FBRA UPDATE/InsuranceConsumers.org.nz

Dear everyone,

I trust you and your families are well.

We have had a very successful response to our insurance cluster and house status survey. We will be providing a summary to those who took part later in June. We have organised property owners into clusters with respect to who their insurer is.

We have already hosted the very enlightening Vero/AA group meeting for Ferrymead to Sumner this week with around 250 policy holders. We have meetings scheduled for IAG 12 June 2012 and Tower (late June TBA). We will be scheduling area wide meetings with AMI/Southern Response and Lumley in July.

We are collaborating with other residents associations to promote the great work of InsuranceConsumers.org.nz   This has been created by a team of volunteers to help quake-affected Christchurch property owners.

Our residents-based group knows, from personal experience and local surveys, that there are significant differences in the progress experienced by customers of different insurance companies. These differences really matter to all New Zealanders who have insurance.

We're now gathering more information to clarify:

• the differences or disparities between insurance companies
• progress (or lack of progress) getting people back into their houses
• what's happening (or not) to affected property owners

In short, which insurance companies are doing well for us, which are not, and why?

By doing this, we hope to improve the insurance response in Christchurch, and also let all New Zealanders know which insurers will provide effective support when you most need it.

Here is the link to the website - please take the survey and let me know what you think. Just double click below on the link. Please share with your family and friends and take the survey even if you are not in the areas mentioned. http://insuranceconsumers.org.nz/index.htm

Please also take a look at the news and resources information tab. Please do take the time to complete the survey to enable us to gather the best quality information, good or bad so we can help all stakeholders to move forward. Please give us your feedback and your stories on the website.

Best wishes

David Stringer

Chair FBRA, founding member Insurance Consumers.org, member coastal hills cluster

Linwood Service Centre is closed

Linwood Service Centre closed on Tuesday 17 April 2012

The Linwood Service Centre has been temporarily closed. This is due to receiving results of the first stage of a Detailed Engineering Evaluation (DEE), which showed that the Linwood buildings are either earthquake prone or potentially earthquake prone. Engineers have recommended the building should not be occupied.

Staff email and direct dial telephone numbers remain the same, however, if you wish to meet with any of us, please contact to arrange a suitable venue.  

Please make use of the closest libraries or service centres.

Alternative libraries include:

The Linwood Mini Library remains open at 180 Smith Street.
Monday to Friday, 9am - 6pm
Saturday, 10am - 4pm

Central Library Peterborough - Te Kete Wānanga o Peterborough
91 Peterborough Street
Monday to Friday, 9am - 6pm
Saturday and Sunday, 10am - 5pm

Find out more at www.christchurchcitylibraries.com/Community/Libraries

Alternative service centres include:

Shirley
36 Marshland Road, Shirley
Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm
Saturday, 10am - 1pm

Civic offices
53 Hereford Street
Monday to Friday, 8.30am - 5pm   Source

Info on TC3 Announcements 5 May 2012

From EQC - Technical Category Three (TC3) Investigations and Assessments undertaken by EQC Click Here

From DBH - Information sheet Interim guidance for repairing and rebuilding foundations in TC3
Click Here

From CERA - TC3 Announcements: What They Mean for Property Owners Click Here

From EQC Facebook http://www.facebook.com/earthquakecommission this has just been posted
EQC Land Reports

 

"Hi everyone, we are sorry to report that a technical hitch means the land damage reports won't be available until later this month because it is taking longer than expected to get the information onto your files in our system. This does not impact the overall settlement of their land claims, but it is annoying, so our apologies.
The reports will go out in batches, beginning later this month. It may take a month or so for all batches to be sent."

TC3 Foundation Guide from DBH

Department of Building & Housing have released the long-awaited guidelines for foundation repairs in the earthquake-hit green-blue zones. http://www.dbh.govt.nz/UserFiles/File/Publications/Building/Guidance-information/pdf/guidance-repairing-and-rebuilding-foundations.pdf

This is another step on the journey, but until the GeoTech testing is done and the state of the ground is determined this will establish which category each house falls into.

TC3 drilling underway in eastern suburbs

EQC announce their drilling progam for GeoTech - we ask where does Ferrymead Brookhaven fit into this? Possibly in Bromley Woolston TC3 drilling plan.  Read here

April Newsletter for Ferrymead Brookhaven Residents

We hope by now all resident will have received our latest newsletter delivered to your letter box this week. Copy Here

Topics covered

       Business Matters - Chairman - Incoming Committee - Subscriptions

      Area Happenings - January CERA Meeting - Red Cross Outreach, TC3 Overcap Payments,
                                     TC3 Geotech,  Coastal Hills Cluster / Accommodation

      Social and Other Information  - Wetlands and Dogs, Insurance Clusters, Our Community

We urge everyone to fill in the Survey attached. If you missed the flyer read here.

Insurance Clusters
Clusters/groups of homeowners associated with each of the insurance companies.
Each group will have an opportunity to share information with each other and receive news
concerning the latest developments with their particular Insurance company and their
respective Project Management Offices (PMO).
This initiative has received endorsement as a concept from the insurance companies, EQC,
elected representatives and Cera.

Works Notice – ground investigations, Main Road, McCormacks Bay

Stronger Christchurch are investigating the ground conditions of the Main Road Causeway to identify the best way to repair the road. Work will take place between Thursday 19 April and Friday 27 April.
Read Details Here

EQC denies payout freeze for TC3

Ferrymead-Brookhaven Residents' Association chairman David Stringer said 17 neighbours had contacted him frustrated at delays.

He was in the same position, he said, with a quake-damaged house that had been declared a rebuild and no reason for an EQC payment to be delayed.

"There's no valid reason for them to withhold the payment,'' he said.

"You ring up the settlements teams in Australia or Wellington and they tell you point-blank, 'No, you're not being paid until that [foundation design] work's been done'."

Read the full article Click Here

March Update

• Alport Place and Palinurus Road works notice http://strongerchristchurch.govt.nz/work/activity/998
• EQC's broader FAQ there is a section where aspects of TC3 land are explained.  http://canterbury.eqc.govt.nz/land-information-technical-category-3
• Interesting read on TC3
  http://www.interest.co.nz/node/57918/personal%20finance

Brookhaven - GeoTech investigations have started

GeoTech investigations commenced in Brookhaven in early February.   All of the approx 372 properties are zoned TC3. (see photos of GeoTech last week in Delta Way http://www.brookhaven.net.nz/photos.htm)

AMI have scheduled approx 15 so far and the number is expected to rise as people look at their options and make decisions.  Work will be progressively undertaken during this month and through the winter.  After the investigation a report is made and sent to Arrow. 

The next step usually is a structural engineer is engaged to recommend and design suitable foundation. 

Then a registered surveyor conducts a survey to confirm boundaries and determine the height of the new floor in order to comply with Variation 48 of CCC Flood Plan.

How does one get to GeoTech Report you may be asking?  This is a general overview based on feedback from residents who are AMI/Arrow International clients.

1.  EQC determines that your house is overcap.
2. Private insurers make contact with homeowner to advise your property will be managed by their Project Management Office(PMO) e.g. AMI uses Arrow, IAG use Hawkins etc.
3. PMO visits property and generates a scope of works or detailed repair analysis  (this is additional to EQC scope).
4. Draft report on the scope is sent for property owner to check and advise variances.
5. Redraft of report by PMO to include changes or variations.
6. Recommendation is made by PMO to private insurer as to Repair or Rebuild.
7. Owner is notified and repair or rebuild options are presented..
8. If PMO recommend a rebuild and property owner wishes to rebuild on existing site, Geotech is ordered by PMO.