Tasman Tempest claims total $61.7M

The storm called the ‘Tasman Tempest’ by meteorologists has resulted in $61.7 million worth of insurance claims, the Insurance Council said. The large storm, which saw a month’s worth of rain fall in 24 hours, hit the North Island between March 7 to 12. Suburbs across Auckland flooded as well as many towns in the Coromandel. The township of Whangamata was battered particularly hard by the wild weather. 354 motor vehicle claims related to the weather event totalled $3.12 million, an average of $8.813.56 per car. The final number of insurance claims stood at 7,774, for a total of $61.7 million. Domestic insurance claims had the highest number of claimants, at 6,449, worth $37.03 million. “The weather bombs we’ve had in recent months highlights the importance insurance plays when disaster strikes,” said Insurance Council chief executive Tim Grafton. So far this year, natural hazards have cost $174.7 million in insurance claims.