# RD-CA-21: If another earthquake damages my Canterbury house and belongings, do I deal with my insurer or the Natural Hazards Commission?

Collected 11 October 2026

[Home and contents insurance study](https://nzbrands.ai/research/insurance/home-contents-insurance)

## ChatGPT

Answer ID: 3d1e081f-818a-4f9d-928e-cbe3d4014aef

In New Zealand, if another earthquake damages your Canterbury home and belongings, you would generally contact your private insurer first. Your insurer and the Natural Hazards Commission Toka Tū Ake (NHC, formerly EQC) have different roles, but your insurer will usually coordinate the claim.

The key distinction is that natural hazard cover is provided through the NHC scheme for eligible losses, while your private insurance covers the remaining insured losses under your policy.

## Who covers what?

| Type of damage | Who to contact |
| --- | --- |
| Your house, including structural damage | Your private home insurer, which usually manages the NHC claim too |
| Furniture, appliances, clothing and other belongings | Your private contents insurer |
| Eligible residential land damage | Your home insurer, which can coordinate the NHC portion |

NHC provides the first layer of cover for eligible residential building damage and limited residential land damage. Your private policy generally covers eligible building costs above the NHC limit, subject to its terms. Ordinary household contents are not covered by the current NHCover scheme, so contents claims generally go through your private contents insurance. [About natural hazards cover :: Natural Hazards Commission Toka Tū Ake](https://www.naturalhazards.govt.nz/insurance-and-claims/about-nhcover/)[Claims process :: Natural Hazards Commission Toka Tū Ake](https://www.naturalhazards.govt.nz/insurance-and-claims/claims/claims-process/)

## What should you do after another earthquake?

1. Check safety first. Stay away from damaged structures and follow Civil Defence advice.
2. Contact your insurer promptly to lodge a claim for your house and belongings.
3. Photograph the damage before moving or clearing items, if it is safe to do so. Keep receipts and records of damaged belongings.
4. Ask your insurer before starting urgent repairs, where possible. Keep receipts for necessary work to make the house safe, secure, sanitary and weathertight. [Claims process :: Natural Hazards Commission Toka Tū Ake](https://www.naturalhazards.govt.nz/insurance-and-claims/claims/claims-process/)[Make a new claim :: Natural Hazards Commission Toka Tū Ake](https://www.naturalhazards.govt.nz/insurance-and-claims/claims/make-a-new-claim/)

## When should you contact NHC directly?

Contact the Natural Hazards Commission if your insurer does not work with NHC, you are a direct NHCover customer, or your claim falls into one of the specific categories NHC manages directly. You can call 0800 DAMAGE (0800 326 243) from within New Zealand. [Contact us :: Natural Hazards Commission Toka Tū Ake](https://www.naturalhazards.govt.nz/contact-us/)[Our partnership with insurers :: Natural Hazards Commission Toka Tū Ake](https://www.naturalhazards.govt.nz/insurance-and-claims/our-partnership-with-insurers/)

Official information: [NHC — Making a new claim](https://www.naturalhazards.govt.nz/insurance-and-claims/claims/make-a-new-claim/).

One important Canterbury-specific distinction: if you mean new damage from a future earthquake, the usual process above applies. If you mean previously undiscovered damage from the 2010–2011 Canterbury earthquake sequence, that is a different situation, and NHC has a separate process for reviewing historical claims. [Canterbury earthquake building claims :: Natural Hazards Commission Toka Tū Ake](https://www.naturalhazards.govt.nz/insurance-and-claims/canterbury-earthquake/building-claims/)[Getting your claim reviewed :: Natural Hazards Commission Toka Tū Ake](https://www.naturalhazards.govt.nz/insurance-and-claims/canterbury-earthquake/getting-your-claim-reviewed/)

## Gemini

Answer ID: d7235021-8c53-42b3-bc71-3d22a05dd39e

If an earthquake damages your home and belongings, **you deal with your private insurance company.** 

Even though the Natural Hazards Commission (NHC — formerly EQC) provides government-backed natural disaster cover for residential property, **most private insurers act as agents for the NHC**. 

How the process works depends on what has been damaged:

### 1. Your House (Residential Building and Land)
* **Who to contact:** Contact your **private house insurer**. 
* **How it works:** Your private insurer will lodge, assess, and manage both your private insurance claim and your NHC claim (up to the statutory cap) as a single, streamlined process. They act as your single point of contact from start to finish.

### 2. Your Belongings (Residential Contents)
* **Who to contact:** Contact your **private contents insurer**.
* **How it works:** Contents damage is handled entirely through your private policy. (Note that the NHC/EQCover does not cover personal contents, vehicles, trailers, or boats).

### Exceptions where you deal directly with the NHC
You would only deal directly with the Natural Hazards Commission (via 0800 DAMAGE or their website) in rare instances, such as if:
* Your private insurer does not partner with the NHC.
* You hold a special "Direct NHCover" policy.
* You are dealing with an open legacy claim dating back to before 30 June 2021.

### Immediate Steps to Take After an Earthquake:
1. **Ensure safety:** Check yourself and others for injuries, and make sure your home is structurally safe. 
2. **Document the damage:** Take clear photos and videos of all damage to your house and belongings *before* you clean up or throw things away (unless items are perishable or unsafe).
3. **Make emergency repairs:** You can arrange urgent repairs to make your home safe, sanitary, and weather-tight—just be sure to keep receipts and check with your insurer first if possible.
4. **File your claim promptly:** Contact your insurance company as soon as practical following the event.

Would you like to know more about what specific types of damage or caps are covered under NHC and private house policies?

## AI Overviews

Answer ID: e867ffea-a748-4e52-a639-68019304d7b3

You deal directly with your **private house insurer** (or broker), who acts as the single point of contact to manage both your contents and your building/land claim on behalf of the Natural Hazards Commission Toka Tū Ake (NHC).

Under the [Natural Hazards Insurance Act 2023](https://www.naturalhazards.govt.nz/news/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-natural-hazards-insurance-act/), the claim process is streamlined so you do not need to file separately with the government commission unless your insurer does not partner with them or you hold a direct policy.

Category| Who Pays / Covers| Primary Contact & Management| Key Limit / Notes
---|---|---|---
**House / Building**| NHC (1st layer) + Private Insurer (top-up)| Private Insurer| NHC covers up to **$300,000 + GST** per event; insurer covers balance up to sum insured.
**Belongings / Contents**| Private Contents Insurer| Private Insurer| Handled entirely under your personal contents policy (no NHC involvement).
**Residential Land**| NHC (statutory limits)| Private Insurer| Limited defined land cover only; not top-upable by private insurance.

What to do immediately after an event

 1. **Ensure safety** first and follow civil defense or official local instructions.

 2. **Document everything** by taking clear photos and videos of structural damage and broken contents before undertaking any cleanup.

 3. **Make urgent safety repairs** only after consulting your insurer or if necessary to prevent further immediate loss.

 4. **Lodge online or by phone** via your insurer's disaster claims hub.

If you'd like, let me know:

 * Your **insurer or broker** name

 * Whether you are dealing with **minor cosmetic cracks** vs. **major structural/land issues**

I can outline specific **documentation checklists** or explain how the **excess** structure applies.

## Google AI Mode

Answer ID: c131a669-5fbd-44bb-a259-22921db0b3d4

If an earthquake damages your home and belongings, you generally **deal with your private insurance company first** , even though part of your cover is provided by the government.

Here is how the process works between your insurer and the **Natural Hazards Commission Toka Tū Ake** (formerly known as EQC):

 * * **Your Private Insurer is the Single Point of Contact:** For standard claims, you should contact your private insurance company or broker to lodge your claim. Most private insurers partner with the Natural Hazards Commission Toka Tū Ake to manage and settle claims seamlessly on behalf of both parties.

 * **How the Cover is Split:** Your private insurance policy includes government-backed **NHCover** (for residential building and land damage up to statutory caps) as well as your private policy (which covers contents, extra house value above the cap, and other extended benefits). Your insurer manages both layers together so you don't have to file two separate, disconnected claims.

 * **When to Contact the NHC Directly:** You would only contact the Natural Hazards Commission Toka Tū Ake Claims Page directly if your private insurer does not partner with the NHC, your building has more than 10 units, or you meet specific niche criteria like being overseas. [Natural Hazards Commission Toka Tū Ake]

 *

If you'd like, I can share:

 * The current **statutory cap limits** for building damage under NHCover.
 * Tips on **what documentation and photos** to gather immediately after an earthquake.