than simply accepting the repair location they've chosen. ## What I would do next 1. Ask for a repairer closer to you or the vehicle. Explain that the proposed location is impractical and ask whether the insurer can approve a local repairer with suitable flood-damage expertise. 2. Ask them to arrange and pay for transport. If the car cannot safely be driven, ask whether they will organise towing or vehicle transport. Also ask whether your policy covers a rental car or other temporary transport. 3. Check whether you can choose your own repairer. Some policies let you choose, while others limit the insurer's liability to the amount it would have paid its preferred repairer. [Car insurance: How to make a claim](https://www.consumer.org.nz/money/insurance/car-insurance/car-insurance-what-it-covers-and-how-to-claim)[Can I choose my own vehicle repairer?](https://www.aainsurance.co.nz/help/article/360020398672-Can-I-choose-my-own-vehicle-repairer) 4. Ask why the distant repairer is necessary. Flood damage can require specialist inspection and electrical or mechanical work. Ask whether a nearby workshop can do the assessment, with specialist work arranged if needed. 5. Escalate if they refuse. Make a formal complaint to the insurer and request a written explanation. If you cannot resolve it, you can approach the insurer's free, independent dispute resolution scheme. [Making a complaint about your financial service provider](https://www.consumerprotection.govt.nz/help-product-service/managing-money/how-to-complain-about-your-financial-service-provider)[Resolving disputes and claims](https://www.nzcrs.govt.nz/our-services/resolving-disputes-and-claims/) ## A message you can send your insurer Email Subject : Request to reconsider vehicle repair location – flood damage claim Kia ora, I am contacting you about my vehicle insurance claim following the flooding in Southland. I have been advised that my vehicle needs to be repaired at a location that is a considerable distance away and that I cannot easily get to. This creates significant practical and transport difficulties for me. I would like you to reconsider the proposed arrangements and advise whether you can: - Approve a suitably qualified repairer closer to the vehicle or to where I live. - Arrange and cover the reasonable cost of transporting the vehicle to an appropriate repairer. - Confirm whether my policy provides cover for a rental vehicle or alternative transport while my vehicle is being assessed and repaired. If you believe the proposed repairer is the only suitable option, please explain why a closer repairer cannot be used and identify the relevant provisions of my policy. I would appreciate a practical solution that allows my claim to proceed without placing an unreasonable transport burden on me. Please treat this email as a formal complaint if these concerns cannot be resolved through the usual claims process. Ngā mihi, [Your name] [Claim number] ## If you cannot reach an agreement - Insurance & Financial Services Ombudsman (IFSO): [ifso.nz](https://www.ifso.nz/) — free, independent help with eligible complaints about member insurers. - Financial Services Complaints Ltd: [fscl.org.nz](https://fscl.org.nz/) — another independent dispute resolution scheme, depending on your insurer. [Insurance & Financial Services Ombudsman Scheme](https://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/others-who-can-help/complaints-a-z/insurance-financial-services-ombudsman-scheme)[Financial Services Complaints Ltd](https://www.ombudsman.parliament.nz/others-who-can-help/complaints-a-z/financial-services-complaints-ltd) ## Let me help you work out your strongest option There are two details that would make a real difference to what you can reasonably ask for. Which insurance company are you with, and where is the car currently located? For example, is it still in Southland, or has it already been moved somewhere else? With that information, I can help you work out whether to push for a local repairer, insurer-funded transport, or another arrangement under your insurer's actual policy. ## Gemini Answer ID: 85800f08-206d-41cb-a347-6b275f52852d Dealing with vehicle damage from a flood is stressful enough without your insurer mandating a repairer a long distance away. When your car is located in a widespread region like Southland, having to move it far away can create significant logistical hurdles. Here are the practical steps you can take to handle this situation with your insurance provider: ### 1. Request Transport Logistics and Costs to Be Covered * **The Insurer's Obligation:** If your insurance policy specifies that repairs must be carried out by their approved repairer, and that repairer is miles away, **the insurer is generally responsible for arranging and paying for the transport** of your vehicle (such as a professional towing service or transporter) to and from that workshop. * **Action:** Contact your claims manager immediately and state that you cannot easily get the car there. Ask them to organise and cover 100% of the transport costs. ### 2. Ask for a Closer Alternative (Preferred Repairer Network) * **Local Options:** Insurers typically prefer "preferred repairers" because they have pre-existing commercial arrangements with them. However, given Southland’s geography, forcing you to travel great distances may not be deemed "reasonable" under the circumstances. * **Action:** Ask your insurer if there is a closer, approved or certified repairer (even an independent one they are willing to authorize) closer to your location. Point out the impracticality and cost of transporting a flood-damaged vehicle long distances. ### 3. Request a Cash Settlement or Alternative Assessment * **Write-Off or Cashout:** If the vehicle has extensive water/flood damage, the cost of transporting it combined with the repairs might approach its market value. Alternatively, you can ask if they would consider providing a cash settlement (paying out the estimated cost of repairs directly to you) so you can deal with a local mechanic or handle the vehicle locally. * *Note:* Keep in mind that cash settlements sometimes come with conditions regarding your policy or future cover, so weigh this option carefully. ### 4. Escalate Through Internal Dispute Resolution (IDR) * If your claims manager refuses to budge on transport or local options, you have the right to formally push back. * **Action:** Ask to log a formal complaint through your insurer's internal dispute resolution process. Under the **Fair Insurance Code** in New Zealand, insurers must acknowledge complaints within 5 business days and provide a final response within two months. ### 5. Escalate to an Independent External Ombudsman * If your insurer still refuses to compromise after you've gone through their internal complaints process, you can take the dispute to their approved external dispute resolution scheme at **no cost**: * **Insurance & Financial Services Ombudsman (IFSO) Scheme** * **Financial Services Complaints Limited (FSCL)** * These bodies handle disputes transparently and can look into whether the insurer's requirements are fair and reasonable under the terms of your policy. --- **Next Step:** Would you like help finding your specific insurer's dispute resolution contact details or guidance on drafting an email to your claims manager? ## AI Overviews Answer ID: 1ba2993d-a149-4d36-9d78-f03a68da6db4 If your vehicle has been flooded in Southland and your insurer is requesting it be repaired far away, you have specific consumer rights under New Zealand insurance practices to resolve this logistical issue. 1\. Exercise Your "Choice of Repairer" In New Zealand, many comprehensive car insurance policies allow for a **choice of repairer**. You are generally not obligated to accept the specific workshop your insurer nominates. * **Action:** Check your policy wording under sections like "How we settle claims" or "Choosing a repairer". Inform your insurer that you want to use a reputable, local, Collision Repair Association (CRA) approved panel beater in Southland instead. * **Note:** If your policy allows a chosen repairer, the insurer will typically pay either the assessor's estimated cost or what it would have cost them at their preferred shop. 2\. Request Transport and Travel Coverage If your policy strictly binds you to their preferred network (such as an in-house facility like IAG's Repairhub or an AA Insurance / AMI approved shop), the logistical burden should not fall entirely on you. * **Towing/Transport:** Because flood damage renders a car unsafe or undriveable, your insurer must cover the cost of towing the vehicle to the designated repair facility. * **Vehicle Retrieval:** Request that the insurer provide a drop-off service or cover your reasonable transport costs (e.g., a rental car, bus fare, or petrol allowance) to collect the vehicle once it is finished. 3\. Ask for a Cash Settlement If finding a local repairer is difficult or the logistics remain unworkable, you can request a **cash settlement**. Your insurer may pay you the estimated cost of the repairs directly. You can then hold onto the funds and arrange the repairs locally in Southland at your own pace. 4\. Challenge a Unreasonable Directive Insurers are bound to act reasonably. Forcing a customer to travel an unreasonable distance without assisting with transit can be grounds for a formal complaint. * If they refuse to cooperate, request their decision in writing. * Lodge a formal complaint with the insurer's internal dispute team. If unresolved, you can escalate it for free to the Insurance & Financial Services Ombudsman Scheme (IFSO). To help narrow down your options, could you let me know: * Who is your **insurance provider**? * Does your car **currently drive** , or is it **completely out of action**? * Did the insurer state **why** they selected a repairer so far away (e.g., severe structural/electrical specialist requirements)? ## Google AI Mode Answer ID: 843b777e-d5bb-4a6e-8ddd-650ffb855328 Dealing with a flooded vehicle is stressful enough, and being told it has to go to a repairer far outside your region adds a major logistical headache. Here are the practical steps you can take to handle this situation with your insurer in New Zealand: 1. **Review your policy wording** Check your specific car insurance policy document regarding "repairer choice" or "transport/tow costs." Some policies specify that the insurer has the right to nominate an approved or preferred repairer, but they are also typically responsible for managing the logistics or covering reasonable transport/relocation costs if they require it moved a long distance. 2. **Discuss transport logistics and costs** Call your insurer and clearly explain that getting the vehicle to their chosen repairer is impractical and poses a significant personal/financial burden. Ask them explicitly: _Are they arranging and paying for the long-distance transport (towage or trucking) of the vehicle both ways, or providing a suitable replacement/loan vehicle while it's miles away?_ Often, if they insist on a specific out-of-town shop, they should shoulder the burden of moving it. 3. **Propose a local alternative or quote** Ask if you can get a quote or assessment from a closer, MTA-approved (Motor Trade Association) repairer in your local area. Insurers often prefer their network shops for cost reasons, but if the cost difference is marginal or if transport costs make their option uneconomical, they may agree to authorize a local specialist to inspect the flood damage. 4. **Discuss a cash settlement or write-off evaluation** Given that the car was flooded, water damage can sometimes lead to hidden electrical issues down the track, making extensive repairs borderline or uneconomical. Ask them to reassess whether the vehicle should be treated as a write-off (total loss) rather than undergoing massive transport and complex flood remediation miles away. Alternatively, ask if a cash settlement is an option so you can deal with a local resolution or dispose of the vehicle locally. [Insurspy] 5. **Escalate through the internal dispute process** If the claims handler is unyielding and you feel their requirement is unreasonable, ask to speak to a team leader or lodge a formal complaint through the insurer's internal dispute resolution process. Every regulated insurer in New Zealand must have a formal complaints path. 6. **Contact the Insurance & Financial Services Ombudsman (IFSO)** If your insurer’s internal complaints process reaches a deadlock (or takes longer than two months), you can take your case to the Insurance & Financial Services Ombudsman Scheme. Their service is free, independent, and covers financial service providers across New Zealand. If you'd like, let me know: * **Who your insurance provider is** * Whether they are offering to **pay for the transport/towing** of the car I can give you more tailored advice on your policy rights.