The Government has been given a fail mark for its handling of a $1b education announcement for post-earthquake Christchurch today, which proposed closing 13 schools.

The Government is set to close 13 Canterbury schools and merge another 18 in an overhaul of the education sector in the area that was revealed today.

Westpac and Lumley Insurance have teamed up to write new construction and full replacement home and contents cover in greater Christchurch in a move that has broken a post-earthquake insurance deadlock.