Mate sounds like questions for the insurer. Don't think they would cover you for tackle loss or we would all be  probably throwing the old reels overboard But it definately pays to shop around. I have SGIO and they're not too bad for premiums etc.

Club Marine would have one of the best policy's around , but you have to pay for it, they have lay up months as well ,   i believe club marine is Alliance insurance backed

Yeah, Allianz are the backer for club marine.

They do cover theft of fishing gear but up to a certain amount total and per item (I think 500 max per item). You have to have it locked up and there has to be evidence of entry though. So if you have your gear quickly lifted from the boat at a petrol station it won't be covered. Not sure about accidental damage.

Does cover it while towing I think (though certain things go on your car insurance).

There's a PDF on their website that makes it pretty clear what's covered and what's not. When I rang them up they were pretty helpful clarifying as well (after a few min through press 1 for... menus)

Do you get cyclone cover? (Im in Karratha)

Yes all polices cover cyclone (storm and tempest) however if moored they might well require either a higher excess or a cyclone approved mooring

What if ya engine dies? (possibly from watery fuel - common up here)

Generally mechanical breakdown is not covered (you should have an in line water trap in any event) however if it can be proven that the cause of the damage was indeed contaminated fuel then SOME, not all, polices may respond in part or contribute to repair costs.  Strong evidence is essential in such cases

How secure do you need to have the boat to be covered for theft?

What sort of theft are you talking about, the whole boat and trailer - some require anti-theft devices or chaining of the trailer but each policy is different - as for GPS / sounder etc generally only covered if in a locked cabin or home with clear evidence of forced entry - again each product is different so you MUST read the policy and it's benefits 

Tackle loss? (what if my tiagra goes overboard?)

Generally not covered but some policies offer limited policy benefits - again you need to read the policy and make careful comparisons  

Towing on the road?

The boat and trailer are covered providing it is being legally towed (not exceeding the towing capacity of the vehicle) NB the third party property liability cover sits under the motor policy.

If I hit a rock and my prop / gearbox is damaged, will they cover the whole repair?

YES

Do they have an allowance for the "Pilbara Tax" where a $500 job will cost $900?

The premiums reflect the cost for the area - there is no deduction because it is dearer in the NW

You haven't addressed the fact that each policy on offer may well have different basic excesses payable - make sure you compare

SGIO is good as is Club Marine but their products are different

Thanks for the detailed replies!
I had been advised to go with SGIO, so I will go for an online quote.

I can't answer many of those questions but with specific reference to my HBF policy;

1) Yes, was covered @ Exmouth and further North.

2) No idea, never checked.

3) It would be covered if stolen out of my yard, or even off the street.

4) Only in the event of another claimable incident, ie; I sunk the boat or the like.

5) Towing yes, pretty much everything covers that doesn't it?

6) Gearbox damage, as long as you weren't operating irresponsibly then yes I was covered for the cost of the repairs less the excess.

7) Quotes: this would be covered in the quotes you get, I guess.

HBF Hmmmmm.....

Cant access their website here at work. Must have some nice pictures on there!

Maybe someone in the IT department had a bad experience with a teddy bear?

check out rac too, the policy i got covers tackle going oveboard, you just specify what tackle you have on the policy for that cover

I just went with RAC they where 30% cheaper then the cheapest competitor, and they where up to 65% cheaper then the highest policy i got quoted, def worth shopping around.

As for RAC covering tackle going overboard maybe that was on older policies? i rang up the other day and i couldnt cover tackle only stuff like sounders,life jackets etc but not any of my reels/rods

Club Marine are tops,

Trident are good too, settled my claim for the boat fire last year easily and with no pain, very understanding too.

I'd highly recommend both any day.

It's not what you save every year in premiums that count, but what you can loose when a "no pay clause" wacks you! You could save $2,000 in ten years on your premiums and loose $50,000 when a no-name-brand insurance does not pay out.

look at last years hail storm and how many guys got settlement for new covers and damage to their boats in a week or two, others had months of waiting, fighting and justification of their claims...

Don't be penny wise and pound foolish as Old Nanna would say

Make sure in the event of a major repair to your motor the cost of the repair isn't depreciated to reflect the age of the motor. QBE do this as I found out 1st hand, as a consequence I'm now with club marine.

Thanks for the information everyone!

Damn. Just saw the post. If i had seen it earlier i could have given some light.

Im in the insurance industry.

Just make sure you check the policy wording and ensure that the policy you went for is the right policy for you. Each company's marine policies are very similar however some have minor differences. Its these differences that may or may not make the policy specific for each individual.

Its not always the cheapest is the best. There is usually a reason for a major differences in premiums between companies. levels of cover and insurable events are the causes for the differences.

But as long as you have the cover you require then you will be alright. Most policies hold a 21 day cooling off period. if you're not happy and find a product with another company you can cancel the policy and get a full refund as long as its in the 21 days from commencement.

Im with them and while my last claim was sorted by brp nautilas was sending a assesor up here and hedland ,dealer said they were very resonable to deal with and had alway been prompt with the claim work he handled.I was with rac but they dropped my cover when I upgraded boat,I think they have a cut off below 100k for Karratha.Tackle is covered if boat is locked up or in shed which is the norm for me anyway.I found them to be about 300 cheaper on the quote for basicly the same policy as club.
Ps What did you Buy?

Solly

we are insured with TRIDENT,

they are about the cheapest around.

in regards to the policy they only cover engine fails and so on from overheating cuased by forin objects (if it is a maintence issus you will have bucklys of getting anything) they do not cover mechanical breakdowns and i dont think any others do either.

you have to list the values of everthing separatly. boat,motor.trailer,gear,etc etc etc.

if you dont they will only pay out market value.

we learnt the hard way when we blew the motor on our boat, which to us was a $10k donk, they only payed out $5k because we had not valued them separatly.

you try and replace a 1997 200 2stoke yammy for $5k..impossible.

take the time and go through the exercise of doing this and it will be worth wile.

all my freinds with boats are with club marine, but they are about $100 dearer.

cheers

Rang Nautilus and they need me to get a valuation from a boat dealer, which is only valid for 1 year. Too hard in Karratha, gonna scrub them off the list.

Give Rod a call,there are and see if it changes and you will be able to get two quotes.You have got a nice boat there so dont scrimp on the insurance,did you get a cover with it or is it under a roof.The dust up here on gelcoat sux