Community meeting assists customers following Kaiaua floods

Staff from the Earthquake Commission (EQC) met with Kaiaua, Thames and Coromandel residents at an information hub in Thames last night to discuss what further support EQC can provide following the 4-6 January storm in the area.

The hub was organised by the Hauraki District Council and attracted around 50 local residents to the Kaiaua Bowling Club and Community Centre.

Chief Customer Officer, Trish Keith, says that community meetings are a great way for EQC to work with other organisations and meet directly with local residents.

“It was an opportunity for EQC staff to talk with people who may have never lodged a claim before, explain the claim process and what support is available. It was also a chance for people to ask questions and be provided with information specific to their own needs. A number lodged claims during the hub and others got real-time updates on claims they’d already lodged.

The feedback from customers was that they appreciated the presence of EQC and the other organisations at the meeting.”

There have been 62 claims lodged with EQC so far following the January storm, the majority for damage in the Kaiaua and Thames-Coromandel region. EQC has assessed a number of the impacted properties, mostly for land damage from silt inundation.

Mrs Keith says it was important to be part of the Kaiaua coast hub, to help the community understand how they are covered by EQC in a natural disaster.

“In this event, the number of claims isn’t reflective of the shape and impact of the storm on the community. We’ve put a team in place to assist people and the hub gave us a valuable opportunity to meet with customers and support the community.”

EQC covers storm or flood damage to the land around a home. Private insurers cover storm or flood damage to the home and contents. EQC also covers landslip damage to the home, land or contents.

There is still time to lodge an EQC claim before the deadline of 6 April 2018. The priority after any event is for local residents to look after themselves, their families, and friends and take stock of what’s happened to their properties.

Claims can be lodged online at www.eqc.govt.nz/claims, via email on info@eqc.govt.nz, or by calling 0800 DAMAGE (0800 326 243). The EQC call centre is open 7am to 9pm Monday to Friday, and 8am to 6pm on Saturdays and more information is available on EQC’s website at www.eqc.govt.nz/get-help-now-claims.
More information is available at https://www.eqc.govt.nz/recent-events/kaiaua-thames-coast-storm

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