Tasman Tempest storm cost $62m

The Tasman Tempest storm which hit in early March and caused flooding around Auckland and the Coromandel Peninsula has cost $62 million in insurance claims. Photo/Alan Gibson.

A storm which dumped a month's worth of rain on Auckland and the Coromandel in one day has cost the insurance industry $62 million.

The Insurance Council has released the final cost for the Tasman Tempest which hit the upper North Island over March 7 to 12 this year.

It says the storm resulted in 7,774 claims which cost $61.7m - a $20m increase on the provisional data it released in May.

Domestic insurance claims made up the largest proportion account for 6449 claims and $37.03m paid out.

While there were 896 commercial insurance claims resulting in $20.89m being paid out.

There were 354 motor vehicle claims costing $3.12m and 14 marine insurance claims resulting in a cost of $110,000.

The March storm was one of a number of natural hazard events to hit New Zealand so far this year and bring the total to insurance claims to $174.7m.

Tim Grafton, chief executive of the Insurance Council, said the weather bombs seen in recent months highlighted the importance of having insurance when disaster strikes.

"We would hope that uninsured renters are now taking steps to ensure their contents are protected to see them through these types of events.

"And for homeowners that they check their sum insured is enough to rebuild in the event of a total loss," he said.