Residential Crime Fighting Force: Great Neighbours May Be The Key
A new nationwide survey commissioned by AMI, reveals that New Zealanders have great neighbourhood connections that could emerge as the key to combating residential petty crime. [1]
Women and seniors over 65 are currently shown to be doing more than any other group in contributing to neighbourhood security.
54% of seniors tend to mind neighbours' homes when they are away, which is nearly a third more than people aged 25-44. They are also the most likely to keep in touch with neighbours and participate in coordinated neighbourhood watch activities.
The strength of community connection appears to be closely tied with home ownership, with one in five homeowners claiming to know their neighbours very well, compared to only one in twelve renters. Nearly twice as many homeowners say they look after their neighbours' homes when they're away (40%) compared to renters who take on that role (21%).
AMI Executive General Manager Customer, Wayne Tippet says that getting to know your neighbours can be an important part of the home security toolkit.
'Our data shows a 20% drop in residential theft and vandalism-related claims from 2019 to the post-Covid year of 2023. This correlates with the period that New Zealanders were spending more time at home.
'We often think of extra home security as deadlocks, guard dogs and fancy alarms, but you cannot underestimate the power of a community keeping watch. In this way, being a great ally to the people next door can be just as important.
Wayne suggests putting this to the test for people heading away this Matariki long weekend.
'We see that break-ins, theft and accidental damage claims increase on average by around 10% on long weekends, compared to regular weekends. So, alerting your trusted neighbours to your movements to help step up security while you're away, is a smart idea.
'We know from widespread research that people that foster strong community ties, like contributing to neighbourhood watch, for example, tend to experience lower crime rates.'
Are New Zealanders more neighbourly?
It appears that New Zealanders tend to be more neighbourly. In New Zealand, 86% of those surveyed have met their neighbours, and 72% of respondents indicate that they have a positive relationship with neighbours. This compares to a 2025 US study [2] which reports that only 31% of Americans indicated that they knew all their neighbours, and in the UK a 2023 survey [3] where 61% of Brits say they felt a 'sense of belonging' in their neighbourhood.
The study also shows that rural-based New Zealanders were more likely to know their neighbours well (52%), than people located closer to the main centres (42%).
Wayne adds: 'This analysis goes some way to confirm what many of us already know – that New Zealanders are more neighbourly than the countries we compare ourselves to most.
'New Zealanders know that neighbourliness isn't just a nice-to-have, it's a real asset when it comes to keeping our homes and communities safe, and a powerful tool to support lonely or isolated people. Whether it's checking in on a neighbour's house when they're away or simply sharing a cuppa over the fence, those small acts of connection can make a big difference to people and communities.'
Note:
[1] Ipsos research commissioned by AMI March 2025. Nationally representative survey of New Zealanders, total base size of n=1,001, and a margin of error of ±3.00.
[1] Community Connectedness (Pew Research Center, 2025 ) How connected do Americans feel to their neighbors?
[1] United Kingdom, Department for Culture, Media and Sport. (2024). Community Life Survey 2023/24 annual publication.
About AMI:
AMI has been looking out for New Zealanders for almost 100 years and is part of IAG New Zealand, the largest general insurer in the country. IAG New Zealand also trades under the State, NZI, NAC, Lumley and Lantern brands, and provides the general insurance products sold by ASB, BNZ, Westpac and The Co-operative Bank. IAG New Zealand employs over 4,000 people, holds relationships with one in every two New Zealand households, and insures over NZ$1.07 trillion of commercial and domestic assets.
AMI goes beyond insurance, offering several adjacent services to get customers back on their feet faster following their claim. AMI MotorHub has sites in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown, with specialist teams delivering vehicle repair, maintenance and recovery services, as well as improved customer satisfaction (NPS). AMI HomeHub, operates in Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga and Christchurch, and brings together quality tradespeople, claims assessors and project coordinators, for simple, speedy home repairs. And AMI Roadside Rescue provides award-winning roadside service nationwide and is now available for free to all AMI Comprehensive Car insurance customers. *
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Otago Daily Times
a day ago
- Otago Daily Times
Rights abuses continue in North Korea: investigator
A decade after a landmark U.N. report concluded North Korea committed crimes against humanity, a U.N. official investigating rights in the isolated state says many abuses continue, exacerbated by COVID-era controls that have yet to be lifted. James Heenan, who represents the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights in Seoul, said he is still surprised by the continued prevalence of executions, forced labour and reports of starvation in the authoritarian country. Later this year Heenan's team will release a follow-up report to the 2014 findings by the Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, which said the government had committed "systematic, widespread and gross human rights violations" that constituted crimes against humanity. DPRK is North Korea's official name. While the conclusions of this year's report are still being finalised, Heenan told Reuters in an interview that the last 10 years have seen mixed results, with North Korea's government engaging more with some international institutions, but doubling down on control at home. "The post-COVID period for DPRK means a period of much greater government control over people's lives and restrictions on their freedoms," he said in the interview. North Korea's embassy in London did not answer phone calls seeking comment. The government has in the past denied abuses and accused the U.N. and foreign countries of trying to use human rights as a political weapon to attack North Korea. A Reuters investigation in 2023 found leader Kim Jong Un had spent much of the COVID pandemic building a massive string of walls and fences along the previously porous border with China, and later built fences around the capital of Pyongyang. A report this week by the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies said the COVID pandemic raged in North Korea for more than two years before the regime admitted in May 2022 that the virus had permeated its borders, and that the regime bungled the response in a way that violated freedoms and left most citizens to fend for themselves. On Wednesday SI Analytics, a Seoul-based satellite imagery firm, released a report noting North Korea is renovating a key prison camp near the border with China, possibly in response to international criticism, while simultaneously strengthening physical control over prisoners under the pretence of facility improvement. Heenan said his team has talked to more than 300 North Koreans who fled their country in recent years, and many expressed despair. "Sometimes we hear people saying they sort of hope a war breaks out, because that might change things," he said. A number of those interviewees will speak publicly for the first time next week as part of an effort to put a human face on the U.N. findings. "It's a rare opportunity to hear from people publicly what they want to say about what's happening in the DPRK," Heenan said. He expressed concern about funding cuts for international aid and U.N. programmes around the world, which is pressuring human rights work and threatening support for North Korean refugees. While human rights has traditionally been a politically volatile subject not only for Pyongyang but for foreign governments trying to engage with the nuclear-armed North, Heenan said the issues like prison camps need to be part of any engagement on a political settlement. "There's no point self-censoring on human rights, because... no one's fooled," he said.
Scoop
2 days ago
- Scoop
Residential Crime Fighting Force: Great Neighbours May Be The Key
A new nationwide survey commissioned by AMI, reveals that New Zealanders have great neighbourhood connections that could emerge as the key to combating residential petty crime. [1] Women and seniors over 65 are currently shown to be doing more than any other group in contributing to neighbourhood security. 54% of seniors tend to mind neighbours' homes when they are away, which is nearly a third more than people aged 25-44. They are also the most likely to keep in touch with neighbours and participate in coordinated neighbourhood watch activities. The strength of community connection appears to be closely tied with home ownership, with one in five homeowners claiming to know their neighbours very well, compared to only one in twelve renters. Nearly twice as many homeowners say they look after their neighbours' homes when they're away (40%) compared to renters who take on that role (21%). AMI Executive General Manager Customer, Wayne Tippet says that getting to know your neighbours can be an important part of the home security toolkit. 'Our data shows a 20% drop in residential theft and vandalism-related claims from 2019 to the post-Covid year of 2023. This correlates with the period that New Zealanders were spending more time at home. 'We often think of extra home security as deadlocks, guard dogs and fancy alarms, but you cannot underestimate the power of a community keeping watch. In this way, being a great ally to the people next door can be just as important. Wayne suggests putting this to the test for people heading away this Matariki long weekend. 'We see that break-ins, theft and accidental damage claims increase on average by around 10% on long weekends, compared to regular weekends. So, alerting your trusted neighbours to your movements to help step up security while you're away, is a smart idea. 'We know from widespread research that people that foster strong community ties, like contributing to neighbourhood watch, for example, tend to experience lower crime rates.' Are New Zealanders more neighbourly? It appears that New Zealanders tend to be more neighbourly. In New Zealand, 86% of those surveyed have met their neighbours, and 72% of respondents indicate that they have a positive relationship with neighbours. This compares to a 2025 US study [2] which reports that only 31% of Americans indicated that they knew all their neighbours, and in the UK a 2023 survey [3] where 61% of Brits say they felt a 'sense of belonging' in their neighbourhood. The study also shows that rural-based New Zealanders were more likely to know their neighbours well (52%), than people located closer to the main centres (42%). Wayne adds: 'This analysis goes some way to confirm what many of us already know – that New Zealanders are more neighbourly than the countries we compare ourselves to most. 'New Zealanders know that neighbourliness isn't just a nice-to-have, it's a real asset when it comes to keeping our homes and communities safe, and a powerful tool to support lonely or isolated people. Whether it's checking in on a neighbour's house when they're away or simply sharing a cuppa over the fence, those small acts of connection can make a big difference to people and communities.' Note: [1] Ipsos research commissioned by AMI March 2025. Nationally representative survey of New Zealanders, total base size of n=1,001, and a margin of error of ±3.00. [1] Community Connectedness (Pew Research Center, 2025 ) How connected do Americans feel to their neighbors? [1] United Kingdom, Department for Culture, Media and Sport. (2024). Community Life Survey 2023/24 annual publication. About AMI: AMI has been looking out for New Zealanders for almost 100 years and is part of IAG New Zealand, the largest general insurer in the country. IAG New Zealand also trades under the State, NZI, NAC, Lumley and Lantern brands, and provides the general insurance products sold by ASB, BNZ, Westpac and The Co-operative Bank. IAG New Zealand employs over 4,000 people, holds relationships with one in every two New Zealand households, and insures over NZ$1.07 trillion of commercial and domestic assets. AMI goes beyond insurance, offering several adjacent services to get customers back on their feet faster following their claim. AMI MotorHub has sites in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown, with specialist teams delivering vehicle repair, maintenance and recovery services, as well as improved customer satisfaction (NPS). AMI HomeHub, operates in Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga and Christchurch, and brings together quality tradespeople, claims assessors and project coordinators, for simple, speedy home repairs. And AMI Roadside Rescue provides award-winning roadside service nationwide and is now available for free to all AMI Comprehensive Car insurance customers. *
Scoop
2 days ago
- Scoop
Residential Crime Fighting Force: Great Neighbours May Be The Key
A new nationwide survey commissioned by AMI, reveals that New Zealanders have great neighbourhood connections that could emerge as the key to combating residential petty crime.[1] Women and seniors over 65 are currently shown to be doing more than any other group in contributing to neighbourhood security. 54% of seniors tend to mind neighbours' homes when they are away, which is nearly a third more than people aged 25-44. They are also the most likely to keep in touch with neighbours and participate in coordinated neighbourhood watch activities. The strength of community connection appears to be closely tied with home ownership, with one in five homeowners claiming to know their neighbours very well, compared to only one in twelve renters. Nearly twice as many homeowners say they look after their neighbours' homes when they're away (40%) compared to renters who take on that role (21%). AMI Executive General Manager Customer, Wayne Tippet says that getting to know your neighbours can be an important part of the home security toolkit. 'Our data shows a 20% drop in residential theft and vandalism-related claims from 2019 to the post-Covid year of 2023. This correlates with the period that New Zealanders were spending more time at home. 'We often think of extra home security as deadlocks, guard dogs and fancy alarms, but you cannot underestimate the power of a community keeping watch. In this way, being a great ally to the people next door can be just as important. Wayne suggests putting this to the test for people heading away this Matariki long weekend. 'We see that break-ins, theft and accidental damage claims increase on average by around 10% on long weekends, compared to regular weekends. So, alerting your trusted neighbours to your movements to help step up security while you're away, is a smart idea. 'We know from widespread research that people that foster strong community ties, like contributing to neighbourhood watch, for example, tend to experience lower crime rates.' Are New Zealanders more neighbourly? It appears that New Zealanders tend to be more neighbourly. In New Zealand, 86% of those surveyed have met their neighbours, and 72% of respondents indicate that they have a positive relationship with neighbours. This compares to a 2025 US study[2] which reports that only 31% of Americans indicated that they knew all their neighbours, and in the UK a 2023 survey[3] where 61% of Brits say they felt a 'sense of belonging' in their neighbourhood. The study also shows that rural-based New Zealanders were more likely to know their neighbours well (52%), than people located closer to the main centres (42%). Wayne adds: 'This analysis goes some way to confirm what many of us already know - that New Zealanders are more neighbourly than the countries we compare ourselves to most. 'New Zealanders know that neighbourliness isn't just a nice-to-have, it's a real asset when it comes to keeping our homes and communities safe, and a powerful tool to support lonely or isolated people. Whether it's checking in on a neighbour's house when they're away or simply sharing a cuppa over the fence, those small acts of connection can make a big difference to people and communities.' Note: [1] Ipsos research commissioned by AMI March 2025. Nationally representative survey of New Zealanders, total base size of n=1,001, and a margin of error of ±3.00. [1] Community Connectedness (Pew Research Center, 2025 ) How connected do Americans feel to their neighbors? [1] United Kingdom, Department for Culture, Media and Sport. (2024). Community Life Survey 2023/24 annual publication. About AMI: AMI has been looking out for New Zealanders for almost 100 years and is part of IAG New Zealand, the largest general insurer in the country. IAG New Zealand also trades under the State, NZI, NAC, Lumley and Lantern brands, and provides the general insurance products sold by ASB, BNZ, Westpac and The Co-operative Bank. IAG New Zealand employs over 4,000 people, holds relationships with one in every two New Zealand households, and insures over NZ$1.07 trillion of commercial and domestic assets. AMI goes beyond insurance, offering several adjacent services to get customers back on their feet faster following their claim. AMI MotorHub has sites in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown, with specialist teams delivering vehicle repair, maintenance and recovery services, as well as improved customer satisfaction (NPS). AMI HomeHub, operates in Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga and Christchurch, and brings together quality tradespeople, claims assessors and project coordinators, for simple, speedy home repairs. And AMI Roadside Rescue provides award-winning roadside service nationwide and is now available for free to all AMI Comprehensive Car insurance customers. *
