Many Claiming Insurance

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31653, 13 April 1968, Page 14

Many Claiming Insurance

Insurance companies in Christchurch had a stream of calls on Thursday from householders making claims for storm damage.

At the same time the Christchurch City Council and county and borough councils were taking details of claims against the Earthquake and War Damage Fund. They are agents of the commission administering the fund.

Mr M. B. Hayes, Town Clerk of Christchurch, said that dozens of claims were coming from persons after roofs and porches had been blown off, windows had been blown in and trees had fallen on houses. They were also claiming for fences blown down in the storm, but these were not usually covered by the commission’s insurance.

Mr Hayes said the council was taking claims on behalf of the commission from persons who had fire insurance on their houses, but not those who had comprehensive cover. Those who had comprehensive cover were being advised to go to their insurance companies. “We think this will be declared an emergency area,” Mr Hayes said. County councils were taking claims from many residents of rural districts where farm buildings had been damaged by the storm. The Heathcote County Clerk (Mr K. D Stills) pointed out that there was a $2O franchise on claims against the commission. He said many residents of Cashmere wanted to claim for damage to retaining walls, but these were not covered by the commission's insurance.

Insurance companies had to divert all their employees to the answering of telephone calls. Most claims related to water damage, particularly in houses which had tiles blown off or water driven under the tiles.

One insurance company manager advised owners of wet carpets to lift them so that they could dry. He said his company had had hundreds of claims. “We don't like to be always paying out,” he said, “but that's what we're here for. The trouble is that we can’t get the builders out to houses now before the week-end, and some people are going to have a pretty rough sort of an Easter.” Comprehensive policies covered damage to roofs as well as water damage, he said, but some house owners still insured only against fire. In those cases his staff was taking details and sending them to the Earthquake and War Damage Commission.