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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

Our house has a special roof that's hard to replace. Would ordinary house insurance cover the extra cost of using the right materials?

Possibly, but you shouldn't assume ordinary house insurance will cover the full extra cost of replacing a specialist roof. In New Zealand, it depends on your insurer, the wording of your policy, the type of roof you have, and whether the original materials are still available.

If your roof uses unusual tiles, traditional slate, specialist metalwork, or materials that are difficult to source, you want to make sure your insurance covers the cost of restoring it to an equivalent standard after an insured event, such as a fire or storm.

What standard house insurance might cover

Most home insurance policies provide some cover to repair or rebuild a home damaged by an insured event. However, covering the cost of rebuilding a house doesn't necessarily mean the insurer will pay whatever it costs to reproduce every original feature.

For example, consider three scenarios:

  • The original roofing material is still available: Your policy might cover its replacement as part of repairing the damaged roof, subject to the policy terms and your sum insured.
  • The original material is difficult to source or much more expensive: The insurer may limit payment to what it considers a reasonable equivalent, depending on the policy wording.
  • The roof is part of a heritage or architecturally significant home: You may need additional cover for specialist materials, traditional craftsmanship, or heritage requirements.

New Zealand insurers differ in how they handle these situations. For example, State's home insurance offers an optional benefit for additional costs associated with heritage homes, but its policy restricts heritage-feature replication to cases where the techniques remain commonly used and the materials are readily available in New Zealand. This illustrates why ordinary replacement cover may not be enough. Source: State home insurance policy wording.

The most important thing to check: your policy wording

Look for terms such as replacement condition, reinstatement condition, equivalent materials and heritage features.

For example, AA Insurance's policy wording generally limits rebuilding to currently equivalent techniques and materials that are readily available in New Zealand. It also excludes shipping or freight costs for materials sourced from overseas. That could be important if your particular roof material is only available from an overseas supplier. Read AA Insurance's explanation.

You should also check your sum insured. Even if the policy covers the appropriate roofing material, your overall insurance limit might not be enough to cover the complete rebuild. The Insurance Council of New Zealand recommends obtaining a professional replacement valuation for complex properties. Read the Insurance Council's guidance.

What I recommend doing

Before relying on your existing insurance, I would suggest:

  1. Tell your insurer about the roof. Explain exactly what makes it unusual and why ordinary replacement materials aren't suitable.
  2. Ask for written confirmation of cover. Specifically ask whether the policy will pay the additional cost of obtaining the original material, including overseas shipping if necessary, and employing specialist tradespeople.
  3. Get a specialist roof replacement estimate. A roofing contractor or quantity surveyor can help establish the likely cost of repairing or replacing the roof with the correct materials.
  4. Ask whether you need additional cover. Your insurer might offer a policy endorsement, a higher sum insured, or a specialist home insurance policy better suited to your property.

If the house is architecturally significant or has heritage features, mention that explicitly. Don't assume the insurer will recognise the significance of the roof without being told.

Can I help you work out what cover you need?

What makes your roof special? For example, is it made of traditional slate, handmade clay tiles, imported roofing materials, an unusual metal, or something else?

If you tell me what the roof is made of, I can look into the specific insurance issues that are likely to matter for your home in New Zealand.

Ask anything

ChatGPT can make mistakes. Check important info.

Captured 11 October 2026

Gemini · New Zealand

Our house has a special roof that's hard to replace. Would ordinary house insurance cover the extra cost of using the right materials?

Generally speaking, yes—ordinary house insurance in New Zealand can cover the extra cost of using specialized or non-standard materials, but only if your Sum Insured is set high enough to account for them.

How this works in practice depends on a few critical factors:

  • Sum Insured is King: Most standard policies in New Zealand operate on a "sum insured" basis. This means your insurer pays out up to a maximum dollar limit to rebuild your home to its original standard and specification. If your roof requires rare, imported, or labor-intensive materials, the overall cost to rebuild your home will be higher. As long as you factored those specialized materials into your initial sum insured calculation, you are covered.
  • The Danger of Underinsurance: If you use a generic online calculator or base your sum insured on a standard, average home, it will likely underestimate the replacement cost of a specialized roof. If a total loss occurs and your total rebuild cost exceeds your policy's maximum limit, you would have to pay the difference out of pocket.
  • Partial Repairs: If your roof is damaged rather than destroyed (e.g., a storm damages a section), standard policies generally cover the cost to repair or match the existing materials, provided it is physically and legally possible to do so.

Key steps to protect a home with a unique roof:

  • Use detailed calculators or get a professional valuation: When calculating your home's sum insured, don't rely on generic estimates. Use specialized assessment tools, or better yet, hire a registered quantity surveyor or property valuer who can accurately price the exact architectural features and materials of your roof.
  • Check for heritage or council restrictions: If your roof is hard to replace because the house has a historical or heritage classification, be aware that some standard insurers in New Zealand won't cover pre-1940 or heritage-listed homes without a special referral or specific underwriting. Ensure your insurer explicitly knows about any council or heritage mandates that dictate how you must rebuild.
  • Review your policy wording: Look for clauses relating to "matching materials" or "architectural features" to see how the insurer handles partial damage to unique parts of a home.

Would you like help looking into how specific types of construction materials or heritage features affect sum insured calculations with New Zealand insurers?

Ask Gemini

Gemini is AI and can make mistakes.

Captured 11 October 2026

AI Overviews · New Zealand

Our house has a special roof that's hard to replace. Would ordinary house insurance cover the extra cost of using the right materials?

AI Overview

Yes, ordinary house insurance in New Zealand covers special roofing materials, but only up to the maximum financial limit stated in your policy. In New Zealand, most standard house insurance policies operate on a "Sum Insured" model. This means your policy will pay out for specific, high-quality materials, but it will strictly cap the total payment at the maximum dollar amount you chose when setting up or renewing your policy.

To make sure you aren't left out of pocket, keep the following details in mind:

1. Check Your "Sum Insured" Figure

Your standard policy will cover the correct, hard-to-replace materials as long as the total cost to rebuild your entire home (including the roof, demolition, and professional fees) fits under your total Sum Insured cap. If your roof requires rare, imported, or specialized trade materials (like slate, custom copper, or specific architectural tiles), your overall rebuild cost will be significantly higher than a standard home. If you haven't factored this into your policy, you run a high risk of being underinsured.

2. Standard Calculators vs. Professional Valuations

Most Kiwi insurers provide an online tool (like the Cordell Sum Sure calculator) to help you estimate your rebuild costs. However, these online tools are built for standard homes and often fail to accurately price highly specialized, custom, or historical roofing materials.

  • The fix: For unique or hard-to-replace roofs, it is highly recommended to get a professional rebuild valuation from a Registered Quantity Surveyor. You can then manually adjust your Sum Insured with your insurer to match that exact figure.

3. Consider "Area Replacement" or Special Policies

A few insurers in New Zealand offer "Full Replacement" or "Area Replacement" policies (which cover the cost to rebuild based on the square metre size of your home rather than a fixed cash cap). Specialty providers like MAS Insurance still offer total square metre rebuild covers, which can provide better peace of mind for unique character homes.

4. It Must Be Sudden and Accidental Damage

Keep in mind that no standard insurance policy covers a roof that needs to be replaced because it has aged, rusted, or gradually leaked over time. Insurance will only cover the replacement if the roof is damaged by a sudden, unexpected event like a major storm, a fallen tree, or a fire.

To help you figure out if you're fully protected, could you tell me:

  • What specific material is your roof made of (e.g., slate, copper, cedar shingles)?

  • Is your home a character or heritage home , or a modern architectural design?

  • Who is your current insurance provider?

With this information, I can provide more tailored advice on how your insurer likely handles your specific type of roof.

Ask anything

Captured 11 October 2026

Google AI Mode · New Zealand

Our house has a special roof that's hard to replace. Would ordinary house insurance cover the extra cost of using the right materials?

Whether ordinary house insurance in New Zealand covers the extra cost of a special roof comes down to one critical factor: your sum insured amount.

In New Zealand, almost all residential house insurance operates on a sum insured basis rather than an "indemnity" or unlimited replacement value. This means the figure stated on your policy is the absolute maximum payout your insurer will provide to completely rebuild your home—including demolition, council consents, debris removal, and specialized labor or materials.

If your specialized roof requires expensive, rare, or hard-to-source materials, it will only be covered if you specifically factored those higher replacement costs into your total sum insured.

Key Risks and Considerations

  • Standard calculators might under-insure you: Online calculators (like the Cordell Sum Sure Calculator used by many NZ insurers) provide estimates for typical or standard residential builds. They often cannot accurately account for bespoke architectural features, heritage materials, or specialized imported roofing. [AA Insurance]

  • Out-of-pocket gaps: If your sum insured is set to an average standard build cost (e.g., $400,000) but rebuilding your unique roof and sourcing matching high-end materials pushes actual reconstruction costs much higher, the insurer will stop paying once your policy limit is reached. You would have to cover the remainder yourself.

  • Compliance and consents: Reinstating a non-standard roof may also trigger modern council consent requirements, scaffolding complexities, or specialist labor costs, all of which must fit within that same pool of money. [Tower Insurance NZ]

How to Ensure You’re Protected

  1. Get a professional valuation: For unique or high-value homes with specialty features, consider hiring a registered quantity surveyor, independent architect, or specialized builder to calculate an accurate, realistic rebuild figure.
  2. Review your policy details: Check your current certificate of insurance to see how your sum insured was calculated and whether specialty finishes or architectural designs were explicitly noted.
  3. Talk directly to your insurer: Call your insurance provider, explain the unique nature of your roof (and any special heritage, custom, or imported components), and ask if your current sum insured realistically covers a like-for-like replacement at today's construction rates.

If you'd like, let me know:

  • What type of material your roof is made of (e.g., specialty clay tile, copper, slate, or architectural membrane)
  • Whether you used a calculator or a professional to set your current sum insured

I can help you figure out the best way to verify your coverage adequacy.

Ask anything

Captured 11 October 2026