Bay people made nearly 50 claims to the EQC and were paid more than $38,000 for earthquake-related damage in the past two years.
GeoNet duty seismologist Brian Ferris said the two most widely felt earthquakes in the Western Bay of Plenty region last year registered five on the Modified Mercalli intensity scale.
The first was a magnitude 5.5 [on the Richter scale] on October 17, centred 10km northeast of Taupo, at a depth of 110km. It was felt from Auckland to Canterbury, and 450 reports from the Tauranga area were made to GeoNet.
The second was magnitude 5.8, centred 20km southeast of Tokoroa, at a depth of 175km and felt from Northland to Dunedin on December 8.
About 250 Western Bay of Plenty residents reported feeling the quake. In 2011 and 2012, 47 made claims and $38,274.23 was paid.