Buying a new home is a big deal and needs careful consideration. Someone who understands this better than most is Tom Bartlett who, for 16 years, has worked in home claims for AA Insurance.
Tom was recently part of TVNZ’s AA Insurance Location, Location, Location NZ to share his insight and expertise, helping the show’s house hunters – and viewers at home – with insurance-related home buying information. Originally from the UK, Tom has been in New Zealand for 16 years and lives with his family in Snells Beach, north of Auckland.
When did you buy your first home?
We bought our first Kiwi home back in 2012. My wife was pregnant with our firstborn and we thought we'd better get out of our one-bedroom flat. We considered West Auckland and the North Shore, primarily because we had friends in those areas, and ended up out west in Glen Eden.
Did the location of that first home influence your decision to buy it?
It did – going on the recommendations from friends, we wanted to know we were buying somewhere that was safe, had a community feel and was close enough to the city. Our friends’ recommendations gave us that certainty to make the decision. West Auckland was perfect for us and because it was slightly further out from the city, it was a bit more affordable.
Tom Bartlett offers expert insurance tips. Photo by Mark Smith.
Did that home need renovating or was it perfect as it was?
Depends who you ask! I thought it was perfect, but my wife had a different opinion and I guess the 1960s kitchen did need a bit of work… We did some of the work ourselves, I’m a little bit handy, but I draw the line at anything to do with water or electricity, or anything structural. So, we put in a flatpack kitchen and got someone in to connect all the electrics and plumbing.
Are you a keen DIY-er or do you ‘pay the man’?
A bit of both. It makes sense to keep the costs down by doing some things – whipping things out, painting and decorating – but anything more complicated, I don’t risk it. You have to know what not to do and when to get the pros in to avoid issues down the track!
What was your highlight of being involved in AA Insurance Location, Location, Location NZ?
Just seeing all the different house hunters on different parts of their journeys. For some it was their second or third house and they were looking for their next, for others it was their first home in New Zealand. Guiding people through the process and helping them consider things they might not have thought about was special.I enjoyed helping the house hunters consider all the information they needed to make informed decisions on their house buying journey.
I’ve been involved in insurance for 16 years and it’s easy to forget there is a lot of insurance information that isn’t common knowledge.
Did the experience give you the property itch?
I’ve always been interested in real estate; I’m someone who looks all the time and goes to open homes just out of interest. I guess the experience reinforced the need to keep an eye on things. We love these programmes because you see inside other people’s homes – you see how they’ve done things to their homes, it’s inspiring. Everyone loves a bit of a nosey!
In your view, what role does insurance play in getting Kiwi’s back on their feet when the worst happens?
Having a background in home claims, I’ve seen the full spectrum of insurance claims – from someone dropping their phone, to someone whose home has been devastated by a flood. The key thing is to get people back to how things were as quickly as we can. We can’t erase what happened, but we can help limit the impact and stress so they can get back to living their lives.
Have you had personal experience of a home disaster or mishap requiring insurance?
In West Auckland we had a flood. We’d just laid some new carpet in a room downstairs and I went down one day, after heavy rain, and it squelched underfoot. Luckily, it was a concrete floor. It was interesting for me because in that moment, I was not sure what to do. Common sense can go out the window! But then we made a phone call to our insurer, took some photos of the damage, and an assessor was sent out. In a couple of weeks, it was back to normal, and I got a professional to put drains in to safeguard it from future events.
Tom Bartlett has been working in insurance for 16 years. Photo by Mark Smith.
What are the top three things homebuyers should do during their house search?
There’s lots to consider when buying a home, so it’s important to thoroughly research the property you’re interested in and the surrounding land.
The first is due diligence. Looking at the property information and having a lawyer to review the Record of Title and the LIM report will help build understanding about the land you’re buying and any information about the land such as natural hazard risks, issued consents, water services and drainage.
Second – understanding the land and natural hazards in the surrounding area is important, too. As well as the LIM report, there are some other great tools available to help you consider the risk you might be taking on. Check out council flood data or the Natural Hazards portal, which will give you area- and property-specific information and tell you if there have been any Natural Hazards Commission Toka Tū Ake settled claims at that property.
The third tip is when you see a house you love, try to go back a second or third time without emotion and look for faults. Are there signs of moisture? Are the window seals in good condition? Has a builder’s report checked for structural integrity to help you understand how the property is built and what materials were used? If you find out you’re going to have to replace the roof soon, that might stretch you financially, so it’s good to know that before you put an offer in!
What is a common misconception about home insurance ?
The one that stands out is what people think your sum insured is. Lots of people think it’s the CV or the purchase price, or the value they’ve see on a listing – but it’s actually what it would cost to rebuild your home from the ground up. It’s important that you accurately estimate your sum insured so that you have enough cover if you need to make a claim after an event.
On a basic level there are online calculators; you input information about your property and it will help provide an estimate. If you’ve got an architecturally built house or high-end features, then it would pay to get an expert such as a builder, architect or quantity surveyor to help determine your rebuild estimate based on your property’s features.
What you don’t want to do is get that figure wrong and possibly be out of pocket at claims time. And if you need to increase your sum insured, it may not increase the premiums as much as you'd think. It's always a good idea to ask your insurer these questions to ensure you have the right amount of cover.
What are things you do regularly as a homeowner?
Houses need regular maintenance. I often check things like my gutters – it’s good to keep them clear of any leaves and build up and if you’ve got a little leak, fix that as soon as you can. If there are branches hanging over the roof I check if they may need to be pruned to avoid damaging the roof in a storm. Everyone has busy lives so I find it helps to think of things that need doing according to the season. When it gets to a point in the year when the weather is changing, that can be a good trigger for doing some home maintenance.
AA Insurance Location, Location, Location NZ streaming now on TVNZ+
Story by Kath Webster for the Summer 2024 issue of AA Directions Magazine. Kath Webster is the Editor of AA Directions magazine.
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