Fears have been expressed by current red zoners that future earthquake claimants around New Zealand will be forced to accept repairs or take expensive court action to enforce their rights to replacement.
Brooklands resident Olly Ohlson is hitting the airwaves on Thursday to warn that the treatment he, and others, have received at the hands of insurers could be the way claimants, whose houses should receive replacement costs, are treated in future. Watch Jo Kane’s show on CTV on Thursday.
“I am in Brooklands and along with many others we have been offered repair costs only instead of replacement which we have all faithfully paid to the Insurance companies over these many years. It’s a ridiculous argument and shouldn’t require any of us to take to court. Many people opt out when it reaches this stage.
“The lawyers push it, naturally, because they benefit hugely from it, plus there is an incentive paid by the government for them to advise people to take up the government offers. It’s just so unjust. I don’t see any rational reason why I, or anybody else for that matter, should have to pay $15,000 for a land survey to be done plus court costs of $30,000 which the lawyers tell us is a special compensatory cost for earthquake victims as opposed to $50,000.
Mr Ohlsson says he is taking this into the public arena because “it’s not only us here in Brooklands who are faced with this – it applies to all Red Zone homeowners. It’s also going to be something others, who will be hit by earthquakes in the future, are going to have to face.”
Mr Ohlsson questioned the lack of response from local body representatives. “Bob Parker should be screaming mad at the insurers but he’s not. City Councillors should be doing that as well – but their not. Why not? The Insurance companies mustn’t be permitted to get away with this.I’m prepared to argue with Gerry Brownlee, John Key and Insurance Heads on TV.”
Source: largely based on email from Olly Ohlsson
