"There's also been a few problems with my injury insurance. I'm
currently not being paid so I actually need employment. The players
union are working on my behalf. The insurers are disputing the claim,
which I find ridiculous, it was clear what I did and how I did it."
We know all about that in Christchurch!!!
Thousands here would sympathize...
Insurance companies are going to ridiculous lengths to dispute claims and are alleging obvious earthquake damage is "historical" (as if cracks in modern houses mysteriously appeared before the quakes).
The NZ insurance industry is a mess because of the Christchurch earthquakes and inadequate re-insurance taken out prior by NZ companies (re-insurance is the cover bought overseas to pay for local events) ,combined with the too low $100,000 EQC cap above which private insurers must pay out which has threatened the viability of private insurance companies in NZ.
Plenty of hopeless insurance companies in NZ are not geared up to deal with peoples' problems - some people here in Christchurch have taken to displaying banners on the front of their properties to name and shame the dodgy insurers who won't pay out. One family at the end of my street have a banner reading "Southern Response - No Response - Three Years and Still Waiting!"
AMI, NZ's second biggest residential insurer went bust because of the Chch quakes (not enough re-insurance) and the govt formed "Southern Response" to take over it's Christchurch claims which it had no hope of paying out on.
Australasia's biggest insurance company IAG bought up the rest of AMI and so IAG now cover 60% of the NZ market (they own State and NZI as well).
I'd do some research, especially if you live in similarly earthquake prone areas of NZ such as Wellington and Hawkes Bay and be careful who you insure with.
Some smaller NZ insurance companies also went bust because of the Canterbury earthquakes.
The current government are responsible for much of the mess in the NZ insurance industry because on coming into power in 2008 they ignored the Earthquake Commission Board's request for an increase in the cap above which private insurers must pay out for disaster damage (it was set at $100,000 in 1993 and not raised since then in line with vastly increased house prices). This has lead to private insurance companies being faced with large claims they are struggling to afford.
Hence the reluctance to pay out and the disputing of claims.