Evidence · Home and contents insurance

Every question, every answer, every source

Explore all 372 home and contents insurance questions and the 1,476 answers saved on 11 October 2026. Read the original responses and download the tables behind the study’s comparisons, sources, sentiment and factual checks.

questions
372
answers saved, of 1488 planned
1476
consumer situations
12
named regions
16
AI platforms
4

01

Every question, with its answers

Each question went to the four AI platforms. All were collected with a New Zealand setting. Open a question to read every captured answer in full.

Showing 20 of 372 questions

02

The tables behind the study

Every figure on the study page comes from these tables. They are CSV files, which open in any spreadsheet.

  • Questions

    questions.csv

    One row per question, with its exact saved wording.

    Question ID, source references, question, consumer situation, named regions, question group and collection setting

  • Answers

    answers.csv

    One row per captured answer, with its full text.

    Answer ID, question ID, platform, collection setting, consumer situation, named regions and full answer

  • Sources by answer

    sources.csv

    One row per website recorded as a source of an answer.

    Answer ID, question ID, assistant, collection setting, website and publisher type

  • Checks against primary sources

    checks.csv

    One row per stated assertion checked, for one platform.

    Check, question and answer IDs, assistant, exact passage, verdict, primary-source finding, URL and date

  • Consumer recommendation coding

    consumer-recommendation-coding.csv

    One row per reviewed provider role in a consumer-selection answer.

    Answer ID, question ID, consumer, platform, provider, role, counted recommendation, exact passage and conditions

  • Consumer selection membership

    consumer-selection-membership.csv

    One row per answer in the matched consumer-selection comparison.

    Answer ID, question ID, consumer, platform, question group and full text; twelve home and twelve contents selection questions, with missing captures preserved

  • Ongoing support coding

    support-coding.csv

    One row per reviewed named-provider role in an eligible support answer.

    Answer ID, question ID, consumer, platform, provider, role, support-preference decision and exact passage

  • Ongoing support membership

    support-membership.csv

    One row per answer in the actual consumer-support group.

    Answer ID, question ID, consumer, platform, question group and full text; acquisition validation is excluded

  • Regional recommendation coding

    regional-recommendation-coding.csv

    One row per reviewed provider role in a region-named selection answer.

    Answer ID, question ID, named consumer region, platform, provider, recommendation decision and exact passage

  • Regional selection membership

    regional-selection-membership.csv

    One row per answer in the matched regional comparison.

    Answer ID, question ID, named consumer region, platform and equal-comparison membership; four home and three contents platform answers per region

  • Insurer sentiment

    insurer-sentiment.csv

    One row per unique saved claim about an insurer in a selection answer.

    Claim, question and answer IDs, insurer, saved stance, exact passage and original-answer offsets

  • Recorded source URLs

    source-urls.csv

    One row per recorded answer, website and URL association.

    Answer ID, question ID, platform, website, URL, source records and presence in the captured answer text

  • Matched consumer platform membership

    platform-membership.csv

    One row per answer in the identical-question platform comparison.

    Answer ID, question ID, product, consumer and platform; 22 identical questions per platform

  • Matched regional platform membership

    regional-platform-membership.csv

    One row per answer in the identical-question regional platform comparison.

    Answer ID, question ID, product, region and platform; 31 identical questions per platform

Use these tables to trace findings back to the original questions and answers. The full text of each answer is also on this page, under its question.

ChatGPT · New Zealand

Money is tight and I need to keep contents insurance affordable. Which NZ contents insurers should I look at?

If money is tight, I’d focus on affordable contents insurance that still covers the cost of replacing your essentials if they’re stolen, damaged by fire, or affected by another insured event. The cheapest premium isn’t always the cheapest option when you need to make a claim.

In New Zealand, it’s worth comparing several insurers directly, because your premium can vary with your address, the value of your belongings, your excess, and the type of cover you choose.

NZ contents insurers worth getting quotes from

I’d start with these options, comparing the same amount of cover and excess with each.

  1. AMP

Worth checking early if price is your priority. A 2026 comparison published by Quashed showed AMP offering relatively low quotes for some sample households, although that doesn't guarantee it will be cheapest for you. Compare Contents Insurance NZ (2026) | Quotes & Costs

AMP website

  1. AMI

A useful mainstream quote to compare against smaller providers. Check the excess, replacement-value cover and limits for electronics and valuables.

AMI website

  1. Cove

Worth including if you prefer getting a quote and managing your policy online. Cove offers standalone contents insurance for renters and homeowners, with policies underwritten by Vero Insurance New Zealand. Compare Contents Insurance Quotes NZ 2026

Cove website

  1. AA Insurance

Get a quote as another benchmark. Don't assume a familiar brand is automatically more expensive or cheaper; use your own quote to decide.

AA Insurance website

  1. Trade Me Insurance

Another option to compare for contents-only cover. Check the specific policy limits and whether the cover suits your belongings.

Trade Me Insurance website

  1. Tower

Worth a quote as an additional comparison. Check which cover level you need rather than paying extra for benefits you won't use.

Tower website

These are a shortlist to compare, not a guaranteed cheapest-to-most-expensive ranking. Quashed's 2026 sample quotes showed that the price order changed between households, sometimes by hundreds of dollars a year. Compare Contents Insurance NZ (2026) | Quotes & Costs

How to keep the premium down

  • Compare the same sum insured. Work out what it would cost to replace your belongings new, rather than guessing or using what you paid for them.
  • Consider a higher excess. A larger excess can reduce your premium, but only choose one you could afford to pay from your savings if you had to claim. Is it worth getting contents insurance if you rent?How to get the best house and contents insurance
  • Pay annually if you can afford the upfront cost. Monthly instalments may cost more overall, so check the total annual price.
  • Avoid unnecessary add-ons. Check whether you really need extra cover for specified valuables or accidental damage.
  • Don't cut the cover too far. Check replacement limits, theft exclusions, and whether your belongings are covered outside the home.

Consumer NZ has a useful contents insurance guide and a comparison of insurers. House and contents insuranceBest house and contents insurance

I can narrow this down for you

One important question first: are you renting or do you own your home?

That affects which insurers and policies are relevant, and I can help you focus on options that suit a tight budget without sacrificing essential cover.

Ask anything

ChatGPT can make mistakes. Check important info.

Captured 11 October 2026

Gemini · New Zealand

Money is tight and I need to keep contents insurance affordable. Which NZ contents insurers should I look at?

When money is tight, finding affordable contents insurance comes down to comparing multiple providers, as pricing varies dramatically depending on your location, sum insured, and excess choice. In New Zealand, major insurers and direct/online brands offer competitive options to look into:

  • AMP: Frequently appears on comparison platforms among the more affordable options for basic tiers, offering competitive introductory rates.
  • State Insurance & AMI: Part of the IAG group, these mainstream insurers regularly offer mid-range pricing, online discounts, and bundled policy savings if you group home and contents together.
  • AA Insurance: Known for strong customer service and standard multi-policy discounts, making them a solid baseline to compare against.
  • Tower & Trade Me Insurance: Tower offers flexible online sum-insured policies, and its digital-focused alternative (Trade Me Insurance) is structured to appeal to cost-conscious shoppers.

Smart Ways to Lower Your Contents Insurance Premium

  • Adjust Your Excess: Raising your voluntary excess (e.g., from $250 to $500 or $1,000) will immediately lower your regular premium. Just ensure it's an amount you could comfortably pay if you ever needed to make a claim.
  • Calculate Your Sum Insured Accurately: Avoid over-insuring your belongings. Take time to realistically value what it would cost to replace your items today rather than guessing high.
  • Use Comparison Tools: Platforms like Quashed allow you to compare multiple NZ insurance providers side-by-side to see which brand currently undercuts the others for your specific address and asset level.

If you like, I can guide you through how to use online insurance comparison tools or help calculate a realistic sum insured for your belongings. Do you want me to do that?

Ask Gemini

Gemini is AI and can make mistakes.

Captured 11 October 2026

AI Overviews · New Zealand

Money is tight and I need to keep contents insurance affordable. Which NZ contents insurers should I look at?

AI Overview

The national average cost of contents insurance in New Zealand is roughly $860 a year (or $72 a month). Because pricing varies significantly by up to 97% between the cheapest and most expensive quotes for the exact same coverage, checking budget-friendly providers and adjusting your policy settings is the best way to secure an affordable premium.

To keep your costs low, look into the following NZ contents insurers and practical steps to slash your premium:

Affordable & Value-Focused NZ Insurers to Look At

  • Tower Insurance : Offers tailored tiered policies to fit tight budgets, such as their Standard Cover , which provides basic, budget-friendly essentials cover (including up to $1,000 for glasses and $500 for a phone). They frequently run online promotions, such as $100 off new contents policies using promo codes like EASYSAVE (valid through January 30, 2027).

  • AMI Insurance : Recognized with value awards from Canstar. They offer competitive baseline pricing and frequently feature sign-up incentives, such as a $200 digital Visa card when bundling new home and contents policies together online.

  • State Insurance : A standard market baseline for competitive pricing, rated highly by Canstar for 5-Star outstanding value across their home and contents products. Their standard contents policy covers accidental loss, damage, or theft anywhere in NZ.

  • Cove Insurance : A digital-first, paperless provider designed for Kiwis who want simple online control. They are a highly competitive standalone option for renters or flatmates, allowing you to easily purchase contents cover entirely on its own without requiring a primary house policy.

  • AMP Insurance : Frequently flags as one of the sharpest price points in independent multi-provider comparison tests (such as the Quashed Market Scan) for house and contents packages.

Strategies to Instantly Drop Your Premium

If money is tight, you can significantly reduce your monthly or annual insurance bill by using these tactics:

  • Hike Your Voluntary Excess: Bumping your excess (the amount you pay out-of-pocket when making a claim) from a low standard like $250 up to $500, $1,000, or higher will instantly drop your regular premium costs. Just make sure you can afford the higher excess in an emergency.

  • Calculate an Accurate "Sum Insured": Do not over-insure. Walk through your rooms and estimate what it would actually cost to replace your clothes, linens, furniture, and electronics rather than guessing a high flat figure. Lowering your total sum insured reduces your premium liability.

  • Demand Multi-Policy Bundling: If you have a car or cover your house structure, bundle them all under the same insurer. Most major NZ companies offer steep multi-policy multi-product discounts to lock in your household.

  • Pay Annually if Possible: If your budget allows for a lump sum, choose annual billing. Most NZ insurers charge extra processing fees or interest if you pay by weekly, fortnightly, or monthly installments.

If you'd like to narrow down the best deals, let me know:

  • Are you renting/flatting or do you own the home?

  • Do you have other insurance policies (like a car) you could bundle?

  • What total value ($) of belongings do you roughly need to protect?

I can guide you on the exact policy features to choose for maximum savings.

Ask anything

Captured 11 October 2026

Google AI Mode · New Zealand

Money is tight and I need to keep contents insurance affordable. Which NZ contents insurers should I look at?

When money is tight, finding affordable contents insurance in New Zealand comes down to comparing direct insurers, adjusting your policy settings, and checking for membership or bundle discounts. Major and niche providers operating in NZ vary widely based on your specific risk profile, location, and the sum insured.

Key Providers to Look At

  • AA Insurance: Frequently cited by New Zealanders as competitively priced for basic or mid-tier contents levels, and they often provide multi-policy discounts if you bundle with car insurance.

  • AMI Insurance & State Insurance: Both are large mainstream brands under IAG that offer flexible "Contents Plus" or comprehensive policies. It is worth getting quotes from both, though they sometimes price differently depending on your suburb's risk profile.

  • Tower Insurance: Known for user-friendly online quoting and flexible adjustment options where you can toggle your excess and sum insured to dial down the monthly or annual cost. [Consumer NZ]

  • Trade Me Insurance: Underwritten by Vanguard/Tower, this platform targets online-savvy consumers and can occasionally undercut traditional heavyweight premiums for straightforward contents setups. [Consumer NZ]

  • FMG & MAS: While MAS is tailored to specific professional groups and FMG focuses heavily on rural/provincial communities, customer satisfaction surveys by Consumer NZ routinely rank them highest for value and claims support if you happen to be eligible for their membership criteria.

Practical Ways to Lower Your Premium

  1. Raise your excess: Voluntarily increasing your excess (the amount you pay out-of-pocket before insurance kicks in, e.g., moving from $250 to $500 or $750) can substantially drop your annual premium. Just make sure you can actually afford that excess in an emergency.
  2. Accurately calculate your sum insured: Don't over-insure. Walk through your home and estimate what it would actually cost to replace your clothes, furniture, and electronics second-hand or at standard retail value today—avoiding inflated replacement figures, but ensuring you aren't underinsured either.
  3. Bundle policies: If you already have car or renter/house insurance, keeping everything under a single provider usually unlocks a multi-policy discount.
  4. Shop around and use comparison tools: Premiums fluctuate annually due to reinsurance costs and weather events. Check resources like Consumer NZ's House and Contents Insurance Guide to see how different providers stack up.

If you share your approximate total value of contents and whether you rent or own your home , I can give you a better idea of how to structure your policy excess and sum insured to keep costs minimal.

Ask anything

Captured 11 October 2026