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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

Show all 372

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

    372rows

    Download questions (CSV)

  • 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

    1,476rows

    Download answers (CSV)

  • 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

    9,014rows

    Download sources by answer (CSV)

  • 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

    97rows

    Download checks against primary sources (CSV)

  • 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

    659rows

    Download consumer recommendation coding (CSV)

  • 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

    94rows

    Download consumer selection membership (CSV)

  • 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

    75rows

    Download ongoing support coding (CSV)

  • 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

    71rows

    Download ongoing support membership (CSV)

  • 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

    1,017rows

    Download regional recommendation coding (CSV)

  • 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

    112rows

    Download regional selection membership (CSV)

  • 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

    3,828rows

    Download insurer sentiment (CSV)

  • 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

    13,048rows

    Download recorded source urls (CSV)

  • 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

    88rows

    Download matched consumer platform membership (CSV)

  • 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

    124rows

    Download matched regional platform membership (CSV)

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.

03

Read in full and checked

Some answers were read in detail or checked against official sources. Those appear on the study page, beside the findings they support.

ChatGPT · New Zealand

I'm thinking of buying in Westport. How can I check whether a house has flood insurance before making an offer?

If you're thinking of buying a house in Westport, New Zealand, check the property's flood-insurance status before making an unconditional offer. The important thing is not just whether the current owner has insurance, but whether an insurer will offer you suitable cover for that specific property at an acceptable price.

Westport has experienced significant flooding, so I'd check three things separately: the property's flood history, the insurance currently in place, and whether you can obtain your own cover after purchasing it.

1. Ask the seller for proof of flood insurance

Ask the real estate agent to obtain the following from the owner:

  • A copy of the current house insurance policy schedule, showing the insured address, policy dates and cover.
  • Written confirmation of whether flood or surface-water damage is covered, including any exclusions, excesses or special conditions.
  • Details of any flood-related claims, previous water entry, damage or insurance restrictions.
  • Permission to have the insurer confirm relevant details directly, if needed.

Don't rely on a statement that the house is “insured”. Standard home insurance can have limitations, and a policy held by the current owner doesn't guarantee that you'll be offered the same cover.

2. Get an insurance quote for the exact address

This is the most important independent check. Before you commit, contact at least two insurers or an insurance broker and provide the property's full address.

Ask them to confirm in writing:

  • Will you insure the house if you buy it?
  • Is flood damage to the building itself covered, or only certain damage to the land?
  • Are there exclusions for river flooding, surface-water flooding or groundwater?
  • What excess applies to flood damage?
  • Are there restrictions, special conditions or unusually high premiums?
  • Will the bank's mortgage requirements be satisfied?

If an insurer won't provide a clear answer until you have signed an agreement, ask your lawyer to make insurance approval a condition of the offer, with wording they consider appropriate.

3. Check Westport's flood-risk and property records

West Coast Regional Council maps

Use the council's online maps and Spatial Data Hub to investigate flood hazards affecting the property. Ask the council about any address-specific flood assessments, floor levels or known flood history. Maps onlineCheck natural hazard risks when house hunting :: Natural Hazards Commission Toka Tū Ake

LIM report and council property file

Request these through the relevant local council. Look for flood-hazard notations, previous flooding, consents for repairs and information about completed building work. Have your lawyer review them. Prepare to make an offerUnderstanding the impact of natural hazards

Natural Hazards Commission (NHC) claims records

Search the Natural Hazards Portal for historical claims associated with the address. If relevant records are missing, ask the seller or agent for claim documents, or request information from the NHC. Note that its portal does not show private-insurer claims for flood damage to the dwelling. Before you make an offer on a house :: Natural Hazards Commission Toka Tū AkeTerms and conditionsBuying or selling a home with previous claims :: Natural Hazards Commission Toka Tū Ake

4. Protect yourself in the offer

Before signing, ask your property lawyer to help you:

  • Make the agreement conditional on satisfactory insurance being available to you, if appropriate.
  • Obtain and review the LIM, title and council file.
  • Investigate previous flood damage, repair reports and any outstanding insurance claims.
  • Check for relevant title notices, including natural-hazard notices that could affect insurance or future claims.

The government's Consumer Protection guide to buying after natural disasters explains the records and repair evidence worth obtaining. Buying a house after a natural disasterBefore you make an offer on a house :: Natural Hazards Commission Toka Tū Ake

Message you can send the real estate agent

Writing

Before I make an offer, could you please confirm whether the property is currently insured and ask the vendor to provide the current insurance policy details, including any flood exclusions, excesses or special conditions?

I'd also like details of any previous flooding, flood-related insurance claims, damage assessments and repair work, along with any relevant council records.

I will be obtaining an insurance quote in my own name for the property, so please let me know if there are any known issues that could affect its insurability or future flood cover.

Thank you.

My recommendation: Don't treat existing insurance as proof that you'll be able to insure the property yourself. Get a written quote for the exact address, check the flood history and have your lawyer review the purchase conditions before you commit.

If you have a particular Westport property in mind, the street address or listing link is enough to start checking its available flood-risk records.

Ask anything

ChatGPT can make mistakes. Check important info.

Captured 11 October 2026

Gemini · New Zealand

I'm thinking of buying in Westport. How can I check whether a house has flood insurance before making an offer?

Checking whether a house in Westport has active, transferable flood insurance—or can even be insured—is a critical step before making an unconditional offer. Due to significant historical flooding and risk-based underwriting, some insurers have placed temporary pauses on new policies in specific Westport postcodes (such as 7825), though they generally continue to honor and renew existing policies for current owners.

To protect yourself and satisfy your lender, take the following steps before signing a Sale and Purchase Agreement:

1. Test the Insurance Market Directly (Do Not Assume)

  • Request an insurance quote/certificate: Contact major insurers or an insurance broker with the specific property address immediately. Some insurers use granular risk-based pricing or postcode-level rules.
  • Check for existing cover continuity: Find out if the current vendor is willing to share who their current insurer is. Some companies (like AA Insurance) have maintained policies for existing customers and may extend cover to a new buyer if the property is already insured with them, even if they have paused entirely new policies for that postcode.
  • Get written confirmation: If an insurer agrees to provide full cover (including flood damage), ask them to email an insurance certificate or letter of currency confirming that the property is insurable. Banks will typically require this before approving a mortgage.

2. Insert a Rock-Solid Insurance Condition Clause

  • Never make an unconditional offer in a high-risk flood area like Westport.
  • Work with your lawyer to insert a specific due diligence clause for insurance. This clause should give you a set timeframe (e.g., 10 to 15 working days) to confirm that satisfactory, fully comprehensive home and flood insurance can be obtained at a commercially reasonable cost. If you cannot secure it, you have the legal right to cancel the agreement without penalty.

3. Order and Review a LIM Report

  • Land Information Memorandum (LIM): Order a LIM report for the property through the Buller District Council.
  • The LIM will outline whether the council has formally identified the property as being subject to natural hazards, flooding, or erosion, and will include historical notes on past flood events affecting that parcel of land.

4. Consult the Council Natural Hazard Maps

  • Review the Buller District Council’s online hazard maps or spatial viewers. Enter the specific address to check the property's exact elevation, whether it sits within a designated 100-year flood zone, or if it is prone to surface water accumulation.

5. Review the Certificate of Title with Your Lawyer

  • Have your lawyer check the Certificate of Title for any notations under sections of the Building Act (such as sections relating to building on land subject to natural hazards). This will show whether past consents required special engineering considerations due to flood risk.

Are you currently working with a local insurance broker, or have you already looked up the property's specific zoning on the council maps?

Ask Gemini

Gemini is AI and can make mistakes.

Captured 11 October 2026

AI Overviews · New Zealand

I'm thinking of buying in Westport. How can I check whether a house has flood insurance before making an offer?

AI Overview

You cannot directly check if a specific property currently has active flood insurance , as individual insurance policies are private contracts between the current owner and their insurer. Furthermore, policies rarely transfer automatically to a new owner. Because major insurers in New Zealand now use individual address-level risk-based pricing , and some have previously paused new policies in high-risk zones like Westport, you must verify the property’s future insurability yourself.

Before you make an offer, use these four steps to investigate the property’s flood risk and secure a formal quote.

1. Request an Official Insurance Quote Immediately

Do not wait until you have made an offer. Contact multiple major New Zealand insurers or an insurance broker and request a formal, address-specific quote.

  • What to look out for: The insurer will run the specific address through their own flood modelling software. They will either offer standard coverage, apply a significantly higher excess/premium, completely exclude flood damage as a covered peril, or decline to cover the home entirely.

  • Why it matters: If you cannot secure standard house insurance, you will not be able to get a standard bank mortgage.

2. Order a LIM Report from the Council

Ask the real estate agent for a copy of the Land Information Memorandum (LIM) report , or purchase one directly from the Buller District Council.

  • Under New Zealand property regulations, LIM reports include standardized, mandatory flood-risk ratings.

  • The LIM will show if the council has formally flagged the property as subject to natural hazards, if any restrictive building consents exist (such as Section 72 or 73 notices under the Building Act), and what the property's official flood risk category is.

3. Review Local and National Hazard Portals

Cross-reference the property's physical location against online regional mapping tools to visualize overland flow paths and flood zones:

  • Use the West Coast Regional Council tools or the national Natural Hazards Portal to check historic claims data and local risk layers.

  • Search the Resilient Westport database to see if the home sits inside a designated hazard area from recent major weather events or if it is affected by the ongoing Westport Flood Protection Scheme layout.

4. Insert an Insurance Condition into the Sale & Purchase Agreement

If you decide to proceed with an offer, instruct your lawyer to add a specific finance and insurance satisfaction clause to the Sale and Purchase Agreement. This gives you a set number of working days to ensure you can obtain satisfactory, affordable flood and home insurance cover before the contract becomes unconditional.

If you'd like to narrow down your due diligence, tell me:

  • Do you know if the house was flooded or evacuated in the 2021 or 2022 events?

  • Have you already checked if there are any notices attached to the property title?

  • Will your purchase be dependent on getting a bank mortgage?

Ask anything

Captured 11 October 2026

Google AI Mode · New Zealand

I'm thinking of buying in Westport. How can I check whether a house has flood insurance before making an offer?

Checking whether a specific house in Westport can secure flood insurance before you make an unconditional offer is critical, especially given Westport's history of significant weather events and flooding. In New Zealand, structural flood damage to a house is covered by your private insurance provider, while the statutory Natural Hazards Commission Toka Tū Ake (NHC) (formerly EQC) primarily covers specific land damage rather than structural building flood recovery.

Because insurance terms are tied to the property owner rather than automatically transferrable or pre-checked by a public registry, you must take active steps during your due diligence phase.

  • Request a pre-quote from private insurers: Do not assume a house is insurable just because the current owner has a policy. Contact a few mainstream insurance companies or an insurance broker (such as Rothbury) with the exact property address. Ask them explicitly if they will issue a new comprehensive home policy including full flood cover for that specific address, and what the excess or premium adjustments might look like.

  • Check the Natural Hazards Portal: Use the Natural Hazards Commission Toka Tū Ake Natural Hazards Portal to look up the property address. This tool helps you check past settled natural hazard and historical claims registered on the property from 1997 onward.

  • Order a Land Information Memorandum (LIM) report: Apply for a LIM report through the Buller District Council. The LIM will show council-held records regarding the property, including any natural hazard notations, flood-risk zonings, or specific building/section notices. [www.rothbury.co.nz]

  • Review the Certificate of Title: Check the property's title for any registered instruments or section notices (such as notices under the Building Act relating to natural hazards) that might affect council consent or future insurability. [www.rothbury.co.nz]

  • Consult local council hazard maps: Check the public online mapping and natural hazard databases provided by the Buller District Council to see if the parcel sits inside a designated high-risk flood or overflow path. [www.rothbury.co.nz]

Would you like help with:

  • What to include in a due diligence/insurance condition for a Sale and Purchase Agreement?
  • Finding local insurance brokers or contacts familiar with the West Coast market?
Ask anything

Captured 11 October 2026