Canterbury Land Information

This announcement does not mean that we will be able to begin repairs or rebuilding immediately for all properties in this zone; there is still a lot of assessment and investigation needed to determine how and when repairs can be completed. However, your Customer Manager will be in touch with you as soon as they can to confirm when this assessment is completed, and when your repairs are likely to begin.

The land in the orange zone requires further assessment by the Government before any decisions can be made on the repair/rebuild of your property. Many homes in this area have suffered damage as a result of recent aftershocks and have not yet been adequately assessed. 

Repairs to the land in the red zone would be prolonged and uneconomic. As a result, all insured home owners living in the residential red zone whose properties were damaged by the earthquakes in Canterbury since 4 September 2010 will be offered two options by the Government.

Landowners in the red zone have nine months to consider the options and decide if they would like to take one of Government’s options, or take neither. If you decide to take one of the proposed options, the Government has said that you will be able to choose an early or deferred settlement date to provide time for you to choose your next home.  AA Insurance strongly recommends that customers obtain their own legal advice, and take their time to weigh up their position, as this is an important decision with significant, lasting financial and social consequences.

If your current home is severely damaged or uninhabitable, you may be entitled to a temporary accommodation allowance, please contact your Customer Manager directly to discuss this on 0800 500 216.

The Crown makes an offer of purchase for the entire property (land and any buildings) at current rating value, less any built property insurance payments already received, and assumes all insurance claims other than contents.

This option means that the Crown is offering to purchase your property from you (land and buildings), for the current rating value.  (You can check your most recent valuation at www.ratesinfo.ccc.govt.nz for Christchurch residents or www.waimakariri.govt.nz for those in the Waimakariri District).  If you accept this option, the Government will resolve your home insurance claim with AA Insurance, and with the EQC, and you will not need to be involved further.

It will take some time before you will receive this offer from the Crown due to the large number of homes under review. The Government is aiming to make you an offer of purchase within the next two months.

The Crown makes an offer of purchase for the land only, and homeowners can continue to deal with their own insurer (or the EQC) about their homes.

If you select this option the Crown will make you an offer to purchase your land only. AA Insurance, and the EQC, will continue to manage your insurance claim for your home. Your Customer Manager will be able to outline how your claim may be settled, you can contact them on 0800 500 216.

The Government has advised that an extensive geotechnical investigation is underway to assess the Port Hills zone to determine timeframes when more accurate information can be provided. For those in rural areas, or the Kaiapoi Ward, the Government have advised to continue with your current insurance process for now.

The Government has issued a ‘Frequently Asked Questions’ document which outlines how the zones were decided, what the zones mean and outlines the next steps for each zone. You can view this information here.

You can contact the Government Helpline if you have additional questions about these offers or zones on 0800 779 997 or visit www.landcheck.org.nz.

If you have specific questions about how this will affect your claim, you can contact your Customer Manager directly on 0800 500 216.