close
MENU
1 mins to read

Engineer report missing in Tower Insurance case

Insurer offered compensation without carrying out engineer's report.

Chris Hutching
Tue, 12 Mar 2013

A Tower insurance official says an engineer’s report was not sought on a Christchurch house because of a shortage of engineers.

A High Court lawsuit resumed in Christchurch yesterday with evidence from Tower’s witnesses.

Homeowners Matt and Valerie O’Loughlin are suing Tower for full compensation for their earthquake red-zoned Dallington home.

Tower is offering repair compensation even though it is legally impossible to rebuild in a government red zone.

Tower earthquake recovery manager David Ashe told the High Court detailed structural engineering advice had not been carried out on the house.

This was because of a shortage of engineers and reluctance to assess work unlikely to be completed.

A representative of Tower’s project repair management company, Stream, proposed that foundation repairs should be carried out by injecting grouting into the ground to lift the building.

Stream representative Michael O’Leary admitted his company had not carried out any repairs using this method. 

c.hutch@clear.net.nz

Chris Hutching
Tue, 12 Mar 2013
© All content copyright NBR. Do not reproduce in any form without permission, even if you have a paid subscription.
Engineer report missing in Tower Insurance case
27945
false