As someone who used to work in the insurance industry, experience has shown that settling claims is quite an emotional experience and the way to avoid these stresses is to make sure you are insured correctly in the first place. My advice is to find yourself a good agent or broker (such as the ones that specialize in 4WDs). They will handle all dealings with the insurer for you, and in most cases have had a long term relationship with the insurer and can use this to your advantage in negotiating premiums, claims, disputes, etc. Yes a direct insurer will often be cheaper but the hassles of dealing with them and trying to understand their policies, etc may cost you more in the long run.
Saving $400 now might not seem that good a deal if it costs you $1000s in the event of a claim.
One other bit of advice - always get it in writing. If your insurer says they will cover your accessories, or your vehicle whilst out 4WDing and not on public roads, etc make sure that they put this in writing to you and preferably as a notation on your schedule.
