Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee says Cantabrians looking for new insurance may find it more difficult, following a 5.1 magnitude quake that shook the region early on Friday morning.
The February and June earthquakes resulted in all the major insurance companies placing restrictions on home and contents policies for new customers.
Mr Brownlee says insurers are cautious because large aftershocks make the market hard to predict.
He says some insurance companies have spent a lot of money on repairs, only to have to redo the work when an aftershock causes further damage.
The Minister says while it will be a setback for people wanting new insurance, existing policies and those being transferred won't be affected.
As Christchurch rebuilds, Mr Brownlee says, buildings and houses will be made to very high seismic standard, so the risk for insurers will reduce.
Green light for white zones
His comments came after about 40,000 homeowners in white-zoned areas of Waimakariri and Selwyn were given the all-clear to stay and repair their homes.
Brownlee says geotechnical engineers have reassessed the areas following two big aftershocks in June, and have reported the land did not suffer major damage.
This means residents won't need to abandon their homes and can start to repair any earthquake damage.
Mr Brownlee says residents should receive letters confirming their new green zone status on Monday.
