EQC pays out nearly $7m after storms

Ex-tropical cyclone Gita battered the West Coast. Photo: ODT files
Ex-tropical cyclone Gita battered the West Coast. Photo: ODT files
More than 1000 claims have been made to the Earthquake Commission after storms and ex-cyclones that ravaged the country between January and June.

Of the 1042 claims lodged so far this year, the EQC has already settled 727 and spent nearly $7million in damage repairs.

It has been a hectic six months for the country with ex-tropical cyclones Fehi and Gita hitting New Zealand in February and Cyclone Hola battering our shores in March.

Many parts of the country have also been ravaged by heavy rain and strong winds that caused extensive damage in the Coromandel, Bay of Plenty, Gisborne and Northland and on the West Coast.

EQC received 101 claims nationally for the January storm centred in Kaiaua-Thames, and 93 have now been resolved, with $1,103,964 paid to customers.

There were 134 claims lodged for ex-Cyclone Fehi, and of these claims 124 have been settled, with customers receiving $801,434 from EQC.

A further 222 claims have been resolved out of the 278 lodged for ex-cyclone Gita, with $4,800,016 paid to customers.

National customer care manager Robyn Nation said EQC covered damage to land from storms and floods and damage to land, home and contents from landslips.

That included the removal of silt and debris from under and around houses and from access ways, she said.

"The impact of each storm is different across regions and for communities and EQC works directly with residents, community organisations and councils to provide local residents with as much support and information as possible about lodging a claim," she said.

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