Who is the Earthquake Commission (EQC)?
The Earthquake Commission (EQC) is a New Zealand Government-owned Crown Entity which provides a Natural Disaster Fund for New Zealand residential property owners. The EQC also funds research about matters relevant to natural disaster damage.
Why have Earthquake Commission (EQC) levies increased?
The current Government EQC levy is insufficient to meet the day-to-day operating costs of the EQC, including the cost of reinsurance and the cost of rebuilding the Natural Disaster Fund following the Canterbury earthquakes. The EQC levy increase applies from 1 February 2012. The EQC levy is collected by insurance companies as part of your total premium and then forwarded to the EQC.
How much has the EQC levy increased by?
Up until 31 January 2012, home and / or contents insurance policy holders paid 5c per $100 of insurance cover (excluding GST), up to a maximum of $50 a year (excluding GST) for a dwelling and $10 a year (excluding GST) for contents.

From 1 February 2012 policy holders pay 15c per $100 of insurance cover, with an annual cap of $150 for a dwelling and $30 for contents (excluding GST).

The levy contributes to EQC's earthquake cover, which covers the first $100,000 (excluding GST) of house damage, the first $20,000 (excluding GST) of contents damage and damage to land, which is not covered by insurance companies.
How does the EQC levy increase affect you?
The increase in EQC levy applies for all new insurance contracts and renewals from 1 February 2012. If you have an existing policy that renews after 1 February 2012 you will not be affected by the rate change until renewal. Any changes to existing policies that are made as endorsements do not attract the new levy.
Who is covered by the EQC?
If you have current home and/or contents insurance, you also have the Earthquake Commission’s cover. EQC covers damage to residential property caused by the following:

1. Earthquake
2. Natural landslip
3. Tsunami
4. Volcanic eruption
5. Hydrothermal activity
6. Storm or flood (land only – not the property on it)
7. Fire following any of the above.

房屋保险知识之--EQC
很多人在买房屋保险的时候，会有疑问，EQC是什么？为什么它是必须要付的？小编通过以下就介绍来让大家对此有所了解
1.      谁是地震委员会（EQC）？
地震委员会（EQC）是新西兰政府拥有的，它为新西兰住房业主提供了自然灾害基金。该委员会还赞助自然灾害损失方面的研究。
2.      为什么地震证委员会要增加税收？
目前政府征收的税收以不能满足EQC的经营成本，包括再保险及重建自然灾害基金的成本。 此项亏损在坎特伯雷地震后更为明显。该项税额是从2012年2月1日开始增收的，它是从保险公司收集的保费中扣除，之后再转交给地震委员会的。
3.      地震委员会（EQC）税收将会增加多少？
在2012年1月31日以前，每份房屋保险与财产险中，每$100中的5C是属于EQC的（不含GST）。每年每份住宅房屋最多征收$ 50（不包括GST），每年每份财产险最多征收$10（不含GST）。从2012年2月1日以后，每份保单中每$ 100将支付15c到EQC，住宅险的上限是$150 （不包含GST）, 财产险的上限是$30（不包括GST）。
征收的自然灾害险担保了$100,000（不含GST）的房屋损害索赔，$20,000（不含GST）的财产损害索赔以及土地灾害索赔，然而这些部分是不被包括在保险公司赔偿范围内。
4.      EQC增加将怎会影响你？
EQC的税收政策将会影响所有新的保单以及更新在2012年2月之后的保险。
5.      EQC覆盖了什么自然灾害？
如果您拥有一份住宅险或者财产险，你将会自动保在EQC下。 EQC自然灾害险包括了以下自然灾害：
Ø  地震
Ø  自然滑坡
Ø  海啸
Ø  火山爆发
Ø  海底热液活动
Ø  暴雨，洪水（仅土地 - 而不是它属性）
Ø  以上情况下的火灾