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Helpful guides

We have put together a series of info guides to help you with insuring your home, making a claim, and reducing your risk.

Insurance Speak

Insurance is full of jargon and technical language. We have simplified some of the most common and most confusing terms.

Frequently Asked Questions

Coverage

How do I know what to insure my house for? Do I have glass cover? Am I covered for loss of rents? Can I insure a property purchased through mortgagee sale? Am I covered for Renovations or Extensions to my home? Is my rental property covered for Methamphetamine Contamination? Am I covered if tenants damage my property? How do I talk to someone about my policy? What am I covered for? Does this insurance policy replace my existing house insurance?

Claims

If I claim on my house and my contents what excess(s) do I pay? Do I have glass cover? Help! I’ve had a positive meth test. I’m not happy with my claim, what can I do? Where can I check on my claim? What if I have to make a claim?

Your Property

How often do I need to do a property inspection on my rental? What if I have multiple properties? Can I insure an un-consented garage? Can I insure a boarding house? When should I get a Meth Test? Can I insure one unit in a block? Why can’t I insure my short stay rental? Can I insure a body corporate? Can I insure my property that is leased to Housing New Zealand? What if my rental was built prior to 1945?

Proposal Questions

What is an interested party? Can I insure a body corporate? What does the private use question on the proposal mean? Can I insure my Bookabach property OR holiday home with Initio?

Payment

Can I pay my insurance monthly? Is my online credit card payment secure? How do I pay my insurance premium?

Account & Policy Changes

Why has initio changed underwriters? How do I note the ownership of each unit on my multi unit rental policy? What if I don’t want to insure online? How do I get a Certificate of Insurance for my property? How do I change my personal/account details? How do I increase the sum insured or change details on my policy? How do I insure another house? What if I sell my property or want to cancel my policy? I’ve lost my password! Who insures my policy?

Landlord Insurance

As a landlord am I liable to my tenant for damage to their contents, resulting from a fire caused by my heater Are tenants accountable for the damage they cause to the property, and to what extent How often do I need to do a property inspection on my rental? Am I covered for loss of rents? Is my rental property covered for Methamphetamine Contamination? Am I covered if tenants damage my property? Does this insurance policy replace my existing house insurance? Are the contents in my rental/holiday home covered? Why do I need a rental property policy?

Holiday Homes and Rentals

Why can’t I insure my short stay rental? What if my property is used for short term holiday accommodation? Is my rental property covered for Methamphetamine Contamination? Am I covered if tenants damage my property? Are the contents in my rental/holiday home covered? Can I insure my Bookabach property OR holiday home with Initio? Do I need a separate dwelling policy for when I stay at the property?

Multi Unit Rental

What if I already insure my units individually with initio? What if I live in one of my multi-units? How do I note the ownership of each unit on my multi unit rental policy? Can I insure a body corporate? What if my property has two or more living units? E.g. two dwellings under one roof

Helpful Guides

The risks of short term rentals - get the right cover
How does initio compare?
Guide to making changes to your cover
5 Tips to insuring in a flood zone
Insurance Jargon
How to: Storm Damage
Gluckman Report
Property Management
Insuring with initio is this easy
Insuring Older Homes
Holiday Home or Short Term Rental
Insurance Quote Checklist
How can I insure my Multi Unit Rental Property?
Understanding Contents Cover
Top 5 Mistakes when Insuring a Home
How to make a claim
How to Calculate your Sum Insured
What is Landlord Insurance?
Reducing Risk as a Landlord

Insurance Speak

A, B, C's of Insurance
Insurance Jargon
Describe your property
Non Disclosure
Fire Emergency Levy (FSL)
EQCover (EQC)
Excess
Self Contained
What is a Multi Unit Rental Property?