Home insurance for New Zealand homeowners
Your home is usually your largest financial asset. Marble helps you review your house insurance so the sum insured, the natural disaster cover and the rebuild assumptions actually match what it would cost to put things right today.
“The question is not whether your home is insured. It is whether the sum insured still reflects what it would cost to rebuild today.”
House insurance in New Zealand moved to a sum insured model years ago, which means the responsibility for getting the rebuild number right sits squarely with the homeowner. Build cost inflation, code changes and natural disaster exposure have all shifted that number significantly.
A policy taken out three or four years ago and rolled over each renewal can quietly become underinsured – not through neglect, but because the world around it has moved. The number on the schedule has stayed still while the cost of timber, labour, demolition and compliance has not.
An adviser who works with homeowners will start with the rebuild assumption, the natural disaster sub-limits, the excess structure and the small print – then walk you through what would actually happen at claim time.
Home – everyday reality
Common risks we help you plan for.
Underinsured rebuild value
Build cost inflation has materially changed what a 'full rebuild' looks like across most of New Zealand.
Natural disaster exposure
Earthquake, flood, storm and landslip cover responds differently across policies and regions.
Fire and accidental damage
Kitchen fires, water leaks and accidental damage remain the most common household claim drivers.
Burglary and theft
Forced entry, security standards and what is on the schedule all influence how a claim plays out.
Aged or unconsented work
Renovations, additions and decks done without consent can affect cover at claim time.
Long claim timelines
Temporary accommodation, alternative living costs and project length all need to be considered.
Policy wording drift
Exclusions, sub-limits and excesses change across renewals more often than people realise.
Cover that may be relevant for your situation.
Sum insured house cover
Cover for the building itself, set to a homeowner-nominated rebuild figure.
Natural disaster cover
Cover that responds to earthquake, landslip, volcanic and other natural disaster events, alongside the NHC (previously known as EQC) layer.
Temporary accommodation
Cover designed to support living costs while your home is being repaired or rebuilt.
Outbuildings and improvements
Sheds, fences, driveways, retaining walls and landscaping where included.
Liability cover
Cover for legal liability arising from your ownership or occupation of the home.
Accidental damage
Included cover for everyday household mishaps, such as a TV being knocked over or paint spilt on carpet.
The right insurance mix depends on your circumstances, the value of what you are protecting and how you actually live. Marble can help you review what is appropriate for your situation.
Where a Marble adviser can help.
Using tools we have access to, we can help assess your reinstatement costs and sum insured. Or, we can recommend a Cordell Sum Sure Calculator assessment.
Reviewing your sum insured against current rebuild benchmarks.
Walking through natural disaster sub-limits and the NHC (previously known as EQC) interaction.
Checking exclusions, excesses and any unconsented work flags.
Supporting claim conversations from first notification through to settlement.
Aligning your house, contents and vehicle cover so they work together.
Helping compare options across insurers where appropriate.
When the rebuild number tested four years ago becomes the rebuild number you actually need.
A storm causes significant structural damage to a family home. The repair quotes come in well above the sum insured set at the last renewal, leaving the homeowner to fund the difference at exactly the wrong moment.
The cover responded – but the number it was capped at no longer matched the cost of putting the home back. An adviser review before the claim is the difference between a stressful gap and a stressful event that is at least fully insured.
Home insurance – common questions.
Get your cover reviewed before you need to rely on it.
A quick conversation with a Marble adviser can help you understand whether your current insurance still matches the way you live, what you own and what you would want to be true at claim time.
