Kayak Insurance

[nannah]

As we are looking to buy a Hobie Oasis so we looked into Insurance - it seems difficult to get - plenty out there for 'carrying' it or 'storing' it at home - on Home & Contents - but the only one we found for 'Using' it was NRMA - they have quoted - $120 pa on $4000. Which we thought was not too bad. The ONLY thing they would NOT insure against was using it in 'White Water Rapids' and I don't intend to go there if I can help it.

Anyone else had experience with Insurance.

[Terry H]

nannah, the most critical question is this:

Exactly what are you insuring it against?

The likely times of ever making a claim for your kayak is, as you mention "carrying" or "storing" it - that being theft.

Outside of this, these kayaks are pretty tough. Unless I'm forgetting something, the only things likely to happen are:

1. You do something stupid like I did once, and punch a hole in the plastic. In which case, you can probably get it plastic welded.

2. Damage something on the Mirage drive. In this instance, just fix it yourself - it's going to be cheaper than any insurance.

3. Capsize. Flip the thing over and get back on board!

4. Sink it. Rare, you'll notice you've taken on a heck of a lot of water well before it sinks. Hopefully you have adequate safety gear with you, and can do a number of things, including correcting the leak (if you left the bung out) and bilge/draining it yourself. Guys have tried to sink kayaks, and I seem to recall they don't actually sink. Yes, you won't be able to sit on it, but it wont sink to the bottom of the ocean. Good enough for someone to give you a hand and tow it back to land.

[Kiwi_pete]

I know that they are insured/included under house and contents if they are under 3 meters

[rayke1938]

There is the third party liability aspect to consider.

Cheers

Ray

[fifis101]

I agree with Terry, for the unlikely chance that you'll need to claim, it's probably not worth the it.

[Binder]

If that covers you for theft, particularly off your car when parked somewhere, or when staying in a van park, its a bargain, theft is really the only insurance you need.

[elops]

Mine are included in my boat policy extra $90 to 4K No white water rapids proviso as well.

[nannah]

that is for everything - storgage at home, carrying on the car, fi it

'falls off' or is stolen, and use on the water, if I do something dumb - as is probable at some time, and including $10 000 000 liability.

The young man from Sunstate (Sunshine Coast) also suggested "Nauticulus" (or something like that) - Haven't looked it up yet. Haven't had time since getting back.

Got half way home and got a call from our daughter, she was stopped at a set of traffic lights (driving her father's car) when suddenly dark smoke starts bellowing from under the hood and filled the cabin (she had the window down), she immediately felt sick and had an incredible headache and was shaking and thought she was going to faint.

She managed to get the car around the corner and off the road, turned the car off, got out and got the daughter out - managed to get the hood up (a couple of minutes later) the smoke had cleared, but she could then find no reason for it. Still felt unwell 4 hours later.

Anyway to cut a long story short - car towed home, in afternoon daughter at hospital getting checked out, several hours later, she is fine, not sure about the car - it appears something was arching across the battery terminal to the underside of the hood and make a hole in the cross members of the hood. ??????

Found ALL from Sunstate to be very helpful and will probably get an Oasis - IF we don't have to replace the car!!!

[Binder]

Give her a big serve for not just getting the hell out of the car the second it started smoking. Driving it around the corner was not a smart move.

It could have gone really wrong really quickly.