EQC turns its attention to full assessments

The Earthquake Commission (EQC) is turning its attention to full assessments of homes having largely completed the rapid assessment process.

More than 182,000 rapid assessments have been undertaken since the February 22 earthquake. There is still follow-up work being done where homeowners have raised issues about their rapid inspection. Now that assessors have been freed up from rapid assessments, EQC is also working on visiting homeowners who had made claims before 22 February but who had not yet been visited.

EQC Chief Executive Ian Simpson says nearly 4000 full assessments have been completed.

“Full assessments are a thorough and time consuming exercise with assessors spending from between one hour and five hours in a house. Their purpose is to work out how much will be paid following a claim for earthquake damage.

“EQC has around 185 full assessment teams working in Christchurch and within each assessment team we have at least one trade qualified builder,” Mr Simpson said.

The rapid assessment process has identified 12,120 properties as likely to have damage above the $100,000 EQC cap. Of these 12,120 properties, just over 5,200 have had their insurance status confirmed,” Mr Simpson said.

EQC pays out up to $100,000 (+GST) for house repairs and $20,000 (+GST) for contents. The rest is paid for by the homeowners’ private insurers.

Mr Simpson said that one of the priorities for EQC is to identify those homes in most need of emergency repairs and heating with the winter months fast approaching.

“Fletcher EQR, in conjunction with EECA, has so far ordered, installed or repaired about 4000 heating units as part of the emergency repair programme,” he said.

“These include heat pumps and different varieties of solid fuel burners. Orders are now being taken at a rate of more than 1000 per week. The heat pumps are being delivered about two weeks after the order, while solid fuel burners take a bit longer.”

“Homes where the primary heat source has been lost through earthquake damage are having heating equipments replaced or repaired and other work carried out to ensure weather tightness,” Mr Simpson said.

Homeowners whose primary source of winter heat has been lost through earthquake damage should contact EQC via 0800 DAMAGE or email heating@eqr.co.nz.

EQC has received a total of 287,000 claims for the September and February earthquakes, 103,000 for February alone. Just under $823 million has been paid out on claims.

For more information or to lodge an EQC claim visit www.eqc.govt.nz

ENDS

© Scoop Media