Aankoop test previously stated that “smartphone insurance is not worth the money”. – © BELGAIMAGE
Federal Member of Parliament Lynn Derek (CD&V) introduced a bill to tighten oversight of smartphone insurance sellers. You want to protect the consumer from expensive contracts with poor conditions.
Christoph Simons
“It’s often very expensive to buy a new smartphone,” says Leen Dierick. “To avoid expensive repair costs due to damage, sellers often advise to get insurance. Unfortunately, it often turns out that the seller does not know very well the terms and contents of insurance and often presents them very rosy. “
The bill is not coming very soon. A few years ago, Test Aankoop already stated that “smartphone insurance is not worth the money”. The number of complaints with the insurance ombudsman is also rising. In 2020, it received 651 complaints, an increase of 112 percent compared to 2019, when the number of complaints also increased by 77 percent. “We saw a slight decrease in 2021, but I can already say that there is no improvement in sight for 2022: in the past six months we have already received 350 complaints,” says Ombudsman Laurent de Barsi. This is about unclear terms and prices, contracts that place every burden of proof on the consumer, …
The CD&V MP’s proposal wants to put mobile insurance sellers under the supervision of the FSMA. Currently, only sellers of insurance products with an annual premium over €200 are required to report to the FSMA. Derek wants to implement this commitment from now on in installments of more than 50 euros.
