Advisory Committee

The New Zealand Claims Resolution Service (NZCRS) Advisory Committee advises on matters crucial to the resolution of outstanding claims. It has oversight of NZCRS services’ performance, monitors progress against service objectives and can recommend service improvements.

The Advisory Committee has an advisory role. The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment is responsible for the overall governance of the NZCRS, reporting to the Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs.

Terms of Reference

Terms of Reference for the NZCRS Advisory Committee

Members of the Advisory Committee

  • Chair – a senior MBIE representative
  • A senior Natural Hazards Commission Toka Tū Ake representative
  • The Chair of the Legal Advisory Group
  • The Chair of the Engineering Advisory Group
  • A wellbeing representative
  • Chairs of any active regional Homeowner Advisory Groups

Latest meeting minutes - 19 November 2024

Present

  • Ingrid Bayliss (Chair)
  • Miriam Dean (Barrister Director)
  • Tom McBrearty (Chair, Canterbury Homeowner Advisory Group)
  • Sarah Knox (ICNZ)
  • Hamish Wall (Strategic Advisor, NHC Toka Tū Ake)
  • Casey Hurren (Chief Executive, Southern Response)
  • Tina Mitchell (Chief Executive, NHC Toka Tū Ake)
  • Tania Williams (General Manager - Member Services, Engineering NZ)

In attendance

  • Darren Wright (Director, NZCRS)
  • Susan Rolton (Team Leader Support, NZCRS)
  • Kirsty Hamilton (Principal Advisor, NZCRS)

Apologies

  • Kris Faafoi (Chief Executive, ICNZ)
  • Edward Butler (Solicitor, MBIE)

Meeting Administration

Conflicts of Interest

  1. No conflicts of interest were declared.

Actions

  1. Actions from the previous meeting reviewed and progress noted on the action register.

Items

NZCRS Operational

  1. The Director spoke to his October 2024 NZCRS Director’s Report which has been circulated with the group.
  2. The committee noted the demand for services continues to reduce across the country with the number of closed cases exceeding number opened. 
  3. The increased closure rate can be attributed to a number of factors, such as manageable caseloads, reduction in significant events in New Zealand and NZCRS focus on closing older cases.
  4. The Director noted effectiveness of triage process identifying natural hazard damage with minimal number of claims declined by NHC or insurer.
  5. NZCRS noted the percentage increase in number of homeowners who would recommend NZCRS to others. Exit survey result for this quarter was 91%, which is up from 78% in previous quarter. The increase can be attributed to multidisciplined approach taken by NZCRS in identifying and dealing with the downward trend. 
  6. A staffing updated was provided with the Director noting average caseloads per Case Manager and actions taken to manage workload demand. 

Advisory Group Update

Canterbury Homeowner Advisory Group

  1. The Chair provided an update on future representation of CHOAG and research undertaken on the service. Discussion followed, with recommendation NHC offering the support of their National Reference Group.

Legal Advisory Group

  1. The group requested a continued focus on Canterbury Earthquake Sequence (CES) cases and that NZCRS implement a timeline for their completion.  
  2. The group discussed timeliness, effectiveness, and efficiency measures of services and the value add to the homeowner. NZCRS to provide a graph of these metrics in the next Director’s Report
  3. NZCRS to provide an update to the Group following further discussion with NHC regarding dispute resolution services for cases in the Government On-Sold programme.

Engineering Advisory Group

  1. ENZ provided an update on the contractual arrangements for their services, with NHC and NZCRS to share these costs from 1 January 2024.
  2. ENZ advised the demand for Reinstatement Recommendations from both NHC and NZCRS has increased significantly, and these cases tend to be complex with multiple engineers involved. 

Review of Agenda

General Business

  1. The Chair thanked committee for their support for NZCRS service throughout the year. 
  2. The next Advisory Committee meeting date scheduled for 19th March 2025 and to be held online.

Meeting closed: 1.46pm