Insurers have welcomed a government decision to appoint a ministerial adviser to the Earthquake Commission (EQC).
EQC Minister Megan Woods said the new position would give her advice on the settlement of the 2600 outstanding Canterbury earthquake claims.
EQC chairman Sir Maarten Wevers resigned in response, saying it was clear Woods had no confidence in the board or staff.
The new government has made changes to hasten the settlement of remaining claims, such as an inquiry into EQC, an insurance disputes tribunal and a promise to fund some High Court cases to find precedent-setting rulings on issues.
EQC handled about 470,000 claims during Wevers' tenure. The 2600 remaining represent 0.6% of those claims.
Jimmy Higgins, executive general manager of claims at Suncorp New Zealand, which includes Vero and AA Insurance, said he supported any moves to speed up the process for customers who are still waiting for their claims to be resolved.
“We have been working proactively with customers who still have unresolved EQC claims and we welcome any opportunity to see these expedited and resolved quickly,” he said.
“We look forward to working constructively with the independent ministerial adviser once an appointment is made.”
Tower chief executive Richard Harding said it was pleasing to see the new government was committed to resolving outstanding EQC claims for Cantabrians.
"For a number of years now, Tower has said that the EQC model is fundamentally broken. Seven years on from the event, insurers and our customers still do not have complete clarity on outstanding EQC claims.
"We support the appointment of an independent ministerial adviser and the development of a plan to speed up the settling of claims for those still waiting on the EQC.
"For a country that faces a significant earthquake risk, an organisation like EQC can play an important part helping communities recover from disaster and it is imperative that they operate efficiently and in the best interests of New Zealand," he said.
Tower has fewer than 300 open claims remaining.
“We are very supportive of the minister’s approach,” IAG New Zealand chief executive, Craig Olsen, said. “Since the government took office, they have shown a clear commitment to speeding up the settlement of outstanding claims from the Canterbury earthquakes.
“We also believe it is time for some bold decisions, and look forward to working with the minister on solutions that help the people of Canterbury and those who may be affected by future disasters."
