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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 looking for house insurance in Hawke's Bay. Which insurers should I look at?

For house insurance in Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand, I’d compare several major insurers directly and get a quote through a local insurance broker. The important thing is not just the premium: Hawke’s Bay homeowners should pay particular attention to natural-hazard cover, flood and surface-water risks, and the cost of rebuilding their particular property.

Insurers worth comparing

These are good starting points, rather than a ranking of which insurer is cheapest or best.

AMI Insurance

A useful mainstream option to include in your quote comparison.

Website: ami.co.nz

AA Insurance

Worth checking alongside other direct insurers for price, excesses and policy limits.

Website: aainsurance.co.nz

Tower Insurance

Another option to compare for residential property cover and natural-hazard terms.

Website: tower.co.nz

State Insurance

Worth obtaining a quote from as another established home-insurance provider.

Website: state.co.nz

NZI

Offers multiple levels of home cover, including its Distinction Home and Echelon Home products. Home Insurance

Website: nzi.co.nz

Vero

Worth checking directly or through an insurance adviser. Vero also provides the home-insurance policies distributed through ANZ. Home insurance | Quote and buy online

Website: vero.co.nz

Consider using a Hawke’s Bay insurance broker

A broker can be especially useful if your property has a history of flooding, is near a river or the coast, has retaining walls, or is difficult to insure through an online quote. A broker can approach insurers on your behalf and explain the differences between available policies.

Here are some local options to investigate:

Insure Hawke's Bay

Offers advice on domestic insurance, including house and contents, and accesses products from multiple insurers.

Website: insurehb.co.nz

The Insurance Team NZ

A local insurance brokerage worth contacting for a home insurance comparison.

Phone: +64 27 373 8822

Rothbury Insurance Brokers Hawke's Bay

Another local brokerage to ask about residential property cover and insurer options.

Phone: +64 6 835 2770

What to check before choosing

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

For Hawke’s Bay, I'd compare these details in particular:

  • Flooding and surface water: Ask specifically about flood exclusions, water entering the property, and any restrictions associated with the property's address or claims history.
  • Earthquake and landslip: Check the insurer's private cover above the government-backed Natural Hazards Cover, and any relevant excesses or exclusions. Government cover has statutory limits. About natural hazards cover :: Natural Hazards Commission Toka Tū Ake
  • Rebuild cost: Make sure your sum insured reflects the actual cost of rebuilding, including demolition, professional fees and site-specific construction costs.
  • Retaining walls, garages and sheds: Check their individual cover limits.
  • Temporary accommodation: Compare the dollar limit and how long the policy will pay if the home becomes uninhabitable.
  • Excesses and premiums: Compare like-for-like cover, not just the headline annual price.

My suggested starting point

Get quotes from AMI, AA Insurance and Tower, then ask Insure Hawke’s Bay or another local broker to see whether they can find a better-fitting policy through their insurer panel. Consider NZI or Vero as additional options.

One detail will help me narrow this down considerably: is the house in a flood-prone or coastal area, or is it on a typical suburban section? You don't need to provide the exact address.

Ask anything

ChatGPT can make mistakes. Check important info.

Captured 11 October 2026

Gemini · New Zealand

I'm looking for house insurance in Hawke's Bay. Which insurers should I look at?

When looking for house insurance in Hawke’s Bay, you need to consider how insurers approach risk-based pricing, natural hazard exposure (such as the legacy impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle and earthquake risks), and whether they offer "sum insured" or "full replacement" models.

Major insurers and alternative options operating in New Zealand that you should look at include:

1. Major Insurers (Sum Insured Models)

Most mainstream providers in New Zealand operate on a sum insured basis, meaning you nominate a maximum payout limit to rebuild your home. Because Hawke’s Bay has specific regional risk profiles, premiums and acceptance criteria will heavily depend on your exact address, elevation, and flood/land stability zone.

  • Tower: Tower uses sophisticated risk-based, address-level pricing. They have won multiple industry awards (including Canstar's Home & Contents Insurer of the Year) and offer tiered policies (Standard, Plus, Premium) with transparent online quoting.
  • IAG Brands (AMI and State): AMI and State are among the country's largest insurers. They feature robust policy benefits like temporary accommodation and hidden gradual water damage, though their pricing and willingness to take on new risks can vary significantly by specific suburb or rural locality in Hawke’s Bay.
  • AA Insurance: Consistently rated well for customer service and claims handling, AA Insurance is a popular choice for homeowners seeking reliable mainstream coverage.

2. Full Rebuild / Area Replacement Option

  • MAS (Medical Assurance Society): MAS is unique among mainstream insurers because it offers an area replacement model rather than a strict sum insured cap. If building costs surge or your home requires specialized materials to rebuild after a disaster, area replacement covers the actual costs. While traditionally catering to specific professional groups, they are worth checking if you want protection against underinsurance in high-inflation rebuild environments.

3. Specialist & Independent Insurers

  • Initio: An independent online insurer known for handling non-standard or trickier properties with flexible sum-insured configurations.

Key Tips for Insuring a Home in Hawke’s Bay:

  • Address-Level Risk Pricing: Insurers heavily factor in micro-geography (proximity to rivers, flood plains, low-lying coastal areas, or steep slopes). Getting quotes from multiple providers is essential because one insurer might view a specific street much more favorably than another.
  • Accurate Sum Insured Valuation: If you go with a sum insured policy (like Tower, AMI, or Initio), use professional calculators (such as Cordell Sum Sure) or a registered quantity surveyor. Underestimating your build cost leaves you vulnerable to a shortfall.
  • EQCover / Natural Hazards Commission (NHC): Standard house insurance in NZ is paired with NHC cover (formerly EQC) for natural disasters like earthquakes and landslips, up to statutory limits, with your private insurer covering the balance up to your policy maximum.

To help narrow down the best fit, are you looking to insure a standard residential home in town (e.g., Napier or Hastings), a rural property, or a lifestyle block?

Ask Gemini

Gemini is AI and can make mistakes.

Captured 11 October 2026

AI Overviews · New Zealand

I'm looking for house insurance in Hawke's Bay. Which insurers should I look at?

AI Overview

When looking for house insurance in Hawke's Bay , you should evaluate providers carefully, as the region's profile (including specific flood, storm, and earthquake risks) means premium costs and policy availability can vary drastically depending on your exact address.

Most major New Zealand insurers write policies in Hawke's Bay, but you can also look into direct local or digital-first niche options to find the best deal.

Major Direct Insurers

These companies hold the majority of the market share in New Zealand and allow you to get online quotes easily:

  • Tower Insurance: Awarded Canstar’s Home & Contents Insurer of the Year. Tower Insurance utilizes precise, address-level risk pricing. They offer multiple coverage tiers (Premium, Plus, Standard).

  • AMI Insurance: Backed by a strong "AA" financial rating, AMI Insurance provides a total fire loss safety net that covers rebuilding beyond your sum insured if you have calculated your cover reasonably.

  • State Insurance: Another major IAG brand offering the "Home Comprehensive" policy. State Insurance includes up to $30,000 for temporary accommodation and up to $50,000 for retaining walls, which is helpful for varied Hawke's Bay terrain.

  • AA Insurance: Highly rated for customer satisfaction. Note that due to modern climate modeling, certain high-risk postcodes nationwide may have tighter restrictions on new policies, so checking your address directly is critical.

Specialized & Mutual Providers

  • FMG (Farmers Mutual Group): As a mutual insurer, FMG is widely trusted throughout rural and lifestyle-block heavy regions like Hawke's Bay, offering highly competitive regional and residential packages.

  • MAS (Medical Assurance Society): Operates as a mutual company that consistently wins Consumer NZ People's Choice awards. MAS offers full "Area Replacement" or "Agreed Value" policies.

Digital-First & Independent Insurers

  • Initio Insurance: Backed by NZI/IAG, Initio is a 100% online agency that specializes in fast online quotes and policies geared toward houses and landlord rentals.

  • Cove Insurance: An online-focused platform designed for simple, digital-first management and straightforward policy wording.

Regional Insurance Brokers

If your property is in a high-risk flood or hazard zone (such as low-lying areas near Clive, Napier, or coastal pockets), direct online forms might decline coverage or return very high rates. Local brokers can manually shop the wider commercial and domestic markets to secure you a policy:

  • The Insurance Team NZ (Napier)

  • Rothbury Insurance Brokers (Napier)

  • Gallagher / AJG Insurance (Ahuriri, Napier) Napier Insurance Brokers | Hawkes BayInsurance Brokers in Hawke's Bay - Get in Touch | Rothbury

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

  • The approximate location or suburb within Hawke's Bay (e.g., hill vs. low-lying coastal/river zone)

  • Whether the property is a standard residential home, a rental, or a lifestyle block

  • If you are looking to bundle your house insurance with car and contents cover to save money

Ask anything

Captured 11 October 2026

Google AI Mode · New Zealand

I'm looking for house insurance in Hawke's Bay. Which insurers should I look at?

When shopping for house insurance in Hawke’s Bay—an area noted by insurers as having distinct natural hazard considerations (such as flood and earthquake risks)—it is wise to look at a mix of major direct insurers, digital-friendly providers, and specialized options.

Top house insurers operating in New Zealand to consider:

  • AA Insurance : Frequently top-ranked in customer satisfaction and claims service awards in consumer research (like Canstar), offering comprehensive standard policies that include accidental damage.

  • AMI : One of the country's largest insurers, providing robust natural hazard and storm/flood coverage alongside dedicated repair networks.

  • State Insurance : Another major brand (under the IAG umbrella alongside AMI) that regularly scores well for value and policy flexibility across comprehensive tiers.

  • Tower : Known for its flexible online-managed tools and fixed-cap "sum insured" models, though premiums and terms vary actively based on specific regional risk profiles. [MoneyHub NZ]

  • Initio : A popular online-first and highly digital insurer that often ranks competitively on baseline price for straightforward property risks.

  • MAS (Medical Assurance Society) : Distinct for offering an "area replacement" (full rebuild) model rather than a strict fixed sum insured cap [2.1.]. Note that eligibility traditionally favors specific professional or community backgrounds, but it's worth checking if you qualify. [MoneyHub NZ]

  • FMG (Farmers Mutual Group) : Particularly strong if your property in Hawke's Bay has a rural, lifestyle block, or semi-rural context.

Key Tips for Hawke's Bay:

  • Sum Insured vs. Rebuild Costs: Double-check whether your policy uses a fixed sum insured limit or an alternative structure, and ensure your calculated rebuild figure accounts for current regional building inflation.

  • Natural Hazard Levies: All residential house policies in NZ incorporate the Natural Hazards Commission (EQC) levy alongside the private insurer's premium.

  • Shop Around: Pricing models across high-hazard or weather-vulnerable zones change frequently between providers. Utilizing comparison resources like MoneyHub Home Insurance Guide or getting direct quotes from at least three of the above providers will give you the clearest picture of current market pricing. [MoneyHub NZ]

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

  • Is the property urban (e.g., Napier/Hastings) or rural/lifestyle?
  • Roughly what year was the house built?

I can give you more tailored advice on which providers handle those specifics best.

Ask anything

Captured 11 October 2026