AMI Insurance NZ Review (2025): Is AMI the Right Insurer for You? Our Findings

Updated 23 November 2025

AMI Insurance is one of New Zealand’s longest-standing and most recognisable insurers, known for its stability, accessible support options and solid reputation built over nearly a century. Backed by IAG New Zealand, the country’s largest general insurance group AMI benefits from an AA (very strong) financial strength rating from Standard & Poor’s, giving customers confidence in its ability to pay claims, even in large-scale events.

In this 2025 AMI Insurance review, we break down how AMI performs across its main policies, how its cover compares with other NZ insurers, and the pros and cons to consider when deciding if AMI is the right fit for you. Whether you’re reviewing your existing insurance or comparing providers for the first time, this guide will help you understand where AMI performs well and where it may offer standout value.

Key takeaway: AMI performs consistently across all major insurance types, with specific policies offering particularly strong cover and pricing that are worth considering.

Who is AMI Insurance?

AMI Insurance is a long-standing New Zealand insurer that has been protecting Kiwis for almost 100 years. With more than 700,000 customers nationwide, AMI is one of the country’s largest personal insurance providers and is widely recognised for its strong customer focus and trusted brand reputation. AMI is backed by IAG New Zealand, the country’s largest general insurance group and the parent company of State and NZI, providing the financial strength and stability of an AA (very strong) rating from Standard & Poor’s (Australia) Pty Ltd.

AMI offers a broad range of personal insurance products, including car, home, contents and landlord insurance, all sold directly through its nationwide branch network, call centre and digital channels. With both in-person service and online tools, AMI remains a major, accessible and highly recognisable insurer in the New Zealand market.

What Types of Insurance Does AMI Offer?

AMI Insurance offers a comprehensive range of personal insurance products in New Zealand, covering essential areas such as car, home, contents, and landlord insurance. AMI also provides additional vehicle and lifestyle-related policies, as well as business insurance solutions for small to medium-sized operators. Customers can buy and manage their cover online, through the AMI app, over the phone, or in-store at one of AMI’s nationwide branches, providing them with multiple ways to access support.

AMI’s full range of insurance products includes:

Personal Insurance

Car Insurance

Home Insurance

Contents Insurance

Landlord Insurance

Motorcycle Insurance

Caravan Insurance

Trailer Insurance

Boat Insurance

Motorhome Insurance

Lifestyle Block/ Rural Insurance

Travel Insurance

Business Insurance

Business Assets Insurance

Business Interruption Insurance

Business Vehicles Insurance

Liability Insurance

Commercial Property Insurance

AMI Car Insurance

AMI offers three levels of car insurance: Comprehensive, Third Party, Fire & Theft, and Third Party Only, designed to give New Zealand drivers flexibility depending on how much protection they want. All three of these forms of cover include strong liability cover and access to their approved repairer network, with a lifetime guarantee on repairs arranged through those providers.

Comprehensive Car Insurance:

Comprehensive is AMI's highest level of cover and offers the most protection. It insures your vehicle for accidental loss or damage, theft, attempted theft, vandalism, storms, floods and fire. If your car becomes undrivable after an incident, AMI will arrange for towing to a repairer or a safe location and assist you and your passengers with transportation home. Comprehensive also includes new car replacement for eligible vehicles, excess-free key and lock replacement up to $500, replacement of damaged or stolen children's car seats and free AMI Roadside Rescue, giving drivers peace of mind if their vehicle breaks down.

Third Party, Fire & Theft Car Insurance:

Third Party, Fire & Theft provides a mid-range option for drivers who want more than basic liability cover. AMI will repair or replace your vehicle if it is stolen or damaged by fire and will cover accidental damage you cause to someone else's vehicle or property. The policy also includes transport home after a theft and protection if your car is damaged by an uninsured driver, up to $5,000 when the criteria are met.

Third Party Only Car Insurance:

Third Party Only is AMI's most affordable option, offering essential protection for drivers who want liability cover without insuring their own vehicle. It covers accidental damage you cause to someone else's vehicle or property and includes liability for injuries you may cause while driving. Although your own car is not covered for accidental damage, fire or theft, you're still protected for up to $5,000 if your vehicle is damaged by an uninsured driver and the required conditions are met.

Key Features Across All AMI Car Insurance Policies

Liability for damage you cause to someone else's vehicle or property (up to $20 million)

Liability for injuries you cause while using your car (up to $1 million)

Cover for uninsured driver damage (up to $5,000 when criteria are met)

Lifetime repair guarantee through AMI's approved repairer network

The AMI website (accessed November 2025) provides a comparison of optional benefits across its three car insurance policies, as shown in the table below.

How Much Does AMI Car Insurance Cost in 2025?

Let’s take a look at how much AMI quotes for comprehensive car insurance cover for a 2017 Toyota Corolla and 2020 Toyota Corolla. The quotes below were generated based on:

35 year old male
Current Warrant of Fitness
NZ Full Driver Licence
No history of driver licence suspensions, cancellations, disqualifications or restrictions due to driving offences in the last 3 years

Here’s how much AMI costs based on quotes for Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

2017 Toyota Corolla ($15,000)	$500 excess	$1,100 excess
Auckland	$85.86 month	$68.88 month
Wellington	$83.84 month	$67.26 month
Christchurch	$78.34 month	$62.86 month

Here are the quotes for the 2020 Toyota Corolla using the same profile as above.

2020 Toyota Corolla ($25,000)	$500 excess	$1,100 excess
Auckland	$100.20 month	$80.34 month
Wellington	$97.41 month	$78.11 month
Christchurch	$91.11 month	$73.06 month

AMI Home Insurance

AMI offers one home insurance policy, Home Plus Insurance, which provides strong cover across core areas, along with some features that stand out compared to other New Zealand insurers. While many home insurance benefits are standard across the industry, AMI offers higher allowances in some key areas that may appeal to homeowners seeking additional protection.

Key Features of AMI Home Plus Insurance include:

Temporary accommodation up to $30,000:

AMI covers temporary accommodation for you, your family and your pets if your home becomes uninhabitable. This cover is higher than what some other insurers offer, such as AA Insurance and Initio, which both provide a maximum of $20,000.

Hidden gradual damage up to $3,000 per year:

AMI provides up to $3,000 per year for hidden gradual damage caused by internal plumbing leaks. This is a higher limit compared with some insurers, such as AA Insurance, which offers $2,000.

Retaining walls covered up to $50,000:

AMI includes up to $50,000 for retaining wall repairs, with higher limits available if needed. In comparison, Initio offers a lower allowance of up to $25,000.

New structure build cover up to $10,000 per year:

AMI includes cover for materials and structures being built on your property up to $10,000 a year, which can help protect unfinished work before it is fully insured under your main home policy.

Excess-free replacement of keys and locks:

If you are only claiming for locks or keys that are lost or stolen, AMI will replace them without charging an excess.

Water or sewage pipe blockage up to $500 per year:

Covers the cost of clearing blockages in water or sewage pipes located on your property.

Legal liability cover up to $2,000,000:

Provides strong protection if you accidentally cause damage to someone else’s property.Stress payment of $2,000 after a total loss:

AMI offers a $2,000 stress payment to help with immediate needs following a major loss event.

Optional Benefits for AMI Home Insurance:

Excess free glass and bathroom fixtures
Replacement of matching floor coverings
Additional costs for heritage homes
Lifestyle block fencing

How Much Does AMI Home Insurance Cost in 2025?

Here are some quotes for AMI Home Insurance for a $700,000 sum insured (rebuild cost) property across Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch for a house that is watertight, structurally sound and secure with no unrepaired damage or urgent maintenance to complete. These quotes do not include optional benefits.

$700,000 sum insured	$1,000 excess	$2,000 excess
Auckland	$141.66 month	$135.77 month
Wellington	$189.87 month	$180.34 month
Christchurch	$192.01 month	$181.82 month

Here are quotes for AMI Home Insurance for a $1,200,000 sum insured (rebuild cost) property across Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

$1,200,000 sum insured	$1,000 excess	$2,000 excess
Auckland	$186.41 month	$178.52 month
Wellington	$265.52 month	$253.53 month
Christchurch	$268.79 month	$256.26 month

AMI Contents Insurance

AMI offers one main contents insurance policy designed to protect your belongings inside your home. While many insurers provide similar standard benefits, AMI includes higher allowances in some key areas, making its contents coverage competitive compared to other major New Zealand insurers.

Key Features of AMI Contents Insurance include:

Repair or replacement cover for accidental loss, theft or damage:

AMI covers most household belongings if they are lost, stolen, or accidentally damaged, whether you own or rent your home.

Temporary accommodation up to $30,000:

If your home becomes unlivable after an insured event, AMI offers up to $30,000 for temporary accommodation for you, your family and your pets. This includes moving your belongings to and from a storage facility. This limit is higher than what some major insurers offer. For example, AA Insurance and Initio both provide up to $20,000.

Overseas travel cover up to $5,000 per trip:

Your belongings are covered in Australia or the South Pacific Islands for up to $5,000 per trip (maximum three weeks). Many insurers, such as AA Insurance and Tower, only cover contents within New Zealand under their standard contents insurance policies, making AMI’s travel allowance a notable advantage.

Cover while moving to a new home:

AMI protects your belongings at both your current and new address for up to two weeks while you are in the process of moving.

Home office equipment covered up to $10,000:

Home office equipment used for business or remote work is covered up to $10,000 per event while it’s at your home which sits at the higher end of the market. For example, Trade Me Insurance’s Contents Plus covers home office equipment up to $5,000. In comparison, AA Insurance’s contents policies cover business tools and professional equipment up to a default $3,000 per event, with the option to pay extra to increase this limit. While these aren’t identical benefits, they are comparable in that they cover work-related items under contents insurance.

Hidden gradual damage up to $3,000 per year:

AMI covers up to $3,000 per year for gradual damage caused by leaking internal plumbing or internal water tanks.

Optional Benefits for AMI Contents Insurance:

Excess free cover for spectacles, dentures and hearing aids
Lifestyle block contents and tools of trade

How Much Does AMI Contents Insurance Cost in 2025?

The following quotes were generated using consistent criteria, including:

No optional extras added
No alarm was selected
The homes are watertight, structurally sound and secure with no unrepaired damage or urgent maintenance to complete
The claims history indicated that no one covered by the policy had any incidents or claims involving home or contents in the past five years

Here are quotes for AMI Contents Insurance for a $60,000 sum insured across Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

$60,000 sum insured	$500 excess	$750 excess
Auckland	$56.74 month	$53.62 month
Wellington	$65.66 month	$61.98 month
Christchurch	$70.95 month	$66.76 month

Here are quotes for a $100,000 sum insured across Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch.

$100,000 sum insured	$500 excess	$750 excess
Auckland	$68.90 month	$65.18 month
Wellington	$71.89 month	$68.24 month
Christchurch	$96.94 month	$92.18 month

AMI Home and Contents Insurance (combined cover)

In addition to selling AMI Home Plus and AMI Contents Plus separately, AMI also offers a combined package for home and contents insurance. This suits New Zealanders who want a single AMI policy to protect both their home and belongings, rather than managing separate policies.

The combined AMI Home and Contents cover is built on the same benefits outlined in our AMI Home Insurance and AMI Contents Insurance sections, including cover for fire, theft, water damage, temporary accommodation, liability, and hidden gradual damage. For a full breakdown of what’s included on the contents side of the package, you can read our AMI Contents Insurance section above.

An advantage of choosing AMI home and contents as a package is that when the same insured event affects both your home and contents at the same address, AMI generally charges only one excess, rather than separate excesses for each policy. For many households across New Zealand, this bundled AMI home and contents insurance option offers a simple way to keep everything under one roof.

How Much Does AMI Home and Contents Insurance Cost in 2025?

To provide a clear indication of pricing, the following sample quotes were generated using consistent criteria, including:

Houses that are watertight, structurally sound and secure with no unrepaired damage or urgent maintenance to complete.
No alarm was selected under security features
These quotes do not include optional benefits like excess-free glass and bathroom fixtures.

Here are quotes for AMI Home and Contents Insurance for a $700,000 sum insured (rebuild cost) property across Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch with a home excess of $1,000.

$60,000 contents sum insured	$500 contents excess	$750 contents excess
Auckland	$197.37 month	$194.28 month
Wellington	$243.29 month	$240.18 month
Christchurch	$235.36 month	$232.86 month

AMI Landlord Insurance

AMI offers three landlord insurance options: a combined House and Contents package, House-only cover, and Contents-only cover. This range provides property owners with comprehensive cover for protecting their rental investment.

A major strength of AMI’s landlord offering is its strong financial protection during significant disruptions. All policies include lost rent cover of up to $30,000 if the property becomes unlivable due to an insured event, as well as abandoned possessions cover of up to $10,000 to help remove items tenants leave behind. These benefits reduce delays and unexpected costs between tenancies.

For furnished rentals, AMI provides cover for landlord chattels and essential furnishings, including the repair or replacement of newer appliances, furniture, and key household items. Landlords with unfurnished homes benefit from robust legal liability cover of up to $5 million, offering protection if someone is injured or if damage occurs at the property.

AMI also offers Rent Default as an optional add-on, covering up to 15 weeks of lost rent if a tenant leaves without notice or is evicted for unpaid rent. Additionally, AMI includes hidden gradual damage cover of up to $3,000 per year for internal water leak damage.

Overall, AMI’s landlord insurance offers strong rent protection, practical benefits, and comprehensive cover options for a wide range of rental properties in New Zealand.

The Pros and Cons of AMI

Pros:

Strong financial strength rating:

AMI is backed by IAG New Zealand, which holds an AA (very strong) financial strength rating from Standard & Poor’s. This provides reassurance that AMI can pay claims even during major events.

Digital claims process:

Claims can be made and managed online through My AMI, your online account, or the AMI app, making the process quicker and more convenient for customers who prefer digital support.

One excess for multi-policy claims:

If a single insured event damages multiple AMI policies at the same address such as home and contents, customers generally only need to pay one excess, reducing costs during stressful events.

Generous temporary accommodation cover:

AMI offers up to $30,000 for temporary accommodation if your home becomes uninhabitable after a covered event. This is higher than many major insurers in New Zealand.

Access to AMI HomeHub:

AMI customers have access to AMI HomeHub, a high-quality, professional home repair service also used by State and NZI. It provides a streamlined, end-to-end repair experience and will soon be available nationwide.

Cons:

Pricing can be less competitive compared to some insurers:

AMI Insurance premiums may be higher than those of some competitors, particularly challenger insurers such as AMP Insurance. Pricing can also vary depending on your location, claims history, and risk profile.

Only one level of cover for Home Insurance and Contents Insurance:

AMI offers a single main home insurance policy and one contents policy. Insurers like Tower (three levels of cover) and AMP (two levels of cover) offer more options, giving customers greater flexibility to match different budgets and desired features.

Lower customer support compared with some competitors:

As consumer NZ has reported, AMI scores below average for customer service and communication. Those who prioritise strong customer service and support may prefer insurers with higher service ratings, such as AA Insurance.

Verdict: A Strong and Well-rounded Insurer in 2025

AMI remains a dependable and well-rounded insurer for New Zealanders in 2025, offering solid protection across home, contents, car and landlord insurance. Backed by IAG’s AA (very strong) financial strength rating, AMI provides long-term stability, reliable claims support and higher cover limits in several key areas.

AMI is recommended for its Plus Home Insurance and Plus Home & Contents Insurance. These policies offer strong, practical benefits such as generous temporary accommodation cover, higher limits for retaining walls and hidden gradual damage, and fair pricing for the level of protection provided. For homeowners seeking comprehensive and reliable cover, these AMI policies are well worth considering.

While AMI offers fewer cover tiers than some competitors, its strong features, solid limits, and overall value make it appealing for many Kiwi households. AMI is especially suited to customers who want comprehensive cover with meaningful benefits included. However, customers seeking more basic or low-cost policies may find better options with insurers that offer a wider range of tiered choices.

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