Media release

Nearly half of Kiwi homebuyers rely on 'gut feeling' over professional natural hazard data

01 October 2026

A survey of 1,029 homeowner conducted by Talbot Mills Research has found that despite 78% of homeowners saying they feel confident assessing a property’s risks before buying, only 57% actually considered natural hazard information when purchasing their most recent home.

Nearly half (49%) of those surveyed said they often rely on “gut feeling and intuition” rather than professional data or reports when making major life decisions, such as buying a home.

The research, commissioned by Suncorp New Zealand, shows that part of the problem may be that the information is difficult to understand: 70% agreed that the way businesses and councils talk about natural hazard risk is confusing and hard to use in real life.

Suncorp New Zealand CEO Jimmy Higgins says the findings highlight the need to make natural hazard information easier for people to use when making one of life’s biggest decisions.

“New Zealand is building a comprehensive set of natural hazard data but our research illustrates that having good data won’t automatically lead to better decision-making unless people know where to find it or how to use it. We want checking natural hazard risk to be as routine as researching the school zone, commute or building report.”

Complex and dispersed data leads to misunderstanding and relying on intuition 

Higgins says that gaps in the current system are creating some dangerous blind spots. 

“Too many homeowners are relying on proxy information like local knowledge or insurance prices or not clearly understanding the data they do use.”

The research showed that while 59% turned to official council data for information on natural hazards, family, friends, and local knowledge were the next most common sources of information (27%).

When asked what stopped people from seeking natural hazard information, more than a quarter (28%) said people didn’t know where to find the information, while 20% said they didn’t know what information was available.

The research also found gaps in how some common natural hazard terms are understood. Just over half (52%) of respondents correctly identified that a “1-in-100-year flood” means there is a 1% chance of a flood of that size occurring in any given year.

More than a third (34%) incorrectly thought a flood of that size was so rare it was unlikely to happen in their lifetime, while 17% incorrectly believed that if a major flood happened this year, the area would be safe from another for the next 99 years.

But Kiwis are open to better understanding risk. The overwhelming majority (82%) of respondents were interested in learning how to use and interpret natural hazard data.

Higgins says that willingness to learn is encouraging. “People want to make informed choices, but we need to make it easier for them. The research shows strong interest in a central source for natural hazard data and greater education on where to find and how to use it.”

Suncorp New Zealand calls for better communication of natural hazard risk

To address the gaps in the system, Suncorp New Zealand has released a policy paper, From Data to Decision-Making: Helping New Zealanders Make Better Decisions About Natural Hazard Risk.

The paper proposes a set of practical recommendations including establishing a single, central “all-hazards” property portal, introducing national plain-English standards for hazard terminology and bringing insurance and hazard checks earlier into the home-buying process.

Higgins said many people felt overwhelmed by the idea of climate change and bombarded by constant news about natural disasters or increasing risks.

“But behavioural change is going to be a critical foundation for tackling our long-term exposure to climate change, and we have to make it more achievable for people to make resilient choices,” he said. “Data alone can’t do that. Kiwis need more help to cut through the technical jargon and use hazard information to make decisions.” 

He said the changes Suncorp New Zealand was proposing might feel like small tweaks, but were important incremental steps that would help people feel empowered to build their own resilience.

“Climate change is an elephant in the room and we need to tackle it one bite at a time. Our research and our policy proposals show that small changes to the system across government, councils and industry can make data accessible, transparent, and actionable. These changes will help build safer, more resilient communities for the future.”

For more information, read Suncorp New Zealand’s full policy advocacy paper.

About Vero New Zealand:

Vero is one of New Zealand’s leading insurance providers, offering a wide range of personal and commercial insurance solutions. With a strong focus on customer service and innovation, Vero helps individuals and businesses protect what matters most and recover quickly when the unexpected happens. www.vero.co.nz