New Zealand market News

RBNZ Says Insurance May Become Unaffordable for High-Risk Homes

New Zealanders who own properties in areas prone to flooding or earthquakes may find they can’t afford insurance or may not be offered cover for specific risks, according to the Reserve Bank. Rising premiums or the inability to insure are …

US Insurance Giant Marsh Set for $448 Million Honan Deal

Marsh has agreed to acquire Honan Insurance Group Pty Ltd. as the US insurance broker giant seeks to expand its presence in Australia and New Zealand. The Marsh & McLennan Cos Inc. unit has signed a deal to buy out …

New Zealand Offers to Buy Out Owners of Cyclone, Flood-Damaged Homes

New Zealand’s government will help to buy out the owners of cyclone and flood-damaged houses in areas deemed susceptible to severe weather events, beginning a process of managed retreat in the face of climate change. Together with local councils, the …

Insured Losses for New Zealand North Island Floods Estimated at NZ$1.8B: PERILS

Insured losses for New Zealand’s North Island floods of Jan. 27 to Feb. 2 are estimated at NZ$1.75 billion ($1.1 billion), according to PERILS, the independent Zurich-based organization that provides industry-wide catastrophe insurance data. This second PERILS’ loss estimate has …

New Zealand Needs to Rebuild With Resilience to Extreme Weather: PM

After last week’s damaging cyclone, New Zealand needs to rebuild with more resilient infrastructure to cope with more frequent and intense weather events, the prime minister said Tuesday. Prime Minister Chris Hipkins has described Cyclone Gabrielle, which caused widespread damage …

Lockton Launches Affinity Biz in Australia, New Zealand and Pacific, Led by Dasgupta

Lockton, the world’s largest privately owned insurance brokerage, announced the launch of an Affinity Schemes business in Australia, New Zealand and Pacific. The business will be led by Tanya Dasgupta who recently joined Lockton as National Manager – Affinity Schemes …

Extreme Weather May Force New Zealand to Rethink Where It Builds: Finance Minister

New Zealand faces big questions about where people should live and how to build infrastructure as the devastating aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle highlights the impact of climate change, Finance Minister Grant Robertson said. The cyclone swept across the Upper North …

New Zealand Searches for Missing After Cyclone; Sizable Economic Cost Expected

New Zealand is still searching for people missing in the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle amid fears the death toll will continue to climb. Five people are now confirmed dead after the cyclone devastated large areas of the nation’s North Island, …

Cyclone’s Destructive Path Through New Zealand, Killing at Least Four People

Four people are dead and there are concerns for others who are missing on New Zealand’s North Island as emergency services struggle to reach isolated communities in the aftermath of Cyclone Gabrielle. The dead include a young person caught in …

Cyclone Gabrielle Leaves Trail of Destruction Across New Zealand’s North Island

Cyclone Gabrielle has started to track away from New Zealand after leaving a trail of destruction across large parts of the nation’s North Island. Some 225,000 homes are without electricity, at least 2,500 people have been evacuated and tens of …