EEK's Insurer Notification: A Formal Legal Document, Not a Courtesy Email

Insurers Need to Understand EEK's Legal Position

When EEK notifies an insurer that it has recovered a vehicle and is holding it at a workshop pending payment, the insurer needs to understand what that means legally. EEK holds a statutory lien over the vehicle until its invoice is paid. Storage charges accrue if payment is not made. The insurer does not have the right to direct payment of EEK's invoice to themselves rather than EEK.

EEK rebuilt its insurer notification email as a formal legal document that makes all of this clear. The notification includes a declaration of EEK's PPSR security interest in the vehicle, specific statutory references to storage charge entitlements, citations to relevant New Zealand case law on contractor liens, and an explicit prohibition on direct payment arrangements that bypass EEK.

Why This Protects Customers

When an insurer fully understands EEK's legal position, claim processing is faster and the customer receives their vehicle sooner. Insurers who attempt to redirect or delay payment face an explicitly documented legal position — which means they act on the claim correctly, the first time, rather than requiring correspondence that extends the process. The insurer notification is written to protect the customer's interests by protecting EEK's position.