The problem with Australia is: no harmonisation! Each state handles it different. More than 20 different countries in Europe are harmonised than those few states of AUS!
There are states in AUS, where you can´t get insurance as a tourist, even if you want - at least that´s what I´m told by several people.
And there are other burocratic problems, too.

Guess, I`ll sort things out, when I´m in Brisbane.

Thanks for your replies anyway.

Panny

Well at least 4 years ago I got my bike inspected in Perth, and after that was able to buy my insurance for Western Australia... And I remember that I specifically asked, and the answer was, that it was valid all over Oz. Was never stopped on the road by the police, or involved in an incident, so in the end I cannot be 100% certain, that this is correct. But this one you should be able to find out on the government webpages in no time.

Bureaucratic? Maybe a bit... But for us it was still a breeze compared to India, for example, earlier on the same trip!!

Relax, third party insurance purchased in one state in Aus is valid in all the other states including Tasmania.

If you can tell us where you are landing then a local can probably give you an idea of the cost for the insurance. But definitely do not try and ride without it.

Cheers,
Brett.

...& there lies the problem. In 09 before we visited (landed in Sydney) much research, emails & ph calls to the transport dept eventually revealed that the (usually) compulsory NSW 3rd party injury insurance is not required for a temporary vehicle import (no roadworthy inspection or anything else either). So they won't sell it to you even if you want it.

Further research, emails, ph calls discovered that, unlike the norm in Oz where a vehicle legal in one state is legal in all, tourists with vehicles seem to be expected to re-do all the paperwork, fees, insurance, whatever, in each state they visit.

Cheers
Clint

And therein lies the problem. So laid back that tourists find it difficult to get insurance. I'll guess that if you haven't an Oz adress then you're bolloxed. Hope i'm wrong.

I guess I stand corrected then. Surely it's not that hard, heaps of people visit here from overseas every year??

I've seen five foreign registered cars or bikes in the last month just in Melbourne. You can't tell me they came all that distances and stayed within Victoria?

An AUS address won't be hard (just use the first place you stay when you arrive). But you can't register a car/bike on Aussie plates if it came in on a Carnet.

I will point out that there are no checks on paperwork at state borders in Australia (except WA for Quarrantine). So if you insurance is invalid in another state, nobody will actually notice.

Cheers,

I refer to my post #8 above. I had no real difficulty getting state-sponsored third party (injury only) cover in Melbourne VIC; although I did think it all through before applying. See below for a copy - 'anonymised' a bit - of one period of cover. Admittedly it wasn't absolutely straightforward, as the young VicRoads desk clerk dealing with me didn't have a clue! I was her very first foreign vehicle owner who had ever approached her and asked for this type of certificate. So a phone call for clarification on the definitive rules, regs and procedure to her VicRoads Head Office was needed - and eventually did the trick.

The only stipulation was that my bike had to have: (a) current and valid registration ('rego') in its home country; in my case this was NZ; and (b) a Victoria garaged street address. Moreover, the aussie TAC third party cover was only good up to the date of the expiry of my NZ rego. Getting the timing right on this aspect was therefore crucial.

In summary, if the OP (Panny), or anyone else, wants sight of my other paperwork - including my Swann Insurance policy schedule - then I'm prepared to scan it all and e-mail it on to them.

Conclusion: yeah right .. looking back, I have to agree, it's a minefield .. :confused1: .. but do-able nevertheless.

http://keithooper.smugmug.com/Travel...44_KH4P5-M.jpg

AND I've just realised - silly me .. doh - that TAC is a Victoria State only facility. Interstate third party cover might also apply in certain circumstances. See this webpage for a summary of what's what: Making a Claim

Which backs-up and adds weight to what clintnz said above (post #19).

Nightmare!

:funmeterno:

.

Any idear about NT? We are in Darwin at the moment and getting our bike out. NT is for insurances the wors place, super expensive... I want to take an insurance for some days and do a new one in WT, anyone an idea where I can get such a "transfer" insurance....?

cheers Sascha

Insurance Cover - Australia.
 

We are planning a 9 month tour of Oz mid December - most disappointed over
Insurance Cover. Have emailed most of the big Insurers in Perth & Sydney. This includes Swann, RAC, SGIO, and BMW dealers - No one interested in providing fully comp Insurance. They only insure Aus. registered bikes or
Aus. Drivers Licence holders.

We are left with CTP (compulsory Third Party only) issued by the Dept. of Infastructure and Transport - not overly expensive but we would have
liked peace of mind against theft or injury to ourselves.

Anyone have ideas on this subject??? :confused1:

It may be the same in Australia as New Zealand with the WestPac Bank. If you open an account with the bank, they will sell you insurance. You have to take a 12 month policy but if you select the monthly payment option, you can stop paying when you leave and cancel the policy.

Cheers

Nigel in NZ

I'm with Westpac and they don't do motorcycles. Only cars. The only guys that was prepared to help me when I brought my Africa Twin over was Insure-my-ride. But I had to call them to set it up- couldn't do it over the internet like their normal quotes/insurance. They were most helpful and the bike was insured before I even picked it up from the docks.

All my vehicles are insured with Shannons and I do have to call Shannons tomorrow or Monday.

I could ask the question as a hypothetical. If they don't offer cover they will probably be able to suggest where to go next.

If you are coming from europe or the UK you may find they will cover you here (at a price). UK specialist insurers seem to understand the need to cross country borders much more readily than Aussie ones.

Cheers,

I have cut and pasted the information below from the Aussie Bike Shipping web:
Upon arrival in Australia your Motorcycle will need to be inspected by both Customs and the Australian Quarantine Inspection Service (AQIS).
Australian Customs and AQIS must have access to all compartments of your Motorcycle.
Your Motorcycle and riding gear, including boots and helmets, must be immaculately clean. Particular attention must be paid to the underside of your Bike. AQIS will check the underside of your mudguards, engine and frame, as well as the front of the engine and any radiators or oil cooler. Your boots will be checked as well. All your gear and equipment must be free of mud, grass, dirt or insects.

• Australian Customs and Border Protection Service: Australian Quarantine Inspection Service (AQIS): www.aqis.gov.au motorcycles Importing a Vehicle Fact Sheet_Nov09
• 
  You will need (VIA) or a Carnet De Passages en Douane (CPD carnet)

• UK Carnet. Available in the U.K. from the RAC: www.rac.co.uk/plan-a-trip/carnet-de-passage

The simplest way to bring your overseas registered Motorcycle to Australia on a temporary basis is by Carnet De Passages en Douane (CPD carnet).
Carnets are available from the motoring organisation in your country of residence. If you are going to use a carnet to temporarily import your vehicle into Australia you must obtain the carnet before the Motorcycle arrives in Australia.
A carnet is similar to a personal passport and contains all the relevant information about the vehicle - make, model, colour, engine capacity, seating capacity, registration number, owner and value.


A carnet is valid for 12 months from the date of issue. There are a number of conditions attached to the use of carnets in Australia. Some of those conditions are: The vehicle must be exported from Australia prior to or on the expiry date of the carnet.
It is a condition of use of a carnet in Australia that you, do not leave the vehicle that is covered by a carnet in Australia while you are not here. Should you do so, this is a breach of the provisions of the Customs Act 1901 and Customs Regulations 1926. Once a breach has occurred, the security amount equivalent to the duty and GST (and Luxury Car Tax (LCT), if applicable) will be called up by Customs.

• Riding & driving in Australia. The Australian Automobile Association is an excellent source of information:www.aaa.asn.au/touring/bringing.htm

If your Motorcycle is registered in your home country, and you are licensed to ride your bike in your home country, you are permitted to operate your vehicle in Australia. It is compulsory to carry your licence when driving in Australia. If the licence is not written in English, an International Driving Permit (IDP) or an English translation must also be carried with your licence. I strongly suggest you check for the latest information with the NSW Roads & Traffic Authority. Their web site has information on Drivers License and Registration requirements as well as details of the Road Rules applicable in Australia: www.rta.nsw.gov.au

The following text has been cut and pasted from the NSW RTA web site:
Vehicles temporarily visiting NSW from overseas
Overseas visitors and tourists may import their vehicle into Australia for a temporary period of up to 12 months by obtaining either a Carnet de Passages en Douane (carnet) from their local (overseas) motoring organisation, or a Vehicle Import Approval (VIA) from the Commonwealth Department of Infrastructure and Transport (DIT). In either case the document must be obtained before the vehicle arrives in Australia. Registration in NSW is not required, but the vehicle must be exported from Australia within the specified time limit.
Vehicles temporarily visiting NSW from overseas must have current overseas registration. Number plates and labels from the country of origin must also be fitted to the vehicle. It is also recommended that the overseas registration certificate be carried when using the vehicle.
These vehicles are exempt from NSW registration and cannot be issued with an Unregistered Vehicle Permit.
Vehicles exempt from NSW registration, are also exempt from Compulsory Third Party (CTP) insurance. A NSW third party personal injury claim involving a vehicle visiting from overseas is made against the Nominal Defendant Scheme. This scheme is administered by the Motor Accidents Authority (MAA).
Vehicles entering NSW under these circumstances can be right or left-hand drive, and do not need to comply with the Australian Design Rules. However, the vehicle must be roadworthy. Left-hand drive vehicles with a Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) over 4.5 tonnes must display the words ‘left-hand drive’ on the rear of the vehicle in letters at least 75 millimetres high, with a colour contrast background.
If the vehicle was originally imported under a VIA and the operator remains in Australia and wants to keep the vehicle beyond the VIA’s original expiry date, they may apply to DIT to have the VIA amended. If an amendment is approved, the vehicle may then be registered in NSW providing it meets all of the applicable vehicle standards for registration in NSW. See “Getting rego for an imported vehicle”.
If an amendment is not approved the original import conditions apply and the vehicle must be exported. A vehicle imported under a carnet cannot be registered in NSW and must be exported before the specified time limit expires.
A vehicle that is in New South Wales (NSW) temporarily is exempt from NSW registration requirements providing that vehicle is registered in another, state, territory or in a foreign country (if you drive into one of our other state/territories it is compulsory to have Third Party Insurance).
If the operator of an overseas visiting vehicle requires Compulsory Third Party (CTP) insurance, the NSW Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) will collect payment through motor registries on behalf of QBE Insurance Ltd and issue a receipt to the operator.
Police in NSW may not understand the regulations pertaining to overseas registered vehicles.
If you find yourself in such a situation, it has been suggested to quote COPS event number
E 40952466 to police to assist them.

Hope this helps,
Chris.

I was under the impression that each state in Oz had a reciprocal agreement, so if you ship yer bike to Sydney, NSW, it has third party insurance. Travel to another state and they honour that agreement? This is on a carnet. Course i could be talking bollox.