New Zealand is one of the most natural hazard-prone countries in the world, but its approach to managing hazards is not keeping pace with the growing risk. IAG New Zealand has published a report that identifies a clear, long-term strategy to deliver the change needed and calls for urgent government action.

Earthquakes, floods, storms and landslips are no longer rare disruptions but defining forces shaping New Zealand’s economy and communities.

The growing frequency and severity of these events demand more than effective response and recovery. They require a fundamental shift in how risk is understood, managed and reduced to support large-scale adaptation.

While insurers, governments and communities continue to respond at scale, the current approach to natural hazards remains fragmented and reactive, leaving critical gaps in resilience. Decisions about where and how to build, how to invest and who bears the cost of risk can no longer be deferred. Delay will only deepen exposure and increase long-term costs.

IAG’s report identifies 42 key gaps and future needs in New Zealand’s approach to risk reduction and outlines the coordinated action required to address them through a proposed15-year roadmap. It makes clear that incremental change will not be enough.

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