Cost of natural disasters

Raraunga Maakete

New Zealand has experienced more than 150 severe weather events and natural
disasters since ICNZ began keeping records in 1968.

Natural hazards cost New Zealanders millions of dollars. Fortunately, New Zealand property is extremely well insured compared to other countries, which means the insurance industry bears most of the costs when disaster strikes.

The table below lists natural disasters that have occurred in New Zealand since 1968, and the cost to the insurance industry in paying claims for damage resulting from those events.

Cost Of Natural Disasters Table (NZ)

11 – 17 Feb 2023 Cyclone Gabrielle – regional breakdown of claims and costs to 1 Sept 2023
Location Hawke’s Bay Tairawhiti Auckland Aotearoa New Zealand total
Line Claims Value ($m) Claims Value ($m) Claims Value ($m) Claims Value ($m)
House 5,183 $407.51 940 $47.19 9,801 $91.68 25,080 $630.31
Contents 4,982 $85.60 564 $11.80 2,402 $9.70 11,447 $121.08
Business 4,347 $513.57 683 $22.19 1,753 $64.17 11,187 $770.94
Marine 67 $0.93 4 $0.06 29 $0.31 223 $5.59
Motor 3,717 $51.89 372 $4.20 721 $5.07 7,000 $110.05
Crops 67 $0.53 0 0   69 $0.64
Other 163 $5.84 39 $0.74 88 $3.30 601 $18.89
TOTAL 18,526 $1,065.86 2,602 $86.18 14,794 $174.24 55,607 $1,657.51

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