# CL-C-01: We've been burgled and I don't have receipts for some of the stolen things. Can I still make a contents claim? Collected 11 October 2026 [Home and contents insurance study](https://nzbrands.ai/research/insurance/home-contents-insurance) ## ChatGPT Answer ID: 971c220d-aa27-443e-a7fe-9768243c568a I’m sorry you’ve been burgled. It’s a horrible experience to have your belongings taken, and having to prove what you owned can make an already stressful situation even harder. Yes — in New Zealand, you can generally still make a contents insurance claim even if you don’t have receipts for some of the stolen items. Missing receipts do not automatically mean your claim will be rejected. Your insurer will need to be satisfied that you owned the items, that they were stolen, and what they were worth. Receipts are one way to show this, but there may be other forms of evidence you can provide. ## What you can use instead of receipts The Insurance Council of New Zealand and Consumer Protection recommend looking for other evidence of ownership and value. Useful examples include: [How to Make an Insurance Claim](https://www.icnz.org.nz/individuals/making-a-claim/)[Insurance](https://www.consumerprotection.govt.nz/help-product-service/managing-money/insurance) - Photos or videos showing the items in your home or you using them. - Bank or credit card statements showing purchases. - Emails, online order histories or Trade Me messages confirming a purchase. - Warranty documents, manuals or product registrations. - Valuations for jewellery, watches, artwork or other valuables. - Retailer records — some stores can retrieve old purchases. - Other photos that show the items in the background, such as family photos or pictures of your home. You can also make a list of the missing items with their brand, model, approximate age, original purchase price and estimated replacement cost. ## What to do now 1. Report the burglary to NZ Police if you haven't already, and keep the reference number. You can report stolen property online through [NZ Police](https://www.police.govt.nz/use-105/stolen-property). [Stolen/Attempted to steal property](https://www.police.govt.nz/use-105/stolen-property) 2. Contact your insurer and lodge the claim promptly. Don't leave items off your list just because you lack receipts. 3. Gather alternative evidence for each item. Tell your insurer honestly when you cannot find documentation and ask what other evidence they'll accept. 4. Check limits and special conditions in your policy, particularly for jewellery, watches, cash, electronics and other high-value items. Your excess and the policy's rules on replacement value versus present value may also affect the payout. [How to Make an Insurance Claim](https://www.icnz.org.nz/individuals/making-a-claim/)[How to get the best house and contents insurance](https://www.consumer.org.nz/money/insurance/house-and-contents-insurance/guide) ## What if the insurer says you can't claim without receipts? Ask them to explain in writing what proof they require and which policy term they are relying on. If you disagree with their decision, use the insurer's formal complaints process. If it remains unresolved, you can contact the relevant independent insurance dispute resolution scheme. See [New Zealand Consumer Protection's insurance guidance](https://www.consumerprotection.govt.nz/help-product-service/managing-money/insurance) for more information. Can I ask you two quick questions to help with your situation? - Which insurance company are you with? - What sorts of things were stolen without receipts — for example, clothing, electronics, jewellery, tools or household items? I can help you work out what evidence is likely to be useful for those specific items. ## Gemini Answer ID: 40e3e13e-7323-4330-a7fe-37131228beb4 Yes, **you can still make an insurance contents claim even if you do not have receipts** for some of your stolen items. While insurance companies prefer receipts to streamline the process, missing proof of purchase is very common—especially for older items, gifts, cash purchases, or things bought secondhand. --- ### How to Prove Ownership Without Receipts Insurance providers in New Zealand understand that people rarely keep receipts for every household item. To support your claim without them, you can provide alternative forms of evidence: * **Photographs and Videos:** Look through your phone’s camera roll, social media posts, or home videos in the background of which the items might appear. * **Bank or Credit Card Statements:** Transaction history showing a purchase from a relevant retailer around the time you bought the item. * **Original Packaging or Manuals:** Photos of boxes, user manuals, or warranties you may still have stored away. * **Serial Numbers:** If you registered the product online for a warranty or have old insurance policies/valuations, serial numbers can help verify ownership. * **Warranties or Repair Records:** Past records of servicing or repairing the item. * **Statutory Declaration:** For items where no documentation exists, insurers will often ask you to sign a statutory declaration detailing what was stolen, when/where you bought it, and its estimated value. --- ### What Insurers Need Instead of Receipts When a receipt is missing, the claims assessor will typically look for: 1. **Proof it existed in your home:** (Photos, background of a video, empty boxes). 2. **Age and Condition:** An estimate of how old the item was, as insurers usually pay out based on **indemnity value** (current market value accounting for depreciation) or **replacement value** depending on your specific policy wording (e.g., "New for Old"). --- ### Next Steps for Your Claim 1. **Lodge a Police Report:** You will need a Police acknowledgment number (or job number) before your insurer can process your contents claim. 2. **List Everything:** Write down a detailed inventory of all stolen items, noting the brand, model, approximate age, and where/when you acquired them. 3. **Be Honest:** Never exaggerate a claim. Insurers cross-check details, and providing accurate estimates builds trust with the assessor. ## AI Overviews Answer ID: af9a225c-fdea-4b52-959c-bd03a9233a47 I am so sorry to hear that you have been burgled. Dealing with the violation of a break-in is stressful enough without the added headache of trying to track down paperwork. **Yes, you can absolutely still make a contents insurance claim** even if you do not have receipts for some of your stolen items. While New Zealand insurers require **proof of ownership** to prevent fraud, they are legally obligated to be realistic and flexible about what they accept. They understand that people do not keep receipts for every item they buy over a lifetime. You can use several alternative forms of evidence to back up your claim. Alternative Proof of Ownership Think creatively to establish that you owned the items: * **Financial Records:** Log into your internet banking or check old credit card statements. Look for transactions from specific retailers where you bought the items. * **Photos and Videos:** Search your phone or cloud storage for background photos. Pictures of birthdays, holidays, or mirror selfies often capture items like electronics, jewelry, or distinct clothing pieces in the background. * **Digital Footprints:** Check your email for online order confirmations, tax invoices, or history from platforms like Trade Me, Mighty Ape, or Apple/Google accounts. * **Leftover Accessories:** If you still have the item’s original box, physical instruction manuals, charging cables, spare parts, or warranty cards, these can serve as strong proof. * **Retailer Records:** If you bought an item using a store loyalty card or account (e.g., JB Hi-Fi, Noel Leeming, Kathmandu), contact them. They can often print out your purchase history. Essential First Steps for Your Claim To ensure your claim goes as smoothly as possible with providers like AA Insurance, [Tower](https://www.tower.co.nz/claims/), [AMI](https://www.ami.co.nz/claims), or [Vero](https://www.vero.co.nz/claims/contents.html): 1. **File a Police Report:** You must report the burglary to the New Zealand Police immediately. Your insurer will strictly require the **Police Acknowledgement Report number** before they can process a theft claim. 2. **List Everything:** Walk through your home and make a comprehensive list of what is missing. Note down approximate purchase dates, brands, model numbers, and replacement values. 3. **Be Completely Honest:** Avoid guessing wildly or exaggerating values. It is much better to tell your claims manager, _"I don't have the exact receipt for this laptop, but here is a photo of me using it at Christmas,"_ than to guess incorrectly. Honesty keeps the process moving. If you run into any major resistance from your insurer over an item, remember that you have the right to escalate it through their internal complaints process, or take it to the free Insurance & Financial Services Ombudsman (IFSO) Scheme for an independent review. To help you figure out the best next steps, **what are the main high-value items** that were taken? Also, do you know **which insurance company** you are with? ## Google AI Mode Answer ID: 9e65653a-281f-4054-ad68-62b5cb17fda6 **Yes, you can still make a contents claim** even if you don't have receipts for everything. While receipts are the easiest form of proof, New Zealand insurers understand that people don't keep every receipt for years. To support your claim without a receipt, you can use alternative proof of ownership and value: * * **Bank or credit card statements** showing the purchase from the retailer. * **Photos or videos** of your home that accidentally or clearly show the items in use. * **Serial numbers, user manuals, or warranties** kept in a drawer or registered online with the manufacturer. * **Original packaging or spare parts/accessories** left behind for the item. * **Emails or online order confirmations** if you bought the item digitally. * **A description and estimated age/condition** of the item; for older or common items, insurers will often use depreciation guidelines or replacement cost estimates. * If you run into disputes or need guidance on how complaints are handled if an insurer pushes back unfairly, you can look at resources from the Insurance & Financial Services Ombudsman (IFSO) Scheme or guidance via [Consumer NZ](https://www.consumer.org.nz/). To help me give you more relevant details, could you let me know: * **Which insurance company** you are with? * **What kinds of items** are missing receipts (e.g., electronics, furniture, clothing)?