Insurance & Financial Services Ombudsman Scheme

28/05/2026

Learner licence? You need to have a supervisor sitting in the front passenger seat when driving. Breaching your licence conditions can mean your insurance claim is declined if something goes wrong — so you could end up paying the costs yourself.
Find out more: https://www.ifso.nz/pages/breaking-driver-licence-conditions

17/05/2026

We resolve complaints about insurance and financial services. Find out more about using our service: https://www.ifso.nz/

14/05/2026

Planning to ride a scooter overseas? Check your insurance cover. It's common for travel insurance to exclude scooter use unless extra cover is purchased. Read the full case study here: https://www.ifso.nz/case-studies/claim-declined-after-scooter-accident-overseas

11/05/2026

Keep records of your purchases and obtain regular valuations for high value items like jewellery. If you don’t provide sufficient proof of ownership, your insurer may decline the claim.
Read more: https://www.ifso.nz/pages/lack-of-proof-of-ownership

22/04/2026

Uncertainty about climate adaptation and who should pay for it is becoming an increasingly common issue for homeowners, insurers and councils, and this issue is not going away, especially with the number of storms we’re seeing now. There are urgent decisions to be made about how adaptation will be managed and funded.

We have no power to require an insurer to make payments outside the terms of the policy, on a goodwill basis. In this case, we found that the insurer was not required to cover the extra cost of raising the floor level when a flood-damaged home was rebuilt.

Read more: https://www.ifso.nz/media-releases/insurer-not-required-to-cover-recommended-flood-upgrade

20/04/2026

To those in Wellington and other affected areas, we hope you are staying safe. See our tips on dealing with insurance + severe weather events here: www.ifso.nz/information/natural-disasters

16/04/2026

AI tools can be useful – but they can also oversimplify policies, miss exclusions, or rely on overseas information that doesn’t apply in New Zealand.

Before relying on AI summaries, read your full policy and check trusted sources.

Find out more: https://www.ifso.nz/media-releases/consumers-urged-to-fact-check-ai-advice-when-making-complaints

02/04/2026

02/04/2026

For house, contents and car insurance, premiums are usually for a year of cover. Increases in insurance premiums can be an unwelcome surprise. There are options available to reduce premiums – talk to your insurer or shop around.

Find out more: https://www.ifso.nz/pages/premium-increases

26/03/2026

Affected by severe weather?
Here are some practical tips to help make the insurance process smoother.
The IFSO Scheme is independent, fair and free for consumers.
Learn more at ifso.nz