0 Nokia tie-up with New India Assurance (NIA) to provide Mobile insurance on Nokia Handsets

This plan will be available March 14 onwards on all Nokia devices purchased through Nokia branded retail stores.

Nokia, in association with New India Assurance (NIA), has announced the availability of insurance plans for Nokia phones against risks of theft and damage. This includes thefts, burglary, malicious acts, riots among others, as well as damage that is beyond the purview of the consumer's standard warranty.

Starting from a minimum insurance premium of just Rs 50, the plan will cost 1.25 per cent of the purchased handset's value. To avail of this insurance plan, consumers purchasing their handsets from a Nokia Branded Retail Store have to provide a few personal details and receive their insurance certificate, handout and payment receipt at the store itself.

The plan will be available March 14 onwards on all Nokia devices purchased through Nokia branded retail stores across the country, initially in Delhi and the National Capital Region, Jaipur, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Pune, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Cochin.

Announcing the initiative, Segar Sampathkumar, general manager, New India Assurance, said,"We are extremely pleased to partner a leading handset manufacturer such as Nokia to offer their consumers an exclusive insurance plan that not only protects their consumers against unforeseen events such as theft and loss, but also against device damage. Based on our deep understanding of the segment, we are looking to provide Nokia consumers with a seamless solution that is as easy to claim, as it is to buy."

Kannan Gopalakrishnan, director retail, Nokia India, also said, "The NIA insurance plan is aimed at safeguarding Nokia consumers against the angst caused by loss, theft or damage of their devices, while offering them an affordable and effective solution to protect their investments. We believe with the changing consumer landscape and the growing penetration of smartphones in India, this plan is sure to see strong uptake amongst our consumers."

According to a survey conducted by Norton Mobile, in 2012, 43 per cent Indians have had their mobile phone lost or stolen, with the majority (59 per cent) losing it. Thus such a initiative seems very much desired. Earlier also, few insurance companies were providing such plans for mobile phones but with the back up of Nokia, this initiative is expected to get more popular.

In order to enhance the consumer experience further, New India Assurance and Nokia have mutually agreed and tied up with an IRDA Licensed "Insurance Broker", which is facilitating and administering the plan by way of providing Value Added Services exclusively to Nokia consumers. Consumers can avail of these services at an additional fee of  Rs 50 per device irrespective of the device cost. In order to report claims with New India Assurance, customers have to contact the call center managed by the “Insurance Broker". The value added services include free pickup and drop services in six cities, viz., Delhi & NCR, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad Chennai and Kolkata. This includes free pick up (within 24 hours of a call being registered) and drop of the device in case of damage, or of documents in case of loss or theft. In case of thefts, consumers will need to file a written report with police authorities and report the loss of SIM to the concerned network service provider and acknowledgement to be furnished.

Cashless service will allow claimants to submit their devices at the nearest authorized service center and have their claims processed. If the damage is within purview of Insurance, the device will be repaired and be delivered back to the consumer at his door step. In the interim period, consumers will also be provided with standby handsets and chargers.