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EQC Accepting Late Claims until Midnight Tonight
6 December 2010
The Earthquake Commission received 159,059 claims for damage in the three months following the magnitude 7.1 Canterbury earthquake on 4 September 2010.
"Because the deadline fell on a weekend, last minute legal advice was that legislation allows for it to be extended until midnight tonight, Monday 6 December. However, there is no possibility of any further extensions after midnight tonight," EQC chief executive Ian Simpson said.
"This extension until midnight tonight helped people who just missed getting their claims in on Saturday," he said.
The estimated cost of the Canterbury earthquake is expected to run into billions of dollars, making it the single biggest insurance event in New Zealand's history in terms of cost.
Mr Simpson said the recovery project in Canterbury is on a scale unseen before in New Zealand.
"EQC thanks the people of Canterbury for their patience and appreciates their understanding that this is a huge undertaking," he said.
The previous biggest natural disaster event for EQC (by claim number), before the Canterbury earthquake, was the 1968 Inangahua earthquake which generated 10,500 claims.
EQC's personnel numbers have now grown from 22 prior to the Canterbury earthquake to more than 1,150 people, mostly based in Canterbury. If all the claims lodgement forms were laid down end-to-end they would stretch 46.5km.
END
Further information:
Jo Martin Communications Adviser
Phone: (029) 978-6430
Email: info@eqc.govt.nz