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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

Which NZ house insurers are good to deal with when you need to make a claim?

If your priority is an insurer that will be straightforward to deal with when you actually need to make a house insurance claim, I’d start by comparing AA Insurance, MAS and FMG in New Zealand.

There’s an important distinction between an insurer that customers like overall and one that handles claims well. The most useful evidence is customer feedback on communication, how easy it is to claim, repair quality and settlement time — not just the premium.

NZ house insurers worth shortlisting

1. AA Insurance

Strongest claims-specific evidence

Canstar's 2026 Most Satisfied Customers award for home insurance claims went to AA Insurance. Customers rated it at the top across all five categories: communication, ease of claiming, claims process, repair or replacement quality, and timeliness. The survey covered 399 people who had recently claimed with five major insurers. Home & Contents Insurance Star Ratings and Awards

Worth considering if: your main concern is getting a claim handled efficiently and keeping informed.

AA Insurance website

2. MAS

Strong overall customer satisfaction

MAS won Canstar's 2026 Most Satisfied Customers award for home and contents insurance. Its customers rated it at the maximum possible level across customer service, communication, cover comprehensiveness and value for money. This measures overall satisfaction rather than just the experience of making a claim. Home & Contents Insurance Star Ratings and Awards

Worth considering if: you want consistently good service alongside suitable cover and value.

MAS website

3. FMG

FMG has a strong customer-satisfaction record. Consumer NZ recognised it with its People's Choice award in 2025, and Canstar named it the most-satisfied provider in its 2026 seniors' car and home insurance category. The latter covers people aged 50 and over with either type of policy, so it isn't a house-claims-only result. Consumer reveals the best and worst insurance providersHome & Contents Insurance Star Ratings and Awards

Worth considering if: you value customer service, particularly if you're eligible for its products and services.

FMG website

4. Tower

Tower won Canstar's 2026 Home & Contents Insurer of the Year award, based on a combination of policy features, pricing and customer satisfaction. It also received outstanding-value recognition for selected policies. That makes it worth quoting, although the award is not proof that every claim will be handled smoothly. Home & Contents Insurance Star Ratings and AwardsBest Value Home & Contents Insurance Awards

Worth considering if: you want to balance service, policy features and price.

Tower website

What I'd check before choosing

Even a well-rated insurer can be difficult to deal with if your particular claim falls outside its policy terms. Before signing up, I would check these five things:

  • Rebuild cover: Is the sum insured realistic for rebuilding your house, including demolition, professional fees and current building costs?
  • Natural hazards: What happens if you have flood, landslip or earthquake damage? Check exclusions, limits and how the Natural Hazards Commission cover works alongside your private insurance.
  • Temporary accommodation: How much will the policy pay if your house becomes unliveable, and for how long?
  • Repairs and cash settlements: Can the insurer arrange repairs directly, and what happens if you disagree with its builder's assessment or settlement offer?
  • Communication: Ask how often your claim manager will update you and how to escalate a stalled claim.

Consumer NZ's house and contents insurance guide is a useful independent starting point. How to get the best house and contents insurance

My recommendation

I'd get quotes from AA Insurance, MAS and FMG first, then compare Tower as another option. AA has the clearest recent evidence specifically about the claims experience, while MAS stands out for overall home and contents customer satisfaction. Home & Contents Insurance Star Ratings and Awards

One caveat: these awards are based on customer surveys, not a guarantee of a smooth claim. Large weather events can also put pressure on every insurer, and public online reviews tend to overrepresent unusually good or bad experiences.

One question that would help me narrow this down: What sort of house do you need to insure?

Ask anything

ChatGPT can make mistakes. Check important info.

Captured 11 October 2026

Gemini · New Zealand

Which NZ house insurers are good to deal with when you need to make a claim?

When looking at house insurance in New Zealand, customer satisfaction and claims handling performance vary significantly between providers. Independent consumer research (such as Consumer NZ and Canstar awards) consistently highlights specific insurers that excel when you need to make a claim.

Top-Rated Insurers for Claims Handling & Customer Satisfaction

1. MAS (Medical Assurance Society)

  • The Reputation: MAS consistently ranks at the very top of Consumer NZ satisfaction surveys for house and contents insurance, frequently taking out the People’s Choice awards.
  • Why they stand out for claims: They operate on a mutual/membership model rather than maximizing corporate shareholder returns, which historically translates into smoother, fairer claims handling and less pushback on technicalities. They also offer options like Area Replacement policies, which can protect against massive construction inflation spikes if a rebuild is necessary.
  • The Catch: Membership is typically targeted toward specific professional groups (though historically open to many professions, it's worth checking eligibility), and premiums can lean higher.

2. FMG (Farmers Mutual Group)

  • The Reputation: Like MAS, FMG routinely scores exceptionally high in Consumer NZ and Canstar customer satisfaction rankings, particularly for rural, lifestyle block, and provincial homeowners.
  • Why they stand out for claims: They have a strong reputation for localized, personalized service and hands-on claims management when regional weather events or property damage occur.

3. AA Insurance

  • The Reputation: AA Insurance frequently scores well in Canstar Blue’s customer satisfaction and most-satisfied customer ratings for home insurance claims.
  • Why they stand out for claims: Policyholders generally report clear communication, straightforward claims lodgement, and efficient turnaround times for standard domestic claims (like storm damage, plumbing leaks, or accidental breakages).

The Mass-Market Giants: IAG Brands & Tower

The New Zealand insurance market is heavily dominated by a few corporate parent groups:

  • IAG Brands (AMI, State, NZI): As the largest insurer network in the country, they possess massive financial backing and robust systems to handle large-scale natural disasters (working closely alongside the Natural Hazards Commission / NHCover). However, because they manage a high volume of policyholders, customer service during smaller, everyday claims can sometimes feel transactional or call-centre driven.
  • Tower: Known for its strong digital-first app integration, Tower makes online claims tracking transparent. However, some policyholders note that dealing with complex or nuanced claim disputes can feel rigid due to heavily automated processes.

Key Things to Check Before Choosing an Insurer for Claims Success

  1. Sum Insured vs. Area Replacement: Most standard policies require you to pick a Sum Insured cap. If construction costs surge after a major regional disaster and your sum insured isn't high enough, you face a shortfall. Check whether your insurer offers a safety margin buffer or an area-based rebuild policy.
  2. Sub-limits on Gradual Damage: A very high percentage of claim disputes with the Insurance & Financial Services Ombudsman (IFSO) involve water leaks and "gradual damage". Budget or basic policies often cap gradual water damage payouts tightly (e.g., $2,000), whereas more comprehensive policies offer better limits.
  3. Temporary Accommodation Limits: If your house is rendered uninhabitable by a fire, flood, or storm, check how much the insurer provides for alternative accommodation and for how long. Rental shortages can drag out rebuild timelines significantly.
Ask Gemini

Gemini is AI and can make mistakes.

Captured 11 October 2026

AI Overviews · New Zealand

Which NZ house insurers are good to deal with when you need to make a claim?

AI Overview

When evaluating New Zealand house insurers for their claims experience, independent customer satisfaction surveys consistently highlight a clear gap between smaller, member-focused insurers and the country's largest corporate brands.

According to long-running data from Consumer NZ and independent consumer feedback, the top insurers in New Zealand for claims handling and customer support include:

🏆 The Top Performers (Consumer NZ People's Choice)

Two smaller, niche providers consistently dominate New Zealand's satisfaction rankings for house and contents insurance, winning the People's Choice award for a decade straight. Customers highly praise them for easy communication and smooth claims processes:

  • MAS (Medical Assurance Society): Historically leading the pack, MAS recently recorded an exceptional 81% customer satisfaction rating for house insurance. Customers frequently single out their claims service for being highly supportive and low-stress. (Note: While originally for medical professionals, MAS is open to society members and professionals across various fields).

  • FMG (Farmers' Mutual Group): Geared toward rural, lifestyle block, and provincial homeowners, FMG consistently scores at the top alongside MAS. They achieved a 78% satisfaction rating for contents and similarly high marks for house insurance, praised for products that are tailored specifically to the customer's practical needs.

⚖️ The Balanced Mainstream Contenders

If you do not fit the criteria for MAS or FMG, or want a mainstream urban policy, these providers show mixed but competitive performance:

  • AA Insurance: AA Insurance generally has a strong reputation for customer service, previously maintaining high claim satisfaction rates. Many customers note they are fast to settle straightforward claims (like sudden event flooding or storm damage). However, like most large volume insurers, their public review scores on platforms like Trustpilot suffer when complex or heavily delayed claims frustrate individual policyholders.

  • Tower Insurance: Winner of the Canstar Home & Contents Insurer of the Year, Tower scores well for customer digital experience and clear policy choices. They use highly advanced geographic risk-based pricing, which makes them very efficient at processing claims digitally, though some homeowners report steep premium hikes at renewal times due to this localized risk profiling.

⚠️ Insurers That Tend to Lag Behind

Major corporate brands underperform relative to the industry average for customer support, communication, and claim-time satisfaction.

  • State and AMI: Both brands are owned by IAG New Zealand (the country's largest general insurer). In major industry surveys, both State and AMI frequently score below average for value for money, communication, and tailored advice during the claims process.

  • Major Banks (ASB, BNZ, Westpac): House and contents insurance policies bought directly through major retail banks generally rank lowest for customer satisfaction. Because the insurance is an add-on product underwritten by a third party, customers report that navigating claims can feel bureaucratic and impersonal.

To help narrow down the best option for your property, could you share:

  • The approximate age or building materials of the home?

  • Whether the property is in an area prone to natural hazards (like flooding or high seismic activity)?

  • If you are looking to bundle your home policy with car or contents insurance?

With these details, I can provide a more tailored comparison of your options.

Ask anything

Captured 11 October 2026

Google AI Mode · New Zealand

Which NZ house insurers are good to deal with when you need to make a claim?

When looking at house insurance providers in New Zealand that perform well during the claims process, consumer satisfaction data from Consumer NZ highlights distinct differences between smaller/specialist providers and larger corporate or bank-owned insurers.

Customer satisfaction rankings and general industry standing point to the following standout performers:

  • MAS (Medical Assurance Society): Consistently scores highest for overall customer satisfaction in house insurance (reaching around 76% satisfaction in recent consumer sentiment tracking). Members frequently praise MAS for comprehensive policy structures—such as area replacement/unlimited rebuild options—and supportive service during claims.

  • FMG (Farmers Mutual Group): Highly rated across rural and provincial New Zealand, FMG routinely scores near the top for customer satisfaction and claims communication. Policyholders often highlight practical support and straightforward handling when lodging and resolving claims. [Consumer NZ]

  • Smaller/Specialist Providers vs. Banks: Consumer NZ's satisfaction survey indicates that smaller independent insurers generally outperform major commercial banks and large-scale multi-national insurers when it comes to communication and smooth claims settlement. Bank-backed insurance products tend to score below average in customer satisfaction for home and contents.

If you'd like to narrow this down, let me know:

  • Is your property in a high-risk natural hazard zone (e.g., flood-prone or coastal)?
  • Do you prefer a sum insured fixed cap or an unlimited/area replacement policy?

I can share more details on how specific providers handle those factors.

Ask anything

Captured 11 October 2026