EQC pays out $1b worth of claims

Earthquake recovery minister Gerry Brownlee says the Earthquake Commission has paid out an average of $3 million a day since the September quake. Photo / NZPA/David Alexander

The Earthquake Commission has paid out $1 billion in claims from the Canterbury earthquakes, quake recovery minister Gerry Brownlee says.

Since the initial quake on September 4 last year the EQC had paid out an average of $3 million a day, and that was expected to "increase significantly" Mr Brownlee said in a statement.

"This shows significant amounts of money flowing to claimants."

The EQC has received nearly 370,000 claims for the 13 separate events since September, including more than 22,000 for the aftershock on 13 June.

Meanwhile, just over a week after an initial announcement in which more than 5000 Christchurch homeowners were told their quake-hit homes will not be repaired, Mr Brownlee also said the EQC remained on track to meet the time frames set in March for the "full assessment" of other properties".

About 10,500 properties are effectively in limbo, classed as "orange" in the initial announcement meaning further assessment was required.

This morning, Mr Brownlee said full assessments for severe structural damage should be complete by mid-July; while all other assessments should be completed by the end of the year.

The commission was close to finishing assessments of properties that are now classified as being in the residential "red zone".

"They will then turn their attention to those in the orange zone and give people in those areas as much certainty as possible."