Insurance claims ramping up as the remnants of Cyclone Debbie sweep across New Zealand

Auckland – 5 April 2017 – AA Insurance says that it has received more insurance claims so far for the remnants of Cyclone Debbie than from the last major flooding in March.

“Our claims team has been busy since this morning dealing with flood and storm-related claims,” says Amelia Macandrew, Customer Relations Manager, AA Insurance. “More bad weather is on the way with heavy rain predicted, so we expect that claims will rise as the rain moves across the country.

“Safety should be the first priority for people affected by the weather. We’re keen to hear from customers who are unable to stay in their homes and need assistance, or who require urgent repairs to their homes to keep them watertight and warm. We also want to hear from those who have been able to assess the damage to their home, contents or car,” says Amelia.

AA Insurance advises its customers to:

• Make sure you, family and pets are safe first. There is no rush to make a claim for your home or contents, so once you're safe and settled, get in touch with us if you need to make a claim

• If you need urgent repairs to make your home safe, or if you need temporary accommodation, call us on 0800 500 216

• Do not attempt to inspect or repair any damage until it is safe to do so

• If the floors are wet, lift your furniture off the floor to prevent staining

• Keep your damaged items if they are safe to do so, or take photos – this is useful to confirm what needs replacing

• If your vehicle has been damaged or suffered flooding it may be unsafe to drive