Search This Blog

Monday 22 June 2015

Secure Your Gadget

Any accidental damage, whether it be a broken screen, damaged touchscreen or a short circuit due to moisture, is covered under gadget insurance. If someone snatches your smartphone or you happen to drop it somewhere, the insurance cover will also reimburse you. You will, however, not get a compensation for the entire amount, but it will be based on the depreciation value of the gadget. For instance, most insurers offer 10 per cent depreciation on the invoice value for up to six-month-old devices and 25 per cent for an older device.

You can choose from a host of policies. For example, PickMe India offers a basic plan of Rs 599 for smartphones priced under Rs 10,000. The premium can go up to Rs 1,999 for smartphones worth Rs 55,000. These plans cover accidental damage, liquid spillage, burglary and fire, and even allow free pickup and drop facilities. PickMe offers services for all handheld gadgets such as mobiles, cameras, watches, laptops, MP3 players, tablets and even data cards.

Likewise, Protection 365 has tied up with public sector insurer The New India Assurance Company, while Ingram Micro has teamed up with another state insurer, Oriental Insurance Company. Apart from the regular features, Protection 365 offers data backup and bacterial removal services, and allows the customer to get their devices repaired twice a year. Ingram, on the other hand, offers plans in the Rs 499 to Rs 4,599 range for gadgets priced up to Rs 80,000. The company's Cover Plus provides an additional cover of Rs 1,000 for misuse of the device in case of a theft, and its Mobile Bill Protection plan pays bills of up to Rs 3,000 per month for three months in case of a job loss. It will soon launch policies for laptops, watches and cameras. Syska Gadget Secure is yet another company that offers complete insurance solutions for handheld devices. Just log on to any of the company websites and opt for the policy that best suits you to secure your devices.

While all this may sound like a smart solution to secure your smart devices against damage or theft, you need to know a few things. One, insurance is available for newly purchased gadgets. Two, you will get a four- to 15-day window from the date of purchase to buy a policy by providing a copy of the invoice. Some companies may also ask you to upload images of the device.

Three, the claims process isn't easy. For instance, if you happened to damage your phone because of carelessness, it will not be covered under insurance. But if someone bumped into you and the phone got damaged, it will be repaired without any questions. Similarly, if you forgot your device at a public place, it won't be covered. But if someone snatched your phone, it will be. You will need to fill in the form that came with the policy documents and submit it. Once you receive a go ahead from the insurer, you can take the phone to the service centre for repair. In most cases, you make the payment and the insurance company reimburses it to you once you submit the documents. The customer, however, has to bear 5-10 per cent of the repair cost.

No comments:

Contact Us

Name

Email *

Message *