FENZ Levy Update, 1 July 2026

There are upcoming changes to the Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) levy, which will impact many personal and commercial insurance policies at their renewal from 1 July 2026. 

This is a government-mandated charge that helps fund Fire and Emergency New Zealand’s emergency response services across the country. It appears as a separate charge within your insurance premiums. 

Summary of changes:

Home & Contents 

• The maximum annual levy on home insurance reduces from $119.50 to $107.40. 

• The maximum annual levy on contents insurance reduces from $23.90 to $21.48. 

• Your exact levies will be based on your sum insured values. 

Private & Commercial Motor Vehicles

• A new flat levy of $25 per vehicle (including trailers), per year will apply.

• For light vehicles, this is an increase of just over $15 per year on the current levy. 

• For heavy vehicles, this flat rate will likely reduce your levy costs as the current charge is calculated as a percentage of your sum insured. 

• The levy will also apply to vehicles insured for third-party only cover, which it doesn’t currently.

Commercial Property 

• Commercial property levies will be assessed against the replacement value of your property, rather than the current assessment against indemnity or depreciated value. 

• To offset this change, the levy calculation rate reduces from 0.1195% to 0.0776% of the sum insured. 

• This change will have the largest impact for building owners where the Indemnity Value and Replacement Value of a building are significantly different. 

Boats and Yachts 

• From 1 July 2026, you will no longer be required to pay FENZ levies on these assets (with the exception of trailers, which will attract the new levy).

Rural and Agricultural

• Livestock and forestry will carry a levy for the first time, to be rated at 0.0194% of the sum insured. 

• Growing crops will also carry a levy for the first time, to be rated at 0.0776% of the sum insured. 

 

There is no immediate action required on your part. We will automatically apply any necessary adjustments to your policies at your next renewal on or after 1 July 2026. New levies will apply for some endorsements prior to your renewal after 1 July 2026. Levies shown exclude GST.