Check with your credit card provider.
Some offer travel and personal insurance as part of their standard service... others allow you to pay additional fee for it.

Make sure you read the fine print !

I used to get travel insurance via Westpac... it's underwritten but QBE but if you buy through Westpac it's a) cheaper and b) covers more stuff and at higher values. Including but not limited to camera gear and laptops left in the boot of the car.

I seem to remember that an annual policy was about $650. You don't have to be a Westpac customer and can get an online quote as well as buy the insurance online on the day of departure. Have a look at the Westpac web site.

As far as insurance for hire gear is concerned I believe most shops offer the insurance for an additional fee. I am guessing in most cases this isn't really an insurance per se but rather the shop taking the risk in case of breakage for a little bit of extra money. Either way you go for the gear insurance make sure you clarify if it includes the following:

- broken mast and sail due to sailing in wave
- broken board because you landed a jump flat
- lost rig because you had to abandon it at sea in order to rescue yourself.

Got the insurance sorted through Travelcare. Hopefully can insure through shop. Paul scored a deal on Maui with insurance through a shop recently.