• Your insurer may appoint GTI to carry out inquiries relevant to the assessment of your claim.

• This may occur where the insurer requires further information to better understand the circumstances of the claim, verify relevant details, or obtain additional information before making a claim decision.

• GTI’s role is to conduct lawful and reasonable inquiries on the insurer’s behalf and provide the results of those inquiries back to the insurer. The insurer remains responsible for assessing the claim and making any decision in relation to cover or entitlement.

• We’re committed to professionalism, clarity, and transparency throughout the process.

A claim investigation will usually involve some or all of the following steps:

1. The insurer appoints GTI to assist with inquiries relevant to the claim.

2. GTI reviews the information already available, including claim documents and supporting material.

3. GTI may contact you to introduce the appointed Investigator, explain the process, and arrange any further inquiries required.

4. You may be asked to provide further information, records, documents, or other material relevant to the claim.

5. Where appropriate, GTI may ask you to participate in a formal recorded interview.

6. Once inquiries are completed, GTI provides the results of those inquiries to the insurer for consideration as part of the claim assessment process.

An interview may be required where the insurer needs to obtain detailed information directly from you in an efficient, accurate, and fair manner so that the claim can be fully and properly assessed.

If an interview is required, you may be asked to provide a formal recorded statement to a Licensed Private Investigator acting on behalf of GTI.

The interview will be conducted in an objective, honest, efficient, transparent, and fair manner at all times.

During the interview, you may be asked questions about the claim and invited to provide any information, explanations, documents, or other material you wish to have considered.

You will be expected to provide a truthful account during the course of the interview. Any evidence or documents you provide should be truthful and correct to the best of your knowledge and belief.

A single interview sitting will not exceed 90 minutes. You will be offered a 5-minute break every 30 minutes.

GTI’s preferred interview formats are:

• a digitally recorded video interview

• an in-person interview recorded using a digital recorder

These formats provide the clearest and most reliable record of the interview and help ensure that the interview process is fair, accurate, and transparent.

If there are compelling reasons why these options are not suitable in the circumstances, alternative arrangements may be considered and made available where appropriate.

Any alternative format will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Digitally recorded interviews are standard practice in investigative and regulatory settings because they provide a more complete and reliable record than handwritten notes alone.

A digitally recorded interview assists by:

• creating an accurate record of the questions asked and the answers given

• reducing the risk of misunderstanding, omission, or misinterpretation

• recording who said what and in what sequence

• allowing all participants to focus on the interview rather than manual note-taking

• recording the duration of the interview and the timing of any breaks

• capturing the overall tone, pace, phrasing, pauses, interruptions, and context of the interview

• providing a reliable record for reporting and claim assessment purposes

This helps protect both the interview participant and the Investigator by ensuring there is an objective record of the interview process.

GTI will obtain informed consent before a digitally recorded interview takes place.

For the purposes of the interview process, informed consent means that you will be told:

• the purpose of the interview

• that the interview will be digitally recorded

• the format of the recording

• who may have access to the recording and any transcript or interview record created from it

You are not required to participate in a digitally recorded interview. However, where an interview is reasonably requested as part of a claim investigation, a decision not to participate may affect the insurer’s ability to fully and fairly assess the claim.

During the interview process:

• you are entitled to be treated in an objective, honest, efficient, transparent, and fair manner

• you may have an independent personal support person or legal representative present during the interview

• an interpreter can be provided free of charge if you are not comfortable proceeding in English

• you should advise the Investigator if you have taken any medication or alcohol, or if you currently suffer from any illness, condition, or impairment that may affect your ability to participate

• you may request a copy of your interview record, where applicable and legally permitted

Any request for a copy of your interview record should be made in writing to the GTI Privacy Officer at privacy@GTI.co.nz.

If you are asked to participate in an interview as part of the assessment of your claim, you are expected to provide honest, accurate, and complete information.

You should answer questions truthfully and provide any evidence or documents in a truthful and accurate manner to the best of your knowledge and belief.

This includes being open about matters relevant to the claim, correcting any misunderstanding as soon as possible, and not withholding information that may be relevant to the insurer’s assessment.

During the interview process, you may also be asked to confirm matters such as ownership, the circumstances of the loss, the accuracy of documents provided, whether any material has been altered, and whether similar claims or recoveries have been made elsewhere.

Your cooperation with lawful and reasonable inquiries assists the insurer to fully and fairly assess your claim.

If you do not provide truthful information, provide inaccurate or misleading information, or fail to provide reasonable assistance, this may affect the insurer’s ability to assess your claim and may have consequences under your policy.

If you are making an insurance claim, your policy wording may require you to provide reasonable assistance and cooperation during the assessment of your claim.

Reasonable assistance may include, where appropriate:

• participating in an interview

• providing information relevant to the claim

• providing documents or other material relevant to the claim

• responding to lawful and reasonable follow-up inquiries

Where an interview is required, GTI will seek to conduct that interview in the fairest, most appropriate, and least burdensome manner reasonably available in the circumstances.

If there are exceptional or extenuating circumstances that affect how an interview should be conducted, those circumstances may be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Your insurer is required to comply with the Privacy Act when collecting, holding, using, and disclosing your personal information.

GTI conducts all inquiries in accordance with applicable New Zealand law, relevant professional obligations, and internal operating procedures.

Information gathered during an investigation is used only for lawful and authorised purposes relevant to the claim assessment process.

GTI takes reasonable steps to protect personal and confidential information through secure handling, controlled access, and appropriate disclosure practices.

Please note that, while a detailed claim assessment is ongoing, the insurer may be entitled to withhold access to certain information where permitted by law.

You may request access to your personal information, or request correction of that information, where applicable and as permitted by law.

Any request relating to personal information or interview records should be made in writing to the GTI Privacy Officer at privacy@GTI.co.nz.

GTI conducts inquiries in accordance with applicable New Zealand law and relevant professional standards, including:

• Privacy Act 2020

• Private Security Personnel and Private Investigators Act 2010

• Evidence Act 2006

• Crimes Act 1961

• Harassment Act 1997

• Summary Offences Act 1981

• New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990

• Trespass Act 1980

• Relevant professional and operational standards

If you have a complaint about your insurer, including the handling of the claim or investigation, you should refer to your insurer’s complaints process.

If you have a complaint about GTI’s services or the conduct of an Investigator, you may contact GTI in writing at Admin@GTI.co.nz.

Complaints may also be made to the Private Security Personnel Licensing Authority where appropriate.

If you have any questions about the investigation or interview process, please contact your appointed Investigator, your insurer, or email Admin@GTI.co.nz.