First: cheapest is not best
A lower premium almost always buys something away — a bigger excess, a lower cap on temporary accommodation or hidden water, or an extra exclusion. Before you move for price, compare the things that actually pay out at claim time. That's the whole point of the register: the excess, the sub-limits and the exclusions, side by side.
How to switch without getting caught
Keep your current policy live until the new one has actually started. Set the new cover to begin the day the old one ends, so you're never uninsured — even a one-day gap can leave a loss uncovered.
You must tell the new insurer the material facts — past claims, known risks, the state of the home. Getting this wrong, even by accident, can let them cut or decline a future claim. Answer every question fully.
Most NZ house policies are "sum insured" — if the rebuild figure is too low, you carry the gap. Don't copy the old number blindly; use a current rebuild estimate.
Compare the natural-hazard excess and the caps on the things you'd actually claim. A $200 cheaper premium can hide a $20,000 lower cap.
Renewal is the low-friction moment to move. Note any cooling-off period on the new policy in case you change your mind.
Your pre-renewal checklist
Built straight from the documented traps in the register — the specific things worth asking your insurer before you renew or switch. Tick them off, or print the list and take it to the call.
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This checklist tells you what to ask. The personal scan reads your actual policy against every insurer and hands you the answers — where you're capped, where you trail the market, and the traps in your exact wording. See what we find free; unlock the full report for $29.
What about a broker?
A broker (or "financial adviser") can be genuinely useful — but it helps to understand how they're paid before you rely on their recommendation.
How they make their money
Most brokers earn a commission from the insurer, built into your premium — so their advice feels free, but it isn't neutral. Some charge a fee instead, or as well. Under New Zealand's CoFI regime, advisers must disclose how they're paid and manage conflicts of interest. You're entitled to ask them straight out: "How are you paid on this policy?"
When a broker is worth it
For a complex or high-value risk, an unusual property that's hard to place, and above all for claims advocacy — having someone whose job is to fight your corner when a claim gets difficult. That's the real value: not the quote, the claim.
What a broker won't tell you
Brokers don't place business with the direct-only insurers — AA, State and AMI — so a broker is not whole-of-market. Their panel is a slice of the market, chosen partly by who pays commission. Always compare their recommendation against the direct insurers yourself — which is exactly what the register lets you do for free.
See where your cover actually stands.
Explore the free register to compare insurers, or have the personal scan read your exact policy against all of them.
This is general information to help you read your own policy and ask better questions — not personalised financial advice, and it doesn't determine what is or isn't covered. Insurer rules, wordings and the CoFI disclosure regime change; always verify with your insurer or a licensed financial adviser before you switch.