Avoiding the impact on lives and people's wellbeing must be the priority.
Amanda Whiting, CEO IAG New Zealand says, “Climate change is happening. It is a critical issue for our country, and it is already having serious impacts on the lives of New Zealanders through more frequent and intense storms, floods, droughts, wildfires, and in time, rising sea levels.
“As New Zealand’s largest general insurer, with a relationship with one in two households, we see first-hand the devastating impact these events have on New Zealanders and how they put people’s lives at risk.
“Insurance is here to support kiwis when things go wrong, but there’s so much more we need to be doing to keep New Zealanders safe from the impacts of natural disasters.
“There are deliberate actions we can take to increase our resilience, alongside ongoing efforts to reduce carbon emissions. While we are pleased to see this important first step today, it’s apparent there is still a lot we need to do as a country to get ahead of these issues and we welcome the opportunity to contribute to this plan.
“Insurance is one component of this solution. It is not the full answer. The most important thing we can do is to ensure people are not in harm’s way. Avoiding the impact on lives and people’s wellbeing must be the priority.
“This requires greater investment in infrastructure and other solutions that either protect people or move them out of harm’s way.
“We can help achieve this alongside central and local Government.
“IAG is committed to being here for all New Zealanders now and into the future. We will continue to provide insurance for our customers because that’s what we do.
“But to keep people safe, we need to think smarter. We need greater investment in flood protection, sensible controls around where new homes can be built, and regulations that make existing homes more resilient.
“The safety and security of our fellow New Zealanders is paramount.”