Photo: CC 2.0 BY-SA / Gavin Treadgold via RNZA major insurer that put a halt to new home insurance policies in Westport has also stopped issuing them in a second town, in North Canterbury. The company confirmed to RNZ that it was not currently offering new home insurance policies in the township, which is about 25 kilometres north of Christchurch. AA Insurance head of underwriting Dee Naidu said limiting cover was "never something we do lightly". "They went through all their latest updates around natural hazard risk that they have - they could find nothing that pinpointed any increased natural hazard risk for Woodend." There is no increased natural hazard event risk in Woodend, Canterbury - yet that is what they're telling people."

Source: Otago Daily Times February 02, 2026 18:25 UTC