South Island insurance firm in liquidation

A Queenstown-based insurance company has gone into liquidation.

Grant Thornton has been appointed to look after Western Pacific Insurance Limited after concerns about its solvency.

Partner David Ruscoe says they're urgently checking that all insurance policies are in place and valid, and that all reinsurance contracts are in order.

He says they're prioritising around 150 claims relating to the Canterbury earthquakes.

Western Pacific Insurance has about 7,000 policy holders in New Zealand.

- Newstalk ZB