Do I have to tell my insurer everything when I apply for insurance?

General information from Lawmateanz

Under current New Zealand law, you generally have to tell an insurer anything that a prudent insurer would consider relevant to the risk, even if they don't specifically ask about it.

If you don't, the insurer may be able to avoid the policy or decline a claim, even if what you didn't mention isn't related to the claim. This is known as the duty of disclosure.

New insurance contracts law is being phased in that changes this duty for consumers, so the rules depend on when your policy was taken out or renewed.

When in doubt, tell the insurer in writing and keep a copy. Read your policy schedule carefully when it arrives and correct anything that's wrong.

If a claim is declined for non-disclosure, you can complain to the insurer and then to its free dispute resolution scheme.

Written by Lawmateanz, not by a lawyer. General information only, not legal advice about your situation. For advice about your own matter, talk to a lawyer.

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General information only. Answers are written by independent lawyers based only on what's in the question. They aren't legal advice about your situation and don't create a lawyer–client relationship. For advice about your own matter, talk to a lawyer directly.