Current dwelling investigation
We’re reviewing information held on some insured buildings to ensure our records are accurate. As part of this review, we’re contacting some clients to confirm whether their building(s) include(s) a dwelling. This will help us ensure we correctly calculate Government levies, including for the Natural Hazards Commission (NHC) and Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ). Once we’ve completed this review, clients will be contacted if there is any further action required.
This is part of our dedicated work to identify, address, and resolve problems that may negatively impact clients.
What is a dwelling?
A dwelling is generally described as a self-contained area used for living purposes. It includes a place to live, cook, eat, sleep, wash, and go to the toilet. Because every property is different, there isn't a one-size-fits-all definition. We’ll talk it through with you if you're unsure what information to provide.
What happens if I am contacted?
You’ll receive an email (or letter if we don’t have an email address for you) with the address(es) we’re interested in talking with you about. You are welcome to call the number provided at a time convenient to you. Otherwise, a member of our team will call you. We’ll run through the buildings and policy numbers when we talk with you.
If we don’t contact you, there is nothing you need to do.
If we contact clients about refunds, we offer a few options:
- If we have your up to date nominated refund bank account, we'll pay a refund into this account. You can check and update your refund bank account in FMG Connect.
- If we contact you about a refund and need your refund bank account details, you can fill out our FMG Client Refund Form using the unique client refund reference code included at the top of the email or letter you receive. Alternatively, you can email your bank account name and number and unique code to clientrefunds@fmg.co.nz
- If you’d like to talk to one of our consultants about a refund, call 0800 366 466 (select option 5, and then option 1).
- Refunds are deposited within 7 business days of us receiving your bank account details.
If you have been contacted, and have questions, you may be able to find the answers here:
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We send client refund emails to clients from the email address clientrefunds@fmg.co.nz, with the subject line referring to us owing you a refund followed by your account name and number. We also include a unique client refund reference code. If we don’t have your bank account details, we’ll ask you for them. We won't ask you for your credit card details.
Email scams are becoming more prevalent, so we do encourage you to remain vigilant to protect your personal information. Always check the sender’s email address, hover over links to check the web address, and don’t click on anything that looks suspicious.
If you’re unsure or concerned after receiving an email or letter from FMG regarding a refund, please call us on 0800 366 466 (option 5, and then option 1) to speak directly with one of our consultants.
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If you’re part of a group of clients whose refund due is less than $25, the refund amount will either be donated to the Rural Support Trust, or you can choose to have the refund paid to your bank account. If you’d like to support a charity other than the Rural Support Trust, please request your refund and donate it to the charity of your choice.
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Unfortunately, no. To assist refunding all affected clients as quickly as possible, we’ve adopted a solution suitable for, and accessible by, all clients regardless of how they pay for their insurance. We determined that a direct refund into a bank account, which you can then pay towards your premiums if you wish, would best meet those requirements.
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To calculate refunds, we’ve looked back as far as September 2013, which is when we introduced our current policy administration system that stores information about the nature of our clients’ insurances and premiums they pay.
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If, after multiple attempts, we’ve been unable to contact a client to provide a refund, we will transfer amounts over $100 to the Inland Revenue (IRD) using the unclaimed money process.
In the event an account is held by a single policy holder who is deceased, and no alternate contact can be found on our files, we’ll also submit the details and money owing to IRD using the unclaimed money process.
To find out more about these processes and how to claim any funds, visit the IRD website (claiming unclaimed money). You can also call us on 0800 366 466 (option 5, and then option 1) to find out if we’ve transferred funds to IRD.