Kirwan is one of Townsville's most established residential suburbs, and if you own a free standing home here, you already know that insurance is anything but an afterthought. Sitting in a declared cyclone risk area in North Queensland, home insurance for Kirwan properties commands premiums that reflect the region's unique weather exposure. This article breaks down a real home and contents insurance quote for a 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom brick veneer home in Kirwan (postcode 4817) — and puts the numbers into context so you can judge whether your own policy stacks up.
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Is This Quote Fair?
The quote in question comes in at $2,989 per year (or $286/month) for combined home and contents cover, with a building sum insured of $500,000 and contents valued at $50,000. The building excess is $5,000 and the contents excess is $2,000.
Our price rating for this quote is FAIR — Around Average.
That assessment holds up well when you dig into the numbers. Based on 81 quotes collected for Kirwan, the suburb's 25th percentile sits at $2,927 per year — meaning this quote lands just above the cheapest quarter of the market. The suburb median is $3,685/yr and the average is $4,282/yr, so at $2,989 this homeowner is paying meaningfully less than most of their neighbours.
In other words, while the premium isn't rock-bottom, it's comfortably below the midpoint for Kirwan — a solid result for a cyclone-prone postcode.
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How Kirwan Compares
To really appreciate this quote, it helps to zoom out and look at the broader pricing landscape.
| Benchmark | Annual Premium |
|---|---|
| This Quote | $2,989 |
| Kirwan 25th Percentile | $2,927 |
| Kirwan Median | $3,685 |
| Kirwan Average | $4,282 |
| Kirwan 75th Percentile | $4,854 |
| Charters Towers LGA Average | $3,995 |
| QLD State Average | $4,547 |
| QLD State Median | $3,931 |
| National Average | $2,965 |
| National Median | $2,716 |
A few things stand out here. First, Kirwan's average premium of $4,282 is substantially higher than the national average of $2,965 — a gap of over $1,300 per year. That's the cyclone premium in action. North Queensland insurers price in the elevated risk of tropical weather events, and it shows up clearly in suburb-level data.
Second, this particular quote at $2,989 is almost exactly in line with the national average, which is a genuinely strong outcome for a property in a cyclone risk zone. Homeowners across the rest of Australia — in areas with far less extreme weather exposure — are paying similar amounts on average. That suggests this policy has been competitively priced relative to the risk environment.
The QLD state median of $3,931 reinforces just how elevated North Queensland premiums are compared to the rest of the country. Even the state median is more than $900 above this quote.
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Property Features That Affect Your Premium
Several characteristics of this property influence how insurers assess and price the risk.
Brick Veneer Construction Brick veneer walls are generally viewed favourably by insurers. They offer reasonable resilience compared to timber or clad construction, and many policies price them more competitively as a result. In a cyclone-prone area, wall construction is a meaningful rating factor.
Tiled Roof A tiled roof is a double-edged factor in North Queensland. Tiles are durable and fire-resistant, but they can be more vulnerable to cyclone-force winds than metal roofing — particularly if the roof structure beneath isn't cyclone-rated. Insurers operating in this region are well aware of this distinction.
Slab Foundation A concrete slab foundation is standard for homes of this era and construction type, and it generally doesn't attract a loading from insurers. It also reduces the risk of subfloor damage from flooding or pests.
Solar Panels This property has solar panels installed, which adds a small amount to the replacement cost of the home. Some insurers include solar panels under the building sum insured automatically; others require them to be specified. It's worth confirming with your insurer that your panels are adequately covered under your $500,000 building sum.
1994 Construction Year A home built in 1994 sits in an interesting period for North Queensland. Cyclone-resistant building standards were progressively tightened after Cyclone Tracy (1974) and again after Cyclone Yasi (2011). Homes built in 1994 may not meet the most current wind-load requirements, which can influence both insurability and premium pricing.
139 sqm Building Size At 139 sqm, this is a modest-sized home, which helps keep the rebuild cost — and therefore the premium — in a reasonable range. The $500,000 sum insured works out to roughly $3,600 per sqm, which is on the higher end but defensible given construction cost inflation and the complexity of building in North Queensland.
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Tips for Homeowners in Kirwan
1. Review your cyclone excess carefully Many policies in North Queensland include a separate cyclone excess — sometimes expressed as a percentage of the sum insured rather than a flat dollar amount. Make sure you understand exactly what you'd pay out of pocket in the event of a cyclone claim, as it can be significantly more than the standard building excess listed on your policy.
2. Confirm your solar panels are covered As noted above, solar panel coverage varies between insurers. Check your product disclosure statement (PDS) to confirm whether panels are automatically included in your building cover or need to be listed separately. With energy costs rising, replacing a solar system out of pocket would be a costly surprise.
3. Don't underinsure your building Construction costs in North Queensland are higher than the national average due to cyclone-rated materials, labour shortages, and freight costs to regional areas. Make sure your $500,000 sum insured reflects the true cost to rebuild — not just the market value of the property. Consider using a professional quantity surveyor or your insurer's calculator to validate the figure.
4. Shop around at renewal time This quote rates as fair, but the Kirwan market spans from $2,927 at the 25th percentile to $4,854 at the 75th — a range of nearly $2,000 for comparable properties. Loyalty doesn't always pay in insurance. Getting a fresh quote at renewal takes minutes and could save you hundreds of dollars.
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Compare Your Home Insurance Quote Today
Whether you're a long-time Kirwan resident or new to the area, it pays to know where your premium sits relative to the market. CoverClub aggregates real quote data from across Australia so you can see exactly how your policy compares — suburb by suburb, insurer by insurer. Start your comparison at CoverClub and make sure you're not paying more than you need to for the cover your home deserves.