Consumer Advice

Consumer Information

Overseas travel insureance

Insurance situation arising from travel
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Buying insurance

Cover your property losses
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Guidelines for resolving disputes

This is how member companies resolve disputes.
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Commercial insurance

Insure against businessesdisruption
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Motor insurance

Motor vehicle insurance can cover you against accidental loss or damage to your vehicle,
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Personal insurance

The types of cover available under personal insurance
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Marine insurance

Cover for commercial vessels and personal pleasurecraft
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Insurance fraud

An insurance claim is considered fraudulent when it is based on facts that are simply untrue
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Key facts


  • According to a survey of New Zealand general insurers undertaken by the Insurance Council in 1998, insurance fraud costs New Zealanders a conservative $62 million annually, or $62 per household.
  • More than 15 percent of all claims probably have an element of fraud associated with them. Contents and travel insurance policies are the most attractive targets for fraud, with health and motor insurance following closely behind.
  • A survey commissioned by the Insurance Council on attitudes to fraud among New Zealand policyholders in 1996, found that four out of five people had heard of insurance fraud and one in five personally knew someone who had put in a false or exaggerated claim.
  • Seven out of ten policyholders considered all fraudulent claims to be serious, and 84 percent of policyholders understood that it was honest policyholders who lose when insurance fraud is committed.
  • The survey indicated there was a high awareness of what constitutes insurance fraud. 95 percent of policyholders agreed that "exaggerating a claim is dishonest and represents fraud", and 93 percent agreed that "a false claim represents fraud and insurance companies should encourage prosecutions".
  • 76 percent of policyholders surveyed said they would like to see insurance companies publicise the results of serious fraud cases.

 

 

 

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