EQC quake claims top 50,000, first payouts due this week
More than 53,000 claims for damaged homes from the Canterbury earthquake have gone to the Earthquake Commission (EQC) and some of the smaller ones should be paid out later this week, says Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee.He has also confirmed t
NZPA and NBR staff
Tue, 14 Sep 2010
More than 53,000 claims for damaged homes from the Canterbury earthquake have gone to the Earthquake Commission (EQC) and some of the smaller ones should be paid out later this week, says Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee.
He has also confirmed that Cantabrians affected by the earthquake will have late payment penalties to the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) waived where appropriate.
About 25,000 of the 53,000 plus claims were expected to be for superficial or contents damage of less than $10,000, another 14,000 would be for damage to chimneys and many more would be for serious structure damage, Mr Brownlee said today.
EQC assessors began contacting people with smaller claims today and "we would expect some cheques will be in the mail this week..."
"For houses where the damage is greater than $100,000 (the maximum amount payable by EQC) we would expect to have more information later in the week," Mr Brownlee said.
He said those claiming for ruined chimneys would from next week be able to go to the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority and take the opportunity to put in a clean heating appliance. "The cost of that will of course be part of the EQC settlement for their claim."
Mr Brownlee reminded people contacted by EQC over claims to ask the caller for their reference number -- rather than offer it -- to make sure they were not dealing with someone who could be bogus.
He said that IRD had been given power to waive interest on late taxpayers affected by the quake should give some comfort to a "number of small businesses in particular".
NZPA and NBR staff
Tue, 14 Sep 2010
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