BSNL has been doing things differently this year. It recently launched a Rs 1 Freedom Plan, a Kavach Number for women's safety and even a BSNL satellite phone. Now, it is adding something no other telco operator currently offers: free insurance. Select BSNL prepaid plans now come with accidental death cover and cyber-fraud protection at no extra cost.
BSNL Becomes First Telecom Operator to Provide Free Insurance with Prepaid Recharges
BSNL has partnered with The Oriental Insurance Company Limited (OICL), a government-owned insurer, for this offer. Eligible prepaid users get the following two types of cover:
| Insurance Type | Cover Amount | Coverage Plan | Coverage T&C | Claim Process |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accidental death cover | Up to Rs 1 lakh | Covers death caused by road accidents, burns, snake bites, lightning strikes and electrocution | The incident must be reported within 48 hours | Toll-free number: 1800-11-8485 or Email: Claims.bsnl@orientalinsurance.co.in |
| Cyber-fraud protection | Up to Rs 10,000 | Covers money lost to online fraud like phishing, email spoofing and online theft. | BSNL number must be linked to bank account Need to report the fraud within 7 days | Toll-free number: 1800-11-8485or Email: Claims.bsnl@orientalinsurance.co.in |
BSNL says that subscribers will not need to apply for these insurance plans separately. The cover activates automatically within 24 hours of an eligible recharge and stays active for as long as the plan is valid.
For now, free insurance is available with the Rs 202 and Rs 2,449 BSNL prepaid plans. Both plans are prepaid special tariff vouchers (STVs) and here is what they offer:
| Plan | Validity | Benefits |
|---|---|---|
| Rs 202 (STV 202) | 30 days | 300 minutes of voice calling, 5 GB of total high speed data and 100 SMS |
| Rs 2,449 (STV 2449) | 365 days | Unlimited voice calls (Local, STD and Roaming), 2 GB data per day and 100 SMS per day |
BSNL says this offer is mainly aimed at people who usually don't have any insurance. This includes farmers, fishermen, construction workers and other underserved communities, many of whom are BSNL users in rural India.
BSNL becomes the first telecom operator to take insurance to people who have not even heard about it.
— A. Robert J. Ravi, BSNL Chairman and Managing Director
This also helps BSNL stand out from Jio, Airtel, and Vi. At the time of writing, no telecom operator currently bundles both accident and cyber-fraud cover with its plans.
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