After a storm or weather event, the priority is to make your home safe and prevent further damage. This is known as make-safe repairs.
What are make-safe repairs?
Make-safe repairs are urgent, temporary works that:
Allow emergency access or preparations
Help prevent further damage to your home
Address immediate safety or security risks
Support you staying in your home, where possible
Examples include:
Securing or tarping a damaged roof
Boarding up broken windows or doors
Propping up unstable ceilings or walls
Temporary fencing
We can help arrange make-safe repairs
If make-safe work is needed and is covered, we’ll aim to help arrange a suitable contractor and/or specialist to stabilise and protect your home, as soon as we reasonably can and subject to availability.
In some emergencies, you may decide to organise this on your own. Do what’s reasonable and safe, keep photos and receipts, and let us know as soon as you can. For non-urgent work, please contact us first so we can confirm next steps and what may be covered.
Please only do what is safe and follow advice from emergency services and Civil Defence in your area.
Your cover
Depending on your policy, the type of damage, and its cause, cover may include:
Emergency make-safe repairs
Strip-outs of damaged materials
Drying and cleaning services
Replacement of damaged items (where covered and appropriate)
Please refer to your policy documents for full details.
What you can do
There are a few simple steps you can take to help the recovery process run smoothly and support timely assessment of your claim. They include:
Get in touch as soon as possible to lodge your claim.
Take photos of the damage before moving anything.
Keep receipts for any emergency work you arrange.
If it’s safe and practical, keep damaged items until we’ve assessed them. If you need to dispose of anything for health/safety reasons, take photos first and keep a sample where possible.
We're here to help
If you have any questions or need support with your recovery or claim, we’re here to help. Visit aainsurance.co.nz/contact for ways to get in touch.
Any questions?
Now’s a great time to review your insurance. We recommend checking your details are up to date and ensuring the policy and cover you’ve chosen is right for you and your insurance needs.
If you have any questions about your insurance, need to update your AA Insurance policies or would like a quote, don’t hesitate to contact us. You can find our opening hours and ways to get in touch with us on our contact page.
This blog provides general information only and is not intended to be a recommendation or personalised financial advice. Excesses, terms, conditions, limits and exclusions apply to AA Insurance Limited’s policies. Please check the policy wording for details of cover. The provision of cover is subject to the underwriting criteria that apply at the time.
