AMI Insurance

AMI Insurance began in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 1926 as the South Island Motor Union (SIMU), and grew to be the second biggest residential insurer in New Zealand.[1] It was, before the buy-out from IAG New Zealand Ltd, a Mutual insurance company, meaning it was owned by its policy holders.

AMI Insurance
HeadquartersChristchurch, New Zealand
Parent organization
IAG New Zealand Limited
Websitewww.ami.co.nz
Formerly called
Allied Mutual Insurance
AMI Insurance building in Manukau

History

Effect of Canterbury earthquakes on AMI

After the Christchurch Earthquakes of 2010 and 2011 some doubt over obtaining sufficient reinsurance cover for further earthquakes, plus lack of exact figures from the government's EQC to indicate how much of the earthquakes' insurance costs would have to come from Allied Mutual Insurance (AMI), led to uncertainty over the insurer's financial state. The New Zealand government talked of bailing out the company up to $1000 million[2] because of the chaos that would ensue if it collapsed, and eventually agreed to a NZD 500 million support deed, but large losses led to a NZD 76 million shortfall of its NZD 198.6 million regulatory capital requirement and so forced the controversial[3][4] sale of AMI, to the New Zealand arm of Australia and New Zealand's largest insurance group, IAG. IAG NZ already had acquired major insurance names in New Zealand, such as NZI (formerly New Zealand Insurance) and State Insurance, and with acquiring AMI's business (other than Christchurch earthquake-related work) IAG covered 60% of the domestic insurance market.

Southern Response

The government created a government-owned company, Southern Response Earthquake Services, to take over the part of AMI's work that related to the Christchurch earthquake repairs. It is responsible for settling claims by AMI policyholders for Canterbury earthquake damage which occurred before 5 April 2012.[5]

Perceived poor performance of that organisation has led to some protests[6][7] and a lawsuit,[8] but a large percentage of the easier repairs have been actioned despite a period of work outstripping resources in post-quake Canterbury.

In 2018 it was revealed that four years earlier Southern Response had employed private investigation company Thompson and Clarke to attend and record public meetings held by groups of AMI/Southern Response claimants. A report by the State Services Commission found that in doing so Southern Response had acted inconsistently with the State Services Code of conduct on a number of occasions in 2014-2016.[9]

2020 closure of branches

On 23 July 2020, IAG announced that AMI would be closing all of its 53 branches and its remaining State store in New Zealand in phases. The Albany, Botany, Te Rapa, Mount Maunganui, Wellington, Hornby, and Dunedin stores will close in June 2021 while most remaining stores will close on 18 September. The Timaru branch will remain open until 27 November 2020. 65 branch manager jobs will be eliminated while 350 jobs would be transferred to customer service and other departments.[10]

References
  1. Miles, Sarah (January 23, 2013). "Understanding What Happened to AMI". The Christchurch Fiasco. Archived from the original on 4 April 2019. Retrieved 18 March 2014.
  2. Steeman, Marta (7 April 2011). "Quake-hit AMI insurance bailout could cost $1 billion". Stuff. Archived from the original on 20 December 2018. Retrieved 18 March 2014.
  3. Vaughan, Gareth (December 22, 2011). "IAG 'taking out mutual competitor' AMI would create 'near duopoly', Merrill Lynch analysts say, meaning Commerce Commission could block deal". Archived from the original on 5 April 2019. Retrieved 18 March 2014.
  4. Steeman, Marta (20 December 2011). "AMI sale done without consulting members". The Press. Archived from the original on 5 April 2019. Retrieved 18 March 2014.
  5. "About Us". Southern Response. Archived from the original on 7 January 2019. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
  6. Satherley, Dan (2 Dec 2013). "Quake claimants protest outside Southern Response". Newshub. Archived from the original on 21 August 2016. Retrieved 18 March 2014.
  7. Greenhill, Marc; Anderson, Charles (2013-12-16). "Protesters 'swamp' Southern Response". The Press. Archived from the original on 20 December 2018. Retrieved 18 March 2014.
  8. O'Connor, Sarah-Jane (2014-03-07). "Class action against Southern Response". The Press. Archived from the original on 4 April 2019. Retrieved 18 March 2014.
  9. "State Services Commission Inquiry Statement". Southern Response. 18 Dec 2018. Archived from the original on 17 January 2020. Retrieved 7 Jan 2019.
  10. "IAG announces closure of 53 AMI stores". New Zealand Herald. 23 July 2020. Archived from the original on 23 July 2020. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
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