The Minister Responsible for the Earthquake Commission, Grant Robertson, says responsiblity for processing the small number of Southern Response claims still to be settled will be transferred to EQC by the end of the year.

EQC will be appointed an agent of Southern Response, with the transition of claims processing to be completed by the end of the year.

Southern Response will retain final responsibility for ensuring claims are settled in accordance with customer’s entitlements. It will also retain responsibility for the outcomes of ongoing legal matters, including the Dodds v Southern Response case and the Ross v Southern Response class action.

“As claim numbers reduce, it no longer makes sense for the Crown to have two organisations processing the remaining Canterbury claims,” Mr Robertson says.

“Since the Crown took over AMI’s claims, Southern Response has received 48,600 claims, including 8,220 over-cap claims. At the end of this year we expect there to be about 300 claims still outstanding.

“We are at a point where it’s financially prudent to combine the management of claims under one Crown organisation.”