Auckland worst hit as insurer sees sharp rise in weather damage claims

The country’s largest insurer, IAG, says property damage claims from bad weather are up a third on last year, RNZ reports. There have been more than 13,000 claims from the 11 significant storms in the past six months – one fewer large event than the previous year. Auckland suffered the largest share of the damage, making 37% of all claims, while Canterbury made 10% and Wellington 8%. NIWA (the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research) reported that more than a month’s worth of rain fell in about 10 hours in Auckland’s March event.