State Insurance NZ Review (2025): A Full breakdown of Home, Contents and Car Insurance

Updated 23 November 2025

State Insurance has been a trusted name in New Zealand for generations, offering home, contents, car and landlord insurance to households nationwide. Backed by IAG New Zealand, the country’s largest general insurance group, State benefits from strong financial stability, supported by IAG’s AA (very strong) financial strength rating from Standard & Poor’s.

State allows customers to manage policies, make claims and access support online or through the State app, creating an accessible experience. State remains a popular choice for many Kiwi households in 2025.

Key takeaway: State is backed by the financial security of IAG, making the insurer a reliable option for New Zealanders seeking straightforward, dependable protection in 2025.

Who is State Insurance?

State Insurance is a long-established New Zealand insurer that has been operating since 1905, making it one of the country’s oldest general insurance providers. The insurer is a business division of IAG New Zealand Limited (IAG), the largest general insurance group in New Zealand and the parent company of brands such as AMI and NZI.

State operates nationwide and offers a wide range of personal and business insurance products, all of which are sold directly to customers. While State no longer has physical branches, its New Zealand-based teams manage customer support and claims through digital channels, including the My State online account and the State app.

IAG has received a financial strength rating of AA (very strong) from Standard & Poor’s (Australia) Pty Ltd, and this backing reinforces the position of State as one of the major insurance providers in the New Zealand market.

What Types of Insurance Does State Offer?

State Insurance offers a wide range of personal and business insurance products in New Zealand, covering key areas such as car, home, contents, landlord, and business insurance. Policies can be purchased directly through the State website using My State, your online account or the State app.

State provides two digital platforms. The State app enables customers to view and update policies, manage payments, create and track claims, and request State Roadside Rescue, all with the convenience of doing so anytime and anywhere. My State, your online account, offers similar functionality through a web browser and also allows customers to add drivers to an eligible policy. Both platforms are available to customers with current car, home, contents, or landlord policies, providing them with easy access to essential insurance information whenever needed.

State’s full range of insurance products includes:

Personal Insurance

Car Insurance

Motorcycle Insurance

Home Insurance

Contents Insurance

Landlord Insurance

Boat Insurance

Caravan and Trailer Insurance

Motorhome Insurance

Business Insurance

Business Assets Insurance

Business Interruption Insurance

Business Vehicles Insurance

Liability Insurance

Machinery Breakdown Insurance

Commercial Property Insurance

State Car Insurance

State Insurance offers three levels of car insurance designed to meet different needs and budgets: Comprehensive, Third Party, Fire and Theft, and Third Party Only. Each option provides a different level of protection, giving New Zealand drivers flexibility depending on their vehicle, circumstances and risk preferences.

Comprehensive Cover:

Comprehensive cover provides the highest level of protection offered by State. It covers accidental loss or damage to your vehicle, including fire, theft, vandalism, and natural events such as floods or storms. Windscreen and window damage is also included. Drivers are protected if they cause damage to someone else’s vehicle or property, with liability cover up to $20 million, and up to $1 million for injuries caused while using their car.

This policy also includes benefits such as towing, transport home if your car is stolen or damaged, replacement keys and locks, children’s car seats, and a repair guarantee when using State’s preferred repairers. Some eligible newer vehicles may also qualify for new car replacement if written off. Overall, Comprehensive is suited to drivers who want the widest level of cover and financial protection.

Third Party, Fire and Theft:

Third Party, Fire and Theft provides a mid-level option for drivers who want more protection than basic third Party only cover. It includes liability cover up to $20 million for damage caused to someone else’s property, and up to $1 million for injuries caused while using your car. In addition, your own vehicle is covered if it is stolen or damaged by fire.

This policy also includes uninsured driver protection of up to $5,000 for transportation home if your car is stolen, as well as a repair guarantee when repairs are through the State’s preferred repairer network. It’s a popular choice for people who want meaningful cover without paying for full comprehensive insurance.

Third Party Only:

Third Party Only is the most affordable car insurance option from State. It covers damage you cause to someone else’s vehicle or property (up to $20 million) and includes up to $1 million in cover for injuries you cause while using your car. It also provides up to $5,000 of cover if an uninsured driver damages your car and includes a repair guarantee when using State’s preferred repairers.

This option is ideal for drivers who want car insurance that covers the basics. It is more affordable but doesn’t provide the same level of protection as Comprehensive cover.

Key Features Across All State Car Insurance Policies Include:

Legal liability cover for damage to someone else’s vehicle or property
Injury liability cover (up to $1 million)
Some protection for damage caused by uninsured drivers
Repair guarantee through State’s preferred repairer network

Optional Benefits Across State Car Insurance Policies

Below is an overview of the optional benefits available from the State website (accessed November 2025) for each of State’s car insurance policies. The first column shows optional extras for Comprehensive, the middle column lists optional extras for Third Party, Fire and Theft, and the final column outlines optional extras available with Third Party Only cover.

How Much Does State Car Insurance Cost in 2025?

Let’s take a look at how much State Insurance 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
No license suspensions, cancellations or disqualifications in the past three years
No motor vehicle claims or incidents requiring an excess in the past five years

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

2017 Toyota Corolla ($15,000)	$500 excess	$1,100 excess
Auckland	$84.63 month	$67.90 month
Wellington	$82.71 month	$66.36 month
Christchurch	$77.28 month	$62.01 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	$98.64 month	$79.10 month
Wellington	$95.97 month	$76.96 month
Christchurch	$89.75 month	$71.98 month

Beyond car insurance, State has policies for your home and belongings. Home and contents insurance can either be purchased separately as home insurance or contents insurance, or combined together into one convenient home and contents insurance package.

State Home Insurance

State offers one main home insurance policy, Home Comprehensive, which provides broad protection for homeowners. Key features include:

Hidden gradual damage cover caused by internal plumbing leaks, up to $3,000 per year
Temporary accommodation up to $30,000 within New Zealand if your home becomes uninhabitable, which is higher than many insurers such as AA and Initio, who offer a maximum of $20,000
Retaining walls cover up to $50,000, with higher limits available. This is significantly higher than other insurers like Initio who offer $25,000
Sustainability upgrades up to $15,000 when repairing or rebuilding
Water or sewage pipe blockages (up to $500 per year)
Legal liability cover of up to $2,000,000 for damage caused to someone else’s property
Stress payment of $2,000 for major home damage events
Excess-free replacement of keys and locks
Repair guarantee when using State’s preferred repairer network

Natural hazard events, such as earthquakes, landslides, and volcanic activity, are covered through NHCover, with State topping up repairs or rebuilds up to your full sum insured.

You can view the optional benefits for Home Comprehensive in the table below.

Optional extras for Home Comprehensive

Excess-free glass and bathroom fixtures cover
Replacement of matching floor coverings
Additional costs for heritage homes
Fencing cover for lifestyle blocks

How Much Does State Home Insurance Cost in 2025?

Here are some quotes for State 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 like excess-free glass and bathroom fixtures.

$700,000 sum insured	$1,000 excess	$2,000 excess
Auckland	$141.37 month	$135.57 month
Wellington	$181.61 month	$172.73 month
Christchurch	$192.85 month	$182.72 month

$1,200,000 sum insured	$1,000 excess	$2,000 excess
Auckland	$182.84 month	$175.10 month
Wellington	$249.35 month	$238.20 month
Christchurch	$270.67 month	$257.96 month

State Contents Insurance

State offers one contents insurance policy, Contents Comprehensive, which provides broad protection for everyday belongings at home, in transit, and during short overseas trips. Here are the key features of what State has on offer for its contents insurance:

Accidental loss, damage, or theft cover anywhere in New Zealand, providing customers with comprehensive protection beyond just their home
Overseas cover for belongings taken to Australia or the South Pacific Islands (up to $5,000 per trip), which goes further than most insurers. Most insurers, such as AA and Tower, only cover contents within New Zealand under their contents insurance policies
Cover at two addresses while moving home, ensuring protection continues during the transition between properties
Temporary accommodation covers up to $30,000, which is higher than insurers like AA and Initio, who offer a maximum of $20,000
Legal liability cover up to $2,000,000 for damage caused to someone else’s property
Energy-efficient replacement of whiteware, allowing customers to upgrade to a more efficient model following a claim
Hidden gradual damage cover for belongings affected by internal plumbing leaks (up to $3,000 per year)
Bicycle and e-bike cover up to $3,000 per item, with higher limits available if needed
Excess-free replacement of keys and locks

Customers can customise their policy with optional add-ons such as:

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

How Much Does State 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
No incidents or claims relating to the policy involving home buildings or contents in the past 5 years

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

$60,000 sum insured	$500 excess	$1,000 excess
Auckland	$54.25 month	$49.69 month
Wellington	$53.12 month	$48.44 month
Christchurch	$63.79 month	$57.33 month

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

$100,000 sum insured	$500 excess	$1,000 excess
Auckland	$65.82 month	$60.42 month
Wellington	$66.53 month	$61.21 month
Christchurch	$87.82 month	$80.66 month

State Home and Contents Insurance

State offers one home insurance policy (Home Comprehensive) and one contents insurance policy (Contents Comprehensive). When obtaining a quote online, customers have the flexibility to combine home and contents cover, or to purchase home-only or contents-only cover, depending on their needs.

Choosing the combined option allows customers to arrange full household cover in one step, with both policies managed through the State app or My State online account. The home and contents policies still include the same features described in their individual sections, with coverage for the home itself, personal belongings, and a range of sudden or accidental events.

Many customers choose to purchase home and contents together because it:

Provides a single, combined quote for complete household protection
Allows both policies to be managed digitally in one place
Streamlines updates, payments and claims
Reduces admin by keeping both types of cover with the same insurer

Although State does not market this as a dedicated package, combining the two policies offers a clear and efficient way to insure both your home and personal belongings with one provider.

How Much Does State 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
No incidents or claims relating to the policy involving home buildings or contents in the past 5 years
These quotes do not include optional benefits like excess-free glass and bathroom fixtures.

Here are quotes for State 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	$193.03 month	$190.10 month
Wellington	$231.22 month	$228.35 month
Christchurch	$236.51 month	$233.99 month

State Landlord Insurance

State offers flexible landlord cover with three options: Landlord’s Home Insurance, Landlord’s Contents Insurance, or a combined Landlord’s Home & Contents policy. The range of policies allows property owners to insure the rental building, landlord-owned contents, or both under a single policy.

Key features include:

Cover for sudden and accidental damage to the rental property
Loss of rent while the rental home is unlivable (up to $30,000)
Rent default (up to 15 weeks’ rent) when selected
Legal liability cover (up to $5,000,000)
Abandoned possessions removal costs (up to $10,000)
Optional add-ons, such as heritage home protection

The Pros and Cons of State

Pros:

Strong financial strength rating:

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

Digital claims process:

Customers can make and manage claims through the State app or their My State online account, providing quick and streamlined access without needing to call or visit a branch.

One-excess benefit for multi-policy claims:

If a single event damages multiple State policies at the same address (for example, home and contents), customers generally only need to pay one excess, reducing costs during stressful situations.

Generous temporary accommodation cover:

State offers up to $30,000 for temporary accommodation if your home becomes uninhabitable after a covered event. This is higher than some major insurers in New Zealand, offering strong support during displacement.

Convenient digital management through the State app:

State provides a fully digital, paperless experience. Customers can manage all their policies through the State app or My State online account, including viewing cover, updating details, checking excesses and managing claims, all available 24/7 for greater convenience.

Cons:

No physical branches for in-person support:

State operates entirely online and over the phone. While many customers prefer digital convenience, those who like face-to-face service may find this limiting.

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

State offers only one main home insurance policy and one contents policy. With fewer cover levels compared with insurers like Tower or AMP Insurance, which offer different levels of cover, customers have less flexibility to match different budgets or customise their cover with State.

Lower customer support ratings compared with some competitors:

According to Consumer NZ, State scored below average for customer service and communication. Customers who prioritise strong customer service and support may prefer insurers with higher service ratings, such as AA Insurance.

Verdict: A Reliable and Well-rounded Insurer in 2025

State Insurance remains a strong and dependable insurer across house, contents and car insurance, backed by IAG’s AA (very strong) financial strength rating. Its policies provide solid protection and practical benefits, including one-excess for multi-policy claims and a $30,000 temporary accommodation limit, which stands out compared with several competitors.

State is strong in Home Insurance and home and contents insurance. These policies offer competitive pricing and comprehensive cover, with features that provide strong support during major home damage. For many households, this combination of robust protection and competitive costs makes State especially appealing for home insurance and home and contents insurance.

However, State may not suit those who want more choice or flexibility. With only one level of cover for home and contents, there are fewer ways to tailor protection to different budgets. State also receives lower customer support ratings than some other major insurers, which may be a concern for customers who value strong customer service. Overall, State is a reliable and competitively priced insurer, making it a strong option for New Zealanders seeking well-rounded home and contents insurance, as well as home-only insurance in 2025.

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