You have the right to cancel your insurance at any time. However, most insurance companies don’t advertise this fact, and sometimes they make it a bit difficult to leave them.  We believe insurance companies should allow you to cancel and receive a refund as fast as they insure you, which is why our customers can cancel with the click of a button.

Will I get my money back?

Your insurance company must refund you the unused part of your premium (unless they have some hidden clause about keeping a certain percentage of your premium).  So, if you cancel your annual house insurance policy halfway through the year, you should be refunded half the premium you paid.

You have paid a certain period of insurance, so if you don’t use all of that period (because you want to change insurers, you don’t want cover any more or you have sold your house for example) then you are entitled to receive back the cover you have not used

Will there be a cancellation fee?

It depends on the company. There may be a small fee for processing the cancellation, it should never be more than $30.
Initio does not charge cancellation fees.  With initio, you can come and go as you please, and you get a full pro-rata refund of your insurance costs back if cancel a policy.

What do I need to do to cancel?

All you need to do is contact your insurance company and tell them to cancel your policy. Here are the steps:

STEP 1: First make sure your new insurance policy is in place (e.g. with initio).  The initio platform allows you to place cover instantly on a day of your choosing up to a month in advance.

STEP 2: Call or email your insurance company telling them to cancel your policy from the date your new initio policy begins. We recommend providing:

• Full Name
• Policy Number(s)
• Address
• Cancellation Date (same date as start date of your new initio policy)
• Bank Account Number (for refund to be paid to)

STEP 3: Check your bank account to confirm the refund has been paid.

Having trouble contacting your insurer?

Get in touch with our support team who will be happy to help guide you through the cancellation process with your existing insurer.

Once you’ve completed the steps above and are ready to start your journey with initio, simply get a quote online, set your start date, and you’ll be covered in minutes. It’s fast, easy, and built for people who want insurance sorted without the faff.

Buy House Insurance

Related Articles:

• Make changes to your house and contents insurance
• How to renew your annual policy
• Navigating your dashboard
• Can I pre-purchase a new policy?

Is it beside or attached to where you live?

What kind of insurance do you need?

If you have two dwellings/units on your property and you rent one out long-term (90 days or more), there are some important things to consider when it comes to insurance.

What counts as a separate dwelling/unit?

If you’re renting out a second dwelling/unit – such as a separate or attached granny flat, a separate unit, or a converted space – it’s considered separate from your household. Even if the rental is on the same property title, the tenant is not part of your household. You might have a formal tenancy agreement in place, or a more casual flat-sharing or boarding arrangement, but the key point is that they’re living independently from you.

If this matches your situation:

• Your second dwelling/granny flat is rented out long-term (90 days +)
• The second dwelling/unit has it’s own facilities and the tenant lives independently there.
• You might have a tenancy agreement, flat-sharing or boarding arrangement in place

Then you’ll need:

Two separate insurance policies to make sure you’re properly covered:

1. House insurance (Own Home policy) – Covers the home you live in, protecting the structure itself. Also safeguard your personal belongings by adding contents insurance.
2. Landlord insurance (Rental policy) – Covers the rental home, including damage caused by tenants, additional loss of rent, and liability protection.

Why separate policies matter

Our standard home and landlord (rental) policies cover only one home or unit per policy — even if they are connected, share the same address, or are on the same property title. In addition, each home/unit has different insurance needs, and having separate policies ensures you’re covered correctly and for the right things.

Get cover today

With initio, you can get a quick quote for each and buy insurance online in minutes, making it easy to ensure both your home and rental property are fully protected.

Buy House Insurance     Buy Landlord Insurance

Need help? If you’re unsure about what policies are right for your situation, contact us to make sure you’re fully protected.

Get covered today with initio – Quick quotes, easy online cover.

Not quite what you’re looking for? Maybe some of these other scenarios suit you better:

• Renting out part of your home short-term
• Renting out a second dwelling solely for short-term stays
• Insurance for a non-rented second home on your property
• Second dwelling on your property that your family lives in
• Renting out two dwellings on your property

If you have two dwellings on your property and one is used exclusively for short-term stays – such as an Airbnb or similar short-term rental arrangement – it’s important to understand your insurance options.

What insurance do you need?

Homes used this way are no longer classified as residential, as they are considered to function more like motels. Because of this you will require a commercial product to insure the home/unit.

What are your options?

Unfortunately, initio does not currently offer an insurance product that fits this type of use.  Please contact a provider who offers commercial solutions, such as a broker.

Not quite what you’re looking for? Maybe some of these other scenarios suit you better:

• Renting out part of your home short-term
• Do you have a second dwelling on your property that you rent out?
• Insurance for a non-rented second home on your property
• Second dwelling on your property that your family lives in
• Renting out two dwellings on your property

Does initio offer cover for loss of rent?

Yes – our landlord insurance includes loss of rent protection in these situations:

• Your rental becomes uninhabitable due to sudden, accidental damage covered by the policy (like fire or flooding) – We’ll pay up to 12 months’ rent, capped at your selected loss of rent limit.
• Your tenant is evicted for non-payment, or vacates the property without notice  – We’ll pay loss of rents following the eviction, or until you find a new tenant for up to 6 weeks (excludes overdue rents prior to the eviction).

Learn more about how loss of rent works

What does loss of rent cover?

Loss of rent cover helps protect your rental income. Here’s a breakdown of how it works under initio’s landlord insurance:

You’re covered for:

• Uninhabitable home: If the property can’t be lived in due to insured damage (e.g. fire, flood, meth contamination), we cover up to 12 months’ rent, up to the limit shown on your policy.
  
• Loss of rent following eviction of the tenant for non-payment of rent during the period of cover. We will pay for any event up to 6 weeks’ rent, less any amount recoverable by you from rent paid in advance
• Abandonment: Loss of rent following the tenant vacating the home without giving the required notice during the period of cover. We will pay for any event up to 6 weeks’ rent, less any amount recoverable by you from rent paid in advance.
  
• Access or utility issues: If your tenant can legally stop paying rent due to loss of access or failure of public utilities, you’re covered for up to 6 weeks’ rent.
  
• Meth contamination: If your property is contaminated during a tenancy and you’re covered under the meth benefit, we’ll also cover up to 12 months’ rent, based on estimated repair time.
  
• Tenant damage: If the home becomes uninhabitable due to intentional damage, theft or vandalism by a tenant, loss of rent may also apply under the standard 12-month cap.

If you’re still unsure, you can reach out to us directly – or even use an AI chat tool to quickly search your policy for specific details – just remember to always double-check the results!

Learn more about how loss of rent works, alternatively, read the full policy wordings.

Why does loss of rent cover matter?

If you rely on rent to cover mortgage payments or other bills, this protection is essential. It gives you breathing room while your property is repaired or re-tenanted.

Tip: To claim under most loss of rent scenarios, you’ll need to meet your landlord obligations, including regular inspections and proper tenant vetting.

What happens if my rental property becomes uninhabitable due to a natural disaster? 

If your rental property becomes uninhabitable due to a natural disaster, initio’s landlord insurance covers loss of rent. This means if your property is damaged and tenants have to move out, you can claim for the rental income you would have otherwise received while repairs are being made. The standard cover includes $20,000 loss of rent, with options to increase this amount. Payments continue until repairs are completed and the property is rentable again, up to the cover limit or 12 months, whichever comes first.

Learn more about loss of rent cover through initio.

Do I have to include loss of rent and landlord contents cover with initio? 

Yes. Loss of rent and landlord contents are standard features of initio’s landlord insurance, and they can’t be reduced or removed from the policy. Every policy includes at least $20,000 loss of rent cover (with the option to increase this limit) and $20,000 landlord contents cover.  These benefits are included to protect you against some of the most common risks landlords face. Read the policy wordings here.

Ready to protect your rental property? Get a quote in seconds and cover in minutes

Related articles

• Guide to landlord insurance
• What does landlord insurance cover?
• Differences between content cover options
• Renting out part of your home short-term?
• Thinking about becoming a landlord and renting out your home?
• Does NZ still have a meth problem?

Get a quick estimate so you can feel confident in your contents cover.

The Sum Insurance contents calculator estimates the value of your household contents using values supplied by Sum Insured Pty Ltd, New Zealand and Australia’s leading provider of building contents cost information. It’s a helpful starting point when setting up or reviewing your house insurance or landlord insurance cover.

If you have existing contents insurance you would like to amend, log in to your dashboard and make a change.

Go to contents calculator         Learn about our replacement contents cover

Key takeaways in this article:

• A contents calculator helps estimate the value of your belongings so your cover reflects real replacement costs.

• Use a contents calculator as a starting point, then review your cover to make sure it still fits your needs.

• High-value items may need to be specified if they exceed standard policy limits.

• Most everyday belongings are usually automatically covered, subject to limits and conditions.

• Most claims are settled new-for-old, but some items are paid at market value.

• Your policy wording and schedule work together to explain your cover.

• You can update your contents cover anytime through your dashboard.

How your contents are covered

House vs landlord contents

Contents can mean different things depending on how the property is used.

• For homeowners, contents usually refers to your personal belongings like furniture, clothing, electronics, and everyday items.
• For landlords, contents cover is typically more limited. It usually includes items you provide with the property, such as carpets, curtains, blinds, and appliances, but not your tenant’s belongings.

Make sure you’re using the right approach when using a contents calculator, so your cover reflects what you actually need.

Learn more about the differences between contents cover options.

Which items need to be specified

Some belongings have a sub-limit, which means there’s a cap on how much we’ll pay for them. If an item is worth more than the limit shown in our support guide, you can list it as a specified item.

Learn which items need to specified

Which contents items are automatically covered in initio’s policy

Many everyday belongings might be automatically included in your cover without needing to be listed individually.

We’ve created a simple guide answering common “am I covered?” questions to help you see what’s typically included with an initio contents policy. It’s only a helpful guide, so always check your policy wording for full details. If you’re still unsure, reach out to us or use an AI search tool to review your policy, and always double-check the results.

Read the full guide

What contents are covered for market value

Most contents are covered on a new-for-old basis, meaning we replace items with new equivalents. Some items, however, are settled at their current market value instead.

Other criteria and limits apply, so check your policy wording for full details.

Check which items are covered for market value

How to add or update contents cover

You can add contents to your insurance or adjust your cover at any time through your online dashboard.

If you already have a policy, simply log in and adjust your details in a few clicks. Any changes you make will show straight away. Currently, contents cover isn’t available as a stand-alone policy and must be added to a home policy.

Learn more about how to make a change.

Calculate your house sum insured

Now that you’ve worked out your contents, you might be ready to calculate your house sum insured.

Go to the house calculator

Related articles

• Do I have contents cover?
• Contents insurance basics
• How do I add contents insurance to my policy?
• How to read an insurance policy

We currently offer Landlord insurance, Landlord insurance for multiple attached units, Own home and contents insurance, House flip insurance, Car insurance, Holiday home insurance and we also have an add-on for Short term paying guests insurance (e.g. Airbnb) for your home or holiday home.

All our policies are underwritten by IAG New Zealand Limited (IAG). IAG has received a financial strength rating of AA from Standard & Poor’s (Australia) Pty Ltd, an approved rating agency. Learn more about financial strength rating.

We’re constantly working on new and exciting products and features that are designed to improve our customers experiences. We would love to hear your feedback.

Get a quote

Related Articles:

• How property use affects your cover
• How to switch from your current provider
• Liability cover in initio’s house and contents insurance

Choosing the right insurance excess can feel confusing. Your excess is the amount you pay towards a claim before your insurer contributes.

Understanding how excess works helps you balance your annual premium against what you would need to pay if something goes wrong.

Quick summary

• An excess is the amount you pay when you make a claim.

• A higher excess usually lowers your annual premium.

• A lower excess usually increases your premium.

• An excess applies per incident.

• The right choice depends on your financial situation and risk tolerance.

What is an insurance excess?

An insurance excess is the portion of a claim you pay yourself.

For example, if you have a $1,000 excess and make a $10,000 claim, you pay $1,000 and your insurer pays the remaining $9,000.

Excess applies per incident. If multiple separate incidents occur, more than one excess may apply.

High excess vs low excess

When selecting an excess, you are balancing two costs:

• Your yearly insurance premium

• Your potential out-of-pocket cost at claim time

High excess

• Lower annual premium

• Higher payment if you make a claim

Low excess

• Higher annual premium

• Lower payment when you claim

A higher excess can work well if you are financially able to fund the excess and want to protect yourself mainly against major events.

How insurers calculate excess levels

Insurers use claims data and risk modelling to determine how excess levels affect premiums. They analyse:

• How often claims occur

• The average size of claims

• Risk trends in different regions

• Historical claims behaviour

The balance between premium reduction and excess size is based on these numbers. While some policyholders expect larger premium discounts for higher excesses, insurers must maintain a balance between premiums collected and claims paid.

When does a higher excess make sense?

Insurance is most valuable for significant events such as fires, floods or earthquakes.

Some property owners prefer a higher excess, such as $1,150 or $2,000, because they:

• Are less concerned about small claims

• Want lower annual premiums

• Have the savings available to fund the excess

For landlord or owner-occupied properties, the highest available excess option is currently $2,000.

A practical example

Consider an Auckland property with a $700,000 replacement value.

• With a $400 excess, the annual premium may be around $2,000.

• With a $2,000 excess, the premium may reduce to around $1,500.

That saves $500 per year. However, if you make a $10,000 claim:

• With a $400 excess, you pay $400.

• With a $2,000 excess, you pay $2,000.

In that scenario, the higher excess leaves you approximately $1,100 worse off after factoring in the premium saving.

Over time, if you rarely claim, the savings from a higher excess can accumulate. The key question is whether you can comfortably afford the excess if a claim occurs.

Is choosing a high excess a form of self-insurance?

Yes, in a sense.

Selecting a higher excess means you are sharing more of the risk with your insurer. You are effectively self-insuring smaller losses while relying on insurance for large, financially stressful events.

Your personal circumstances matter

The right excess depends on:

• Whether you are a homeowner or landlord

• Your cash flow and savings

• The age and condition of your property

• Your claims history

• Your tolerance for financial risk

New homeowners or landlords may prefer lower excesses for certainty. More experienced property owners, particularly those with multiple properties, may choose higher excesses to manage long-term premium costs.

How data can help your decision

Claims probability plays a role in choosing an excess.

For example, if you own 10 properties, statistics suggest you may expect at least one reasonable claim each year across the portfolio.

Understanding the following can help you make a more informed decision about your excess level:

• Local weather patterns

• Crime rates

• Property condition

• Historical claims data

Frequently asked questions about insurance excess

Does excess apply per claim?

Yes. An excess is applied per incident. If multiple incidents occur, more than one excess may apply.

Does choosing a higher excess always save money?

It reduces your premium, but may cost more overall if you claim frequently.

What is the highest excess available?

The highest available excess for landlord and owner-occupied properties is currently $2,000.

Should landlords choose a higher excess?

Some landlords with multiple properties prefer higher excesses to reduce premiums, but this depends on financial flexibility.

Making a confident decision

Insurance excess is about balance. It is not about choosing the lowest premium or the lowest out-of-pocket cost. It is about selecting an amount that matches your financial comfort level and long-term strategy.

Understanding how excess works allows you to make a clear, informed decision rather than guessing.

You might also be interested in:

• Can more than one excess apply to a claim?
• Busting house insurance myths – why do I need to pay an excess?
• Top 5 mistakes to avoid when insuring a property – not choosing the right excess

This guide answers common questions about landlord insurance, tenants, and property use — including how family arrangements or business activities can change your cover.

Do I need to notify you when my tenants change?

You don’t need to notify us every time a new tenant moves in. But to stay covered under your landlord insurance, you must meet the landlord obligations:

• Choose tenants carefully
• Keep records of pre-tenancy checks
• Complete inspections at least every 3 months, and at every change of tenants (with written records and photos kept on file)

You can review these in more detail on our landlord obligations guide.

“Tools like myRent can help with tenant checks, tenancy agreements, and ongoing property management — it’s a handy way to stay organised and meet your landlord obligations.”

If the change involves a different type of tenancy – for example, switching to short-term guests or another arrangement that could affect your cover – please let us know so we can check you’re on the right policy wording. You can also compare our options on the ‘help me choose’ page

My family member ‘rents’ the house – what kind of policy do I need? 

If a family member lives in the home and pays rent under a tenancy agreement, you’ll usually need landlord insurance. This gives you cover for things like loss of rent or intentional damage by tenants. Read more on our landlord insurance page.

If it’s a second dwelling on your property that a family member lives in permanently and you don’t want/need specific landlord benefits such as loss of rents , this usually requires a separate own home policy for each dwelling. More details are here: second dwelling – family lives in it.

Examples:

• Your brother pays rent and you want to cover that rent income → landlord insurance
• Your parents live in a granny flat rent-free → own home insurance

What if my tenant wants to run a business from my rental?

Your tenant is responsible for arranging their own commercial insurance to cover their business activities. This is separate from your landlord insurance and not something we provide. See our guide: When do I need commercial insurance? 

If the business changes the way the property is used (for example, a salon, office, or childcare), it could affect whether we can provide cover.  Get in touch with us if you’re unsure – we’ll be happy to review your situation with you. 

Ready to make the switch to initio? Start with a quote

Related articles

• When do you need commercial insurance?
• Landlord obligations
• Have a second dwelling that your family lives in?
• Help me choose the right insurance
• Landlord insurance for multiple rentals

Contents cover with initio protects the things you own inside your property, but what’s included (and how it’s covered) depends on the type of policy you have.

Whether it’s your own home, a rental, or a holiday home, the level of cover and the items it applies to are different.
This guide explains each type so you can choose the right cover and set an accurate contents sum insured.

Own home contents cover (Owner Occupied)

If you live in the home yourself, contents cover protects your personal belongings from sudden and accidental loss or damage – whether they’re inside the home, in transit, or temporarily away from home.

Key features:

• Repair or replacement – Most items are covered on a replacement basis, meaning we’ll repair or replace them with new (if it’s economical to do so). Items like clothing, books, and certain electronics are covered for their present value.
• Coverage away from home – Your contents are covered when temporarily removed, whether they’re in storage with prior approval, travelling anywhere in New Zealand, or on short overseas trips to Australia and the South Pacific (up to $5,000 per trip).
• Extra benefits – Includes cover for things like alternative accommodation, contents in transit, home office equipment, hidden gradual damage, keys and locks, frozen food, and stress payments after a total loss.
• Limits for certain items – Jewellery, watches, cash, and similar items have set limits unless specifically listed on your policy.
  See our guide on what’s a specified item and when you should list it for more details.

Landlord contents cover

If your property is rented out, landlord contents cover is for the household items you own that stay at the property for tenants to use – for example, curtains, whiteware, or furniture. Cover is limited to the insured property address.

Key differences:

• Cover type – Items less than 5 years old are replaced with new equivalents; older items are covered for their present value.
• Location-specific – Contents are covered while they’re at the insured rental property or in transit to it (with prior approval if in storage).
• Tenant-related risks – Includes extended protection under your landlord’s policy for intentional acts, theft, or vandalism by tenants (up to $25,000 combined for the home and contents, within which the contents sum insured applies).
  Learn more about landlord’s protection and intentional damage cover.
• Meth contamination – Covers loss to contents caused by contamination, within the overall limit for meth claims shown on your schedule.
  See our meth contamination cover guide for details.
• Natural disaster – Covered on the same terms as the home, up to your contents sum insured.

Common landlord contents examples:

• Curtains, blinds, and other window coverings
• Carpets, rugs, and floor coverings not permanently fixed
• Light fittings and lamps that aren’t part of the building structure
• Whiteware like fridges, freezers, washing machines, dryers, and dishwashers
• Freestanding stoves or microwaves
• Furniture such as couches, beds, tables, and chairs (if the rental is furnished)
• Heat pumps or portable heaters that aren’t fixed to the property
• Outdoor furniture and BBQs provided for tenant use
• Small appliances like kettles, toasters, and vacuum cleaners

Examples of what’s not covered: Owner’s personal belongings, vehicles, watercraft, pets, or items not kept at the insured address.

Holiday home contents cover

Holiday home contents cover works much like landlord contents cover – it applies to the items you keep at the holiday home for your own use or for guests. Cover is limited to the insured property address.

Key points:

• Similar cover to landlord contents – Replacement for items under 5 years old, present value for older items and certain categories.
• Guest or short-term rental protection – If your holiday home is rented out at times, tenant-related intentional acts or theft may also be covered under the same landlord’s protection and meth contamination benefits.
• Seasonal occupancy rules – To maintain cover while the home is unoccupied, the home must be inspected regularly and basic security and maintenance steps followed.
  See our holiday home insurance tips for keeping cover valid.
• Natural disaster – Covered up to your contents sum insured, with the same EQC top-up process as for landlord policies.

Common holiday home contents examples:

• Bedding, linen, and towels
• Kitchenware (pots, pans, utensils, cutlery, crockery, glassware)
• Whiteware (fridges, freezers, ovens, microwaves)
• Furniture for living areas, bedrooms, and dining rooms
• TVs, stereos, and entertainment equipment
• Outdoor furniture, umbrellas, and BBQs
• Hobby and leisure gear typically kept for guest use (e.g. board games, puzzles, books)
• Small appliances like coffee machines, blenders, and toasters
• Décor items like lamps, cushions, wall art

Examples of what’s not covered: Owner’s personal belongings, high-value sporting equipment not kept for guest use, vehicles, watercraft, pets, or items not kept at the insured address.

Tip: When setting your contents sum insured, think about what’s actually at the property. For your own home, this means everything you own. For a rental or holiday home, it’s just the items you provide for tenants or guests.

If you’re unsure where to start, use the CoreLogic contents calculator to help estimate the replacement value of your belongings.

If you’re still unsure, you can reach out to us directly – or even use an AI chat tool to quickly search your policy for specific details – just remember to always double-check the results!

Ready to begin your journey with initio?  Start with a quote

Can I get contents insurance by itself?

It’s worth noting that initio does not currently offer stand-alone contents insurance. To get contents cover, it must be added to an active insurance policy for the same property. If you only need to insure your contents, such as when you’re renting or not insuring the home itself, initio is not able to provide contents cover.

Related articles:

• What items are automatically covered under house contents insurance?
• Are there limits to how much I can claim for my contents?
• Guide to landlord insurance
• Do I have contents insurance?
• How do I add contents insurance to my policy?

If you’re lucky enough to own a holiday home, you’ll want to make sure you’ve got the best insurance protection, especially considering you’ll not always be there in person to look after it. Whether you keep it for personal use or decide to rent it out to short term guests – we’ve got you covered.

Standard house insurance requires someone to be living at the home for more than 60 consecutive days. If it’s vacant for longer than this, it’s considered a holiday home. Because a holiday home isn’t your primary residence there are more risks involved, for example; the property may be empty for long periods of time, increasing its chances of break-ins. 

What are my obligations?

We expect holiday houses to be empty more often, so our conditions are a little more lenient, but we do require:

• You or your family stay at the holiday house at least once a year
• The house is inspected (inside and outside) by you or a nominated person at least every 60 days 
• The home and its grounds are maintained 
• Mail is cleared regularly 
• Water supply is turned off 
• All doors and windows are secured when the home is vacant.

If you can’t meet these conditions, then a standard $5,000 excess will apply to your policy. Alternatively, if it’s fitted with a professional alarm* this will reduce to $1,000 when you claim for a break-in or burglary.

* Systems which include surveillance cameras only do not meet this criteria – the system needs the ability to provide an external alert (audible or direct to a monitoring company)

How do I get holiday home cover?

It’s as simple as selecting holiday home as the property type when you generate your instant quote. Alternatively, if you are changing your current home into a holiday home, all you need to do is change your cover in the property type drop down menu. The monthly costs will automatically update and will take effect as soon as you confirm the change online. 

Holiday home or rental insurance?

The main difference between holiday homes and year round short term rentals is how often they are rented out. We have multiple options available depending on how frequently you rent your house out – just select the right option in the dropdown menu and initio’s clever software will do the rest. If you’re not sure which is the best cover for you, get in touch anytime. We’re here to help.

At initio, we offer comprehensive protection for your bach or holiday home, with flexible cover if you also rent to guests. Learn more: https://initio.co.nz/holiday-home-insurance/

This guide is intended to be a quick reference to vacant houses. We recommend reading the full policy wording for the full details of your holiday home coverage.

Useful articles:

• Own home or holiday home insurance – which is the right option for you?
• Holiday Home insurance
• Should you reply on the Airbnb host guarantee?

Most quotes with initio are fast and simple. However, sometimes additional review is required. This may happen due to mapping discrepancies, flood zone data, new build addresses, or property-specific risk factors.

This guide explains common reasons your quote may not proceed instantly and what to do next.

Quick summary

• If your address does not appear, you can enter it manually.

• Flood zone data may differ from council maps.

• Flood cover cannot be removed from the policy.

• Some quotes require underwriting review before cover is offered.

• Risk-based pricing is automated and cannot be manually adjusted.

I can’t find my address in the quote tool

If your address does not appear in the search results:

1. Select the blue option under the address box that says “I can’t find my address”.

2. Enter your house number and street manually.

If your property is a new build in a newly developed street, our database may not yet recognise it. In this case, please contact our team for assistance with a manual quote.

Why does your website say my home is in a flood zone?

Initio uses national risk modelling data from RMS (Risk Management Solutions). This data may differ from your local council’s flood maps. RMS uses:

• Advanced modelling techniques

• Nationally standardised datasets

• Updated hazard modelling

Local councils may use:

• Different methodologies

• Older datasets

• Localised mapping approaches

Because of these differences, your property may be flagged differently across platforms.

If you believe there is an error in your flood classification, please contact our team to discuss your situation.

Can I remove flood cover if I live on a hill?

No.

Flood cover is automatically included in the policy and cannot be removed or excluded. The policy is designed to provide comprehensive protection, including unexpected events.

Even elevated properties can be affected by surface water, land movement or drainage overflow.

Can you manually adjust my risk-based pricing?

initio uses automated risk-based pricing.

Your premium is calculated using:

• Property location

• Construction type

• Exposure to flood, earthquake and other hazards

• Water supply and fire protection access

Individual manual pricing adjustments or exclusions are not available.

If you believe there is a significant data error affecting your quote, please contact our team for review.

Why does water supply affect my premium?

The water supply matters because it affects the risk of significant damage in the event of a fire.

Properties closer to:

• Fire stations

• Mains water supply

are generally lower risk than properties in remote areas relying solely on rainwater tanks.

This is one of several factors used to calculate your house insurance premium.

Learn more about how premiums are calculated

The map image above my quote isn’t my house

The map image displayed during your quote is automatically generated using address data.

It is for reference only and does not affect your insurance cover or policy details.

For new builds or recently developed areas, the image may not reflect the exact property.

If you are concerned about your address accuracy, please contact our team.

My quote says it needs review. What does that mean?

If your quote requires review, it means additional underwriting checks are needed before cover can be offered.

This may be triggered by:

• Unique property features

• Location-based risks

• Incomplete or unusual data

• System flags requiring manual assessment

What do I do if my quote needs review?

1. Select either the annual or monthly payment option.

2. Complete and submit the online application form.

Once submitted, our team will review your application and contact you directly.

There is no obligation to purchase once the review is complete.

If you are insuring multiple properties, wait until the first application is reviewed and purchased before submitting the next. This allows all properties to sit under one account.

Can I start a new quote?

Yes.

If you want to double-check your details or start fresh, you can generate a new quote online at any time. The quote tool will guide you step-by-step.

Get a quote

Frequently asked questions

Why would a quote need manual review?

Certain property features or risk factors require additional underwriting checks before terms can be confirmed.

Does a flood flag mean I cannot get insurance?

Not necessarily. It means flood risk has been identified and may be factored into an underwriting decision.

Can I exclude certain risks to reduce my premium?

No. The policy provides comprehensive cover and does not allow removal of core insured events.

Related articles

• How to buy your first policy
• How to navigate your initio dashboard
• How to claim with initio
• How to get a quote with initio
• Insuring old homes

Is the cause of damage covered?

Not always. Home and Contents insurance policies typically exclude the repair of a fault, defect, or deteriorating building component. These are considered maintenance issues, not insurable events.

Insurance is designed to cover the result of something going wrong, but not the cause of damage itself. For example, an old pipe decays and eventually bursts, causing water damage to the house. Homeowners often expect that all of the costs to have this fixed will be covered, but this is not always the case.

House insurance policies generally have an exclusion for faults or errors in items. A common exclusion a homeowner would find in their policy is:

You are not covered for loss, cost or expense arising from the fault, defect, or omission on:

1. design, plan or specification, or
2. workmanship, construction or materials.

However, this exclusion applies only to the property directly affected, It does not apply to resultant damage and accidental loss to other parts of the property.

 

So, when is the cause not covered? (Examples)

• Rusted pipe bursts and causes water damage throughout the house – Insurance will cover all the costs of repairing the water damage, e.g., carpets, walls, and redecorating. However, the costs to repair and replace the rusted pipe are not covered. This is deemed a fault in the materials due to the old age of the piping.  The homeowner is responsible for this cost. An insurance policy is not a property maintenance cover and homeowners are therefore expected to pay for the costs of fixing faulty or old materials at their home.

• Leaking hot water cylinder valve causes water damage to downstairs ceilings and walls – Insurance will cover the builder’s costs of repairing the walls and ceilings that have been water-damaged.  It’s important to note here that many policies have a hidden gradual damage limit of between $1,000 and $3,000. However, the homeowner will need to pay for a new valve and the labour costs of installing it.

To learn more about Hidden Gradual Damage, read our detailed guide

When is the cause of the damage covered? (Examples)

The crucial factor when working out what is covered, is determining the specific cause of the loss.  If the cause is external to the house and is not related to the direct failure of something in the home (a water pipe for example) then everything, including the cause will be covered.

• An overnight freeze in temperature causes a water pipe to crack – Water damage occurs to the walls and flooring. Insurance will cover the cost to repair all of the resulting damage, and it will also cover the cracked pipe because the crack was caused suddenly by freezing. The cause of the loss isn’t the pipe failing on its own — it’s the sudden low temperatures. Because of this, the pipe itself is treated as resultant damage.

• A wind storm blows part of the roof off the house, rain follows, causing water damage – Again the key difference here is that the damage has been caused by something external and unrelated to the roofing itself.  All damages including the repair to the roof and the subsequent water damage will be covered by a house insurance policy.  If the roof had simply started leaking by itself (which is relatively common for older houses with original roofs), the the cost to repair the water damage (eg new gib ceiling and insulation) would be covered by house insurance but the repair to the roof would not.

• A power surge causes both the switchboard to catch fire, and it damages appliances – All damage is covered by insurance as the cause of the loss was not a faulty switchboard but rather an electrical spike that was an external event.

Articles of interest

• Am I covered for pet damage with initio insurance?
• Can more than one excess apply to a claim?
• How to claim for accidental damage

Your initio dashboard is your secure online space to manage your house and vehicle insurance in one place. From here you can make a claim, update your details, download important documents, renew or cancel your policy at any time. It is designed to give you full control of your cover, without needing to call or email.

When you purchase your first house or vehicle policy with initio, you will create an account as part of that process, giving you access to online management of your policies. At initio we refer to the area where you manage your covers as your ‘dashboard’.

Initio’s online dashboard is designed for you to manage your policies, make claims, update your details, or even cancel your policy, without needing to call or message us. This makes it easy to check on your covers, claim, download documents and make changes as required, all from one place and with instant confirmation.

Quick summary:

• Manage your house and vehicle insurance online, anytime.

• Make a claim, update details, renew or cancel in one place.

• Download your policy schedule and certificate of insurance instantly.

• Only the property owner can be the main account holder.

• Update payment card and contact details through your profile.

• Start new quotes and add policies from your dashboard.

• Get help via support articles or Chatbot Chad.

How to log in to your dashboard

Following your first policy purchase with initio, you will immediately receive a welcome email from us.

To log into your account, click the button at the top right-hand side of the initio website. Enter the email address used for your purchase and the password you used when you created your account.  This will give you access to your dashboard.

What you can do in your dashboard

Once logged into your initio dashboard, you’ll have full access from any device, at any time. 

Here’s what you’ll see:

View your account overview

If you hover over the account button in the top right corner you will see additional options of “dashboard”, “profile”, “credit card” and “sign out”. 

Update your profile

One of the first things you may want to do is update your password to something more secure or easier to remember. You can do this through the “Profile” section. From there, you can also update your email address, phone number, postal address and password. Whilst you can view the contact name details, if you need to make a change to those, please let us know via phone (0800 763 929) or email ([email protected]).

Don’t forget to click on the update button once you’ve made any changes.

Update your contact details

For security and legal reasons, we can only allow the property owner (you) to be recorded as the main account holder for your insurance.

This is because the main login has full authority to manage your policy, including signing legally binding documents, changing cover details, and updating or accessing your payment and banking information.

While we’re happy for your property manager to be added as an authorised contact to help with day-to-day matters, it’s important that full control of your insurance stays with you as the owner. This protects your interests and ensures any major changes are properly authorised.

Should you need to lodge a claim, you can include details of your property manager within the online claim form if you wish them to assist with the claim management.  The initial claim form, however, does need to be completed by you.

Update your payment card details

If you are paying for any of your policies monthly, the system will automatically process the transactions to your card used for the initial purchase.  If your credit or debit card expires, is lost, or replaced, or you wish to change the payments to a different card, you can quickly view and/or update the card details here.

You can also log out of your dashboard from this section.

Your dashboard

Use this button anytime to navigate back to the main dashboard screen.

Sign out

Use this option to sign out of your account on the browser/device you are using.

Lastly, you’ll find contact information and quick access to our support articles if you need further assistance.

Get a new quote or add a policy

You can easily obtain a new quote or add a new policy through your initio dashboard.

To the right of the property’s address, you’ll find two green buttons: “House Insurance +” and “Car Insurance +.” These will guide you through the process of first obtaining a quote and then if you wish to continue, starting a new policy, whether it’s for another house or vehicle.  The new policy will then also be stored on the same dashboard for easy management.

Don’t forget to ‘save your quote’ by emailing yourself a copy.  This can then be restored at anytime from your email inbox.

Claim, change, invoices & cancel

Below each property’s address/policy, you will see the above options to;

• “Claim”
• “Change” – update your policy, i.e. bank/mortgage details, amend your sum insured, excess, etc. 
• “Invoices” – view and/or download historical invoices, obtain copies for your accountant.  If you need an annual financial summary of your monthly payments for Tax Purposes, please contact the support team.
• “Cancel” – cancel your policy, any refunds will also be automatically calculated as part of this process.

Within 30 days of any policy’s annual anniversary, you will also see another button called “review & confirm”.  Use this button to view, customise and/or pay for the upcoming year’s insurance.

All of this can be done directly through your dashboard.

If you need further guidance on how to complete some of these tasks, check out our support articles:

• How do I make a claim

• How to make changes to your policy

• How to cancel your policy

Cover details +

Underneath your property’s address is a button with “Cover Details+”. If you click on this button, it will open up a section that allows you to perform quick changes as well as find the important documentation for downloading. 

Important documentation

As a digital insurance provider, all your key documents, such as the latest policy schedule, policy wording, and bank certificate, are issued as PDFs rather than paper copies. 

You’ll likely use this section when you need to provide a bank with confirmation of cover, ie. a certificate of insurance.  If you’re a landlord you will also find the tenant insurance certificate(s) in this section also.

These documents will be emailed to you when you first purchase your policy, but they are also stored on your dashboard, making them easy to access and download whenever needed.  If you do need a printed copy, you can download and print these from home at any time.  

If you need a document that is not available from your dashboard, such as an older policy schedule (for a previous insurance period), please get in touch with our support team and they will be more than happy to assist.

Getting help from the dashboard

Chatbot Chad

Along with our helpful staff we also have our AI chatbot Chad, he is always available if you have any questions or need some general help. Simply click the “Help” button at the bottom of the dashboard for assistance.  If there’s something he can’t help with, you can always escalate the query to our support team via the same chat option (during business hours).

Video overview

Not a fan of reading? We’ve got you. Check out our video overview here:

Useful links:

• How do I make a claim
• How to make changes to your policy
• How to cancel your policy

Whether you’re adding house, landlord, or holiday home contents to your insurance policy, the process is straightforward. You can add contents cover when getting your insurance quote by simply toggling it on in the quick quote tool. Once you have your policy in place, you can log into your initio dashboard at any time and adjust your contents cover to suit your needs. This flexibility means you can update your cover as life changes, without needing to start a new policy.

The main differences between our contents cover options come down to what’s covered and how it’s covered.

Own home contents:

This is the broadest option, covering personal belongings kept at your home. It also extends to some items temporarily away from the house, such as personal items you might take with you around New Zealand. Cover also includes limited perils for contents in transit when you’re moving between homes.

Get house insurance

Landlord contents:

This is limited to items you’ve provided at the rental property, such as appliances, furniture, or curtains for the tenant’s use. It doesn’t cover tenants’ belongings, as they’ll need their own contents policy. Cover is restricted to the property address and excludes things like your personal items, linen, or leisure gear or items you’ve stored at the address.

Get landlord insurance

Holiday home contents:

Similar to landlord cover, this applies only to contents kept at the holiday home address. It typically includes furniture, whiteware, and general household fittings. Owner’s personal belongings, expensive hobby equipment, or anything stored off-site are not included.

Get holiday home insurance

Tip: If you’re unsure what your contents are worth, you can use the CoreLogic contents calculator to get a better idea before setting your cover level.

Can I get contents insurance by itself?

It’s worth noting that initio does not currently offer stand-alone contents insurance. To get contents cover, it must be added to an active insurance policy for the same property. If you only need to insure your contents, such as when you’re renting or not insuring the home itself, initio is not able to provide contents cover.

Related articles

• Understanding difference between contents cover options
• Are there limits to how much I can claim for my contents?
• What items are automatically covered under my house contents insurance?
• What items do I need to specify?
• Things we don’t cover
• How do I change my contents cover?
• Contents calculator