Government Increases Insurance Costs to Pay for Climate Disasters.
Did you know that the Act Party Minister, David Seymour, the one who opposes policies to cut climate pollution, is increasing the cost of your insurance by at least $200 per year to pay for…. climate disasters!
Seymour tells us that climate change concern is overblown, opposes policies to cut climate pollution, and wants New Zealand to pull out of the Paris climate agreement.
But at the same time, as the Minister for the Natural Hazards Commission, he is increasing the levy we all pay to the Natural Hazards Commission, in order to cover the cost of all the climate-amplified extreme weather events.
The climate crisis is driving extreme weather and rising costs
Because here is the truth that even Seymour can’t escape: climate change is driving more extreme weather events causing more damage, which is costing more to clean up.
And it’s not just driving up the costs to the Government’s Natural Hazards Commission, it is driving up insurance costs across Aotearoa and the world.
The cost of living crisis is made worse by climate change driven increases in insurance costs (greedy insurance company profits don’t help either).
Consumer NZ recently found that insurance costs have risen by 900% since 2000, and climate is one of the drivers.
Government policies are making insurance costs worse
The cost of living crisis is being made worse by governments failing to introduce policies to cut climate pollution, and by polluters (aka fossil fuel companies and agribusiness) buying politicians and threatening any campaigners like Greenpeace who oppose them.
The 2023 Auckland Anniversary Floods and Cyclone Gabriel cost $3.5 billion from over 110,000 claims. And now we are seeing a surge in insurance costs for everyone to pay for the damage.
On top of this, some insurance companies are now moving to withdraw insurance coverage for some properties, and to dramatically increase premiums for those especially exposed. The number of uninsurable properties is expected to grow to 10,000 by 2050.
The insurance industry has been pleading with the Luxon government to stop approving new housing on flood plains but Luxon has fast tracked a new housing development on a flood plain in Auckland for a National Party donor, against the wishes of Auckland Council.
The Luxon Government and the climate polluters who support it, are increasing the cost of insurance by introducing policies to increase climate pollution and undermining global climate efforts.
Sign the petition to tell the government to invest in a clean energy future and no new offshore oil and gas exploration.
Key Takeaways: The Cost of the Climate Crisis – Insurance
- Government levies are increasing insurance costs to cover climate disasters.
- Climate change is driving extreme weather, rising premiums, and more uninsurable properties.
- Insurance costs in New Zealand have risen 900% since 2000, partly due to climate impacts.
- Extreme events like the 2023 Auckland floods are driving surging claims.
- Support clean energy and oppose new offshore oil and gas to reduce climate-driven costs.
We call on the Govt to embrace New Zealand’s Clean Energy Future, invest in solar and wind, and reject new fossil fuel electricity generation and a new fossil gas import facility.
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