Initio Blog

Can I claim for that?

Do you ever get that sinking feeling that your claim might be denied? Do not worry, we’ve got your back! Here at initio, we’re here to help make sense of insurance claims. Picture this: your furry friend decides to redecorate your living room… Learn more

Pro-tips for property owners. Tip #3: Re-evaluate your sum insured

Don’t short-change yourself Delving a bit deeper into getting your essentials in order, let’s look at why checking your sum insured is a crucial step. Understanding the value of your property is key. In tough times, the idea of lowering your sum insured to reduce your premium might seem appealing. Learn more

Pro-tips for property owners. Tip #2: Your emergency plan

Diving into the next part of our series, we’re tackling how to stay one step ahead of Mother Nature’s surprises. As the seasons shift, weather patterns can change rapidly, bringing unexpected conditions right to our doorsteps. Lately, we’ve noticed an uptick in flooding enquiries from our community, highlighting the importance… Learn more

Pro-tips for property owners. Tip #1: initio has you covered

Welcome to our newest blog series, where we delve into the essentials of readiness and resilience, covering everything from crafting a solid emergency plan to ensuring your sum insured is spot-on, and streamlining your insurance for the holiday season and beyond. However, before we explore these topics, we’re turning the… Learn more

The Unpredictable World of Home Insurance

From Seagulls to Scribbles Life can be full of surprises. This year, our clients’ experiences range from the utterly unexpected to the charmingly chaotic. We understand the need for comprehensive property insurance that covers these unforeseen events.  This year, initio has processed a record number of… Learn more

IAG Wild Weather Tracker, Nov 2023

New Zealand’s Leading Insurer Urges Government Action on Flood Resilience New Zealand’s most prominent insurance provider, IAG, has called on the newly formed government to make flood resilience a top priority. This appeal comes in the wake of insurance claims exceeding $1 billion due to the… Learn more

A closer look at property damage for New Zealand landlords

Rental properties generate income and grow in value over time, but they can also come with unique risks and costs. One common question for landlords is, “What damage is most likely to occur at my rental property?” Knowing the risks and how to reduce them is key… Learn more

It's not you, it's us

A candid take on initio’s approach to you and your home At initio we are ‘all-in’ on customer experience.  We ruthlessly pursue customer satisfaction with our technology, support and communications …. But only for a certain type of customer.  In short, we are not for everyone.   … Learn more

What could go wrong at my rental?

A closer look at property damage for New Zealand Landlords Rental properties, for all their promise of steady income and long-term value can, if not managed correctly, become ground zero for an array of unforeseen problems and potential hazards.  The reality is that damages,… Learn more

Initio Collaborates with Bachcare

To Offer Unique Insurance Product for Holiday Homeowners New Zealand insurance provider, initio, is excited to announce an alliance with Bachcare, the country’s leading holiday home management company. This unique partnership will provide an innovative insurance product meticulously tailored for holiday homeowners. Initio, in conjunction with Bachcare, will provide instant… Learn more

12 ways of protecting your house and your tenants.

Winter Checklist 2023 As the winter months approach, it’s important to be prepared for the potential risks that come with the season. At initio, we’ve observed a significant increase in claims during winter, mainly due to storms, flooding, water damage, and residential fires. Learn more

How Initio Became MoneyHub's Editor's Choice for Home Insurance Innovation

As an insurance provider committed to pushing the boundaries of innovation, it gives us immense pride to announce that Initio has been awarded the Editor’s Choice for Home Insurance Innovation by MoneyHub. This prestigious award validates our unwavering commitment to revolutionise the insurance industry and deliver unparalleled service to our… Learn more

One insurer = One headache

While it might be tempting to find the cheapest insurance for each of your insurance policies, it may not be worth it in the long run. Auckland Anniversary Weekend flooding followed by Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 showed us the worst-case scenario; some families lost everything and are still… Learn more

The cost of owning a house is on the rise

But it’s not all doom and gloom. Homeowners and Landlords are facing significant financial pressure in 2023.  The increase in mortgage rates, combined with rising property insurance costs, has put a strain on homeowners cash flow and the budgets of landlords, who are facing… Learn more

New kid on the block

My first three months at initio Change is as good as a holiday they say, so after nearly a decade at my previous company, I made the leap, dusted off my CV, stumbled my way through the interviews and signed the contract with initio. But now I had… Learn more

2022 claims in review

Another year has come and (nearly) gone so here’s a review of the year that was.  This year, initio processed nearly 45% more claims when compared to 2021. We think you’ll agree, it’s a big increase and is indicative of both of greater rate of weather-related… Learn more

Award winning insurance

Initio recently became a winning 5 star award provider in the 2022 IBNZ (Insurance Business New Zealand) insurance awards and we couldn’t be more proud. How did we win? Our winning formula is our smart claims platform, which empowers customer self-service for home, contents, and car insurance. Learn more

Changes to the cost of home insurance from October 2022

Some important changes will affect what you pay for home and landlord insurance.  The two changes are:   Earthquake Commission cover (EQC)  Insurer premium We explain these changes below:   Changes to Earthquake Commission cover From… Learn more

Are you ready for the upcoming Healthy Homes deadline?

For any new tenancy agreement signed after 01 July 2021 your property will legally have to comply with all five Healthy Homes Standards within the first 90 days. To keep on top of things here’s a reminder of what the changes mean,… Learn more

Checking for meth before buying a house

The hot recent housing market has seen Kiwis buying and selling houses at some of the highest rates ever. While the effects of FOMO (fear of missing out) may make it tempting to dive into the market, we’re here to remind… Learn more

218-1 The Residential Tenancies Amendment Bill - how does it impact my landlord insurance?

This week, law changes to the Residential Tenancies legislation is set to strengthen renter’s rights. It aims to transition a landlord’s rental house into a tenant’s home.   Looking specifically at landlord insurance, the change that will have the most ramifications on landlord insurance is the removal of no-cause evictions. Essentially,… Learn more

Loss of Airbnb rental income due to Covid 19? Am I covered by insurance?

Homes that are rented out to short-staying paying guests are experiencing booking cancellations and reduced occupancy (loss of income) due to fears and government restrictions relating to Covid-19.  We take a look at whether insurance provides cover. Covid-19, also known as the Coronavirus has caused major impact to visitor travel… Learn more

2019 Initio Claims Awards

Covering yourself for an unexpected event that leads to damage and financial loss is exactly what insurance is for. For house and contents insurance, you are most likely to think of your typical risks that might include fire, property flooding or theft of contents. However, insurance goes much further the… Learn more

Protecting your house and contents over Christmas

Christmas is the busiest time of year …. for burglars.  House insurance is just one part of managing your house and contents risk.  Heres a guide on protecting your property. It’s coming into that time of year where we like to take a load off – relax for… Learn more

Insurance for the tomorrow's customer - Rene Swindley- ICNZ Conference 2019

Having started a company that challenged the way things have always been done in insurance, our director, Rene Swindley, who is the recipient of the 2018 Young Insurance Professional of the Year, was asked to speak to the 2019 Insurance Council of New Zealand Conference on… Learn more

Duty of disclosure - law changes ahead

The current situation – Duty of full disclosure Duty is on you to disclose anything that may affect the insurance company’s decision to cover you.   When you apply for insurance you are asked declaration questions by the insurance company. You are expected to answer these to… Learn more

Kiwi tech platform recognised for changing property insurance (media release)

Hamilton, New Zealand – 1st October 2019 Specialist online property insurer, Initio, has been named as a finalist in the 2019 New Zealand Insurance Industry Awards, run by the Australian and New Zealand Institute of Insurance and Finance (ANZIIF). Nominated as ‘Innovation of the Year’, the Waikato-based insuretech is… Learn more

Initio claims at glance

  When you think about claims, people generally jump to their own worst fear of their property burning to the ground, and that’s exactly why we all buy insurance. Big marketing hypes insurance products as providing ‘peace of mind’, but what you’re literally purchasing is compensation in the event you… Learn more

Residential Tenancies Amendment Act 2019 breeds uncertainty  (Media Release)

Auckland, New Zealand – Initio media release  New tenancy legislation comes in effect today under the Residential Tenancies Amendment Act 2019 (RTAA). Among other things, the RTAA attempts to clarify liability for property damage between tenants and landlords. As a specialist online landlord property insurance provider, Initio handles landlord property… Learn more

Residential Tenancies Amendment Act - who now pays for damage?

On 30th of July 2019 changes to the legislation around tenant damage and meth contamination were passed passed into law. The Residential Tenancies Amendment Act 2019  will: limit tenants’ liability for careless damage in rental properties to the landlord’s insurance policy excess… Learn more