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Money
10 ways to maximise your chances of having a successful home insurance claim
A successful home insurance claim starts well before anything goes wrong. These smart tips will help you get the most from your insurance when you need it most.
By Maddie Southall
While crossing your fingers that nothing bad ever happens to your home can feel like a good strategy, adding these 10 things into your repertoire can hold you in much better stead. Bad weather, flooding, storms, break-ins or other damage can happen to anyone, so make your insurance safety net as strong as possible with these tips.
1. Buy the right policy in the first place
Sounds simple doesn’t it? But it’s surprising how many people either take out the wrong policy or forget to review their policy as their needs change. Do your research and compare policies and providers with a comparison tool like Canstar.
While you’re at it, you might as well review your car and other insurance policies as well.
2. Review your policy regularly to understand coverage and exclusions
Reviewing your policy regularly is a great way to ensure you aren’t overpaying and that you are covered for the things you actually need. New research from the Natural Hazards Commission Toka Tū Ake has revealed that this is a major blind spot for many Kiwis, finding that "many New Zealand homeowners don’t fully understand what their natural hazards insurance would cover after an event." This can lead to unfortunate surprises when it's time to make a claim.
The report found that "only a third (33%) of insured homeowners are confident they know what damage to their home would or would not be covered by insurance after a natural hazard event." This lack of clarity means you could be paying for a policy that doesn’t meet your expectations. While reviewing your cover isn't the most exciting way to spend an afternoon, it’s a crucial step to save money and ensure you have the right protection in place.
3. Maintain your home and possessions well
Home and contents insurance is generally designed to return you to the position you were in before the weather, theft or damage event took place. Therefore, it’s worth maintaining your home to achieve the best possible starting point.
In that same vein, pre-exisiting damage to your property that took place before the event that caused you to make the claim might not be covered.
Some great ways to keep your property maintained are:
- Regularly maintaining your gutters to prevent clogs and water damage
- Keep an eye on any cracks that appear in the walls or ceiling and make sure you get some professional advice on how to fix them
- Be mindful of gradual deterioration of fences, gates and other parts of the home. If a weather event takes out a poorly maintained fence, you may not be able to claim it on insurance
4. Document your home and contents before you need to make a claim, especially valuables; keep receipts
Having a detailed inventory of your belongings can be a lifesaver if you ever need to make a claim.
Start with the items most important to you: jewellery, antiques, entertainment systems, laptops, phones, designer pieces, or anything else you’d want to replace if it were damaged or stolen.
For each item, write a short description complete with the make, model and serial number if available. Keep copies of receipts (check your emails for digital ones), store any owner’s manuals and take clear photographs. If an item is second-hand or antique, getting a professional valuation can be worthwhile – this not only confirms ownership but also helps establish the item’s current value.
5. Document damage immediately with photos and videos
After a break-in or weather event, be sure to document the damage thoroughly as soon as it’s safe to do so. This means taking photos and videos of the damage and writing a short description of what happened.
It’s helpful to have your own records should you ever need them during the claim.
6. Notify your insurer as soon as possible
The Insurance Council of New Zealand advises that you should always "Contact your insurance provider as soon as you can and before having any work done." Lodging a claim quickly allows the process to begin, including the potential for an assessor to inspect your property.
Don’t worry if you can’t immediately find your policy documents; insurers keep electronic records and will usually only need your name and address to find your details. During a large-scale natural disaster, be aware that access to your property may be limited and the assessment process can take more time. Either way, the most important first step is to alert your insurance company as soon as it is safe to do so.
7. Provide accurate and detailed information when filing your claim
When it comes time to make a claim, accuracy is everything. Include specifics such as the date and time of the incident, a clear description of what happened, and a full list of any items affected or damaged.
Avoid guessing details; if you're unsure about something, say so rather than estimating. Incomplete or inconsistent information can delay your claim or even lead to it being rejected altogether. Being thorough from the start helps your insurer assess the situation quickly and fairly.
8. Avoid making permanent repairs before the insurer's inspection
Making major changes before an inspection can complicate your claim or even void parts of your coverage.
Temporary fixes to prevent further damage, like covering a broken window or stopping a leak, are usually fine, but hold off on any permanent changes. Be sure to document everything you do, keep receipts, and let your insurer know what temporary measures you are thinking of taking. Always wait for the green light before beginning full repairs.
9. Track and follow up while repairs are in progress
Once your claim has been accepted and repair work begins, staying actively involved in the process is key to having successful repairs.
Check in with your insurer or assigned claims manager to get updates on expected timelines, approved contractors, and next steps. If contractors are sent by your insurer, confirm what work they are authorised to do and keep records of all correspondence.
If you're organising repairs yourself, make sure you only use qualified, licensed tradespeople and get written quotes and invoices for all work done.
10. Appealing a denied or underpaid claim is possible
If your claim is denied or the payout is lower than you expected, you don’t have to blindly accept it.
First, ask your insurer for a clear explanation of their decision in writing. According to the Insurance & Financial Services Ombudsman (IFSO), this is the first step in making a complaint. It can be helpful to review your policy document to see if the decision aligns with your policy's terms.
If you still believe the outcome is unfair, you can then make a formal complaint to your insurer's internal complaints resolution service. If you're not satisfied with the outcome of the internal review, you can escalate the matter to IFSO. The IFSO is a free, independent body that resolves insurance disputes. Keeping good records, including emails and any documentation related to your claim, will support your case throughout the process.
Feature image: iStock/gorodenkoff
This article reflects the views and experience of the author and not necessarily the views of Citro. It contains general information only and is not intended to influence readers’ decisions about any financial products or investments. Readers’ personal circumstances have not been taken into account and they should always seek their own professional financial and taxation advice that takes into account their personal circumstances before making any financial decisions.
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