SOUTHERN RESPONSE CONCEALMENT CLASS ACTION - NEW ZEALAND

Register for our Canterbury earthquake insurance class action against Southern Response in New Zealand. Find out if you're eligible. 

Register your interest

Application for a Common Fund Order - Update

Learn about the Application for a Common Fund Order

Southern Response’s misleading settlements pre October 2014

In 2018, GCA Lawyers filed proceedings in the High Court of New Zealand against Southern Response Earthquake Services Limited over its alleged misleading concealment and non-payment of additional financial benefits due to policyholders.  The representatives of the class are Brendan and Colleen Ross, whose earthquake damaged home was uneconomic to repair.  The class action alleges that those who settled their Canterbury earthquake claims with Southern Response prior to October 2014 were misled about the full extent of their entitlements to compensation. The claim alleges Southern Response systematically withheld information from policyholders about their entitlements and the true cost of repairing or rebuilding homes damaged as a result of the Canterbury earthquakes.   

The Court of Appeal has ordered that the class action is to be conducted on an opt-out basis.  This means that all persons who have the same interest in the subject matter of the proceedings as Mr & Mrs Ross are automatically members of the class action unless they elect to opt-out.  This includes both people whose houses were repairable and those whose houses were uneconomic to repair.   

If you settled with Southern Response prior to October 2014 you may qualify as a class member.  Now is the time to consider appointing GCA Lawyers as your lawyers in this class action seeking to recover those additional insurance entitlements.

Am I a Class Member?

The Court of Appeal has set out the criteria for people to be part of the class action in its judgment of 16 September 2019.  The full text of the Court of Appeal's Order can be found in the FAQ section of this website.  If you meet these criteria then you do not need to take any further steps to qualify as a class member at this stage.  

Broadly, you will automatically be a class member if you:

1. owned a residential dwelling that was: 
   1. insured with AMI Insurance (now Southern Response) under a Premier House Cover Policy or Premier Rental Property Policy ("Policy");
      
   2. damaged by the 2010-2012 Canterbury earthquakes;

1. lodged a claim or claims under the Policy for that damage;
   
2. received a DRA from Southern Response that did not include an Office Use Section and did not receive a DRA from Southern Response that did include an Office Use Section.  Go to the FAQ to find out more about what a DRA is and why this is relevant to the Class Action; and
3. settled your insurance claim with Southern Response prior to October 2014 by someway other than having Southern Response manage the repair or rebuild of your house.
   
   

GCA Lawyers can assist you to know if you are a class member and eligible to take part in the class action.    

GCA lawyers are conducting the class action with the support of funding from Claims Funding Australia Pty Limited (CFA), the litigation funding arm of Maurice Blackburn Lawyers, Australia’s largest and most successful class action law firm. 

You may wish to have GCA Lawyers appointed as your lawyers to represent you in the class action or simply register your interest with them to find out more.  

To register your interest in this class action simply complete the Registration of Interest forms click here.  

How do I register my interest in the Southern Response Class Action?

To complete your registration of interest simply click here and have the following information ready:

1. your name and contact details;
   
2. address of the insured property; and 

3. the date you settled with Southern Response. 

For help on where find this information, click here.

Frequently asked questions about the Southern Response Class Action

For a fast answer to some common questions, we suggest checking the Frequently Asked Questions section first.  You might find your question has already been answered – simply click on the FAQS link in the top right corner of this page.

Still don't have the answers you need…?  

Send us a message using this form if you have already registered, or otherwise contact us by email at [email protected].  Alternatively, if you require an urgent response, call our team on +64 3 365-1347 during business hours.