IAG New Zealand has received 1000 claims arising from Cyclone Vaianu earlier this month, across home, contents, commercial, motor and boat policies.

And EGM of claims Steph Ferris says another 800 have been lodged after rainstorms triggered flash flooding across the Wellington and Wairarapa regions, plus more widespread damage across the North Island.

Work is “well under way” to help customers affected by heavy rain, floods, strong wind, lightning, landslips and tornadoes “all occurring within the space of less than a week”, she says.

Suncorp brand Vero Insurance also revealed that by Thursday, it had received 3584 weather-related claims so far this year, including 326 related to the most recent event.

It expects more claims as access improves and has called in 10 assessors and disaster response team support from Suncorp Australia. 

Another dozen Suncorp specialists are arriving today and specialised event training is planned for tomorrow. Morgan Project Services contractors are also helping Vero as an “extension of the claims team,” coordinating assessments and repair planning.

"This is where being part of the Suncorp Group really matters,” Vero EGM consumer Jane Brewer said. “We’re able to bring in assessors, claims teams and support functions from across the Tasman and integrate them into our response almost immediately ... That experience means we can move faster.” 

Storm frequency in New Zealand has more than doubled to once every eight days, IAG says, with 61% now in spring and summer.

“Traditionally, higher rainfall is expected during the winter months, but we are seeing this pattern shift. Increasingly, summer in New Zealand is beginning to resemble a new norm: when the weather is warm, expect a storm.”

The insurer’s latest weather tracker report says an earthquake and 46 storms produced 33,214 claims in the year to the end of February.

That was more than triple the 9371 lodged a year earlier, from 31 events.

An October 22 windstorm that caused widespread damage in Southland and surrounds produced 5289 claims. A February 2026 storm led to another 3354, and there were 3281 from Ex‑Tropical Cyclone Tam, which struck a year ago at Easter.

Auckland residents lodged 20% of the March 2025 to February 2026 natural hazard claims, Canterbury 15% and Wellington 13%.

Southland accounted for 9%, which IAG says, by population, is “a disproportionately high share that reflects the significant impact of recent events in the area”.

See the tracker here.