Following the severe flooding that many parts of the country faced, the New Zealand government recently introduced the New Zealand Claims Resolution Service (NZCRS). The purpose of the NZCRS is to assist home owners with house insurance to resolve disputes that have arisen with their insurance providers following a natural disaster.

NZCRS provide a range of services including legal advice, engineering and technical advice, as well as dispute resolution services, all free of charge.

A case manager is allocated and provides independent tailored guidance and relevant options that are available to you based on your circumstances. It was modelled off a similar service provided by the government in response to the Canterbury and Kaikoura earthquakes.

The NZCRS has highlighted that this service should not be the first point of call for home owners with damaged property. Home owners should always, in the first instance, contact their insurance provider.

Only when a dispute has arisen between a home owner and an insurance provider should the home owner refer to NZCRS for independent support to assist.

Leading law firms committed to helping clients cost-effectively will have a range of fixed-price Initial Consultations to suit most people’s needs in quickly learning what their options are.  At Rainey Collins we have an experienced team who can answer your questions and put you on the right track.