Insurance companies are pushing more Kenyans to buy high-end smartphones

david nganga

August 29, 2017 10:29 AM

Kenyans are increasingly buying high-end smartphones with the surety that their gadgets can be insured against theft and damage.

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Kenyans are increasingly buying high-end smartphones as insurance companies come up with easy ways to insure the pricey gadgets.

The mobile phone covers have given Kenyans the confidence to buy these phones knowing that the devices can be insured against theft and damages that include broken screens, non-functional ear pieces and malfunctioning.

And the process of insurance is simple as all one needs to do is send a text message to a given code, and then fill virtually their details and that of the phone

The value of the mobile phone in Kenya will be calculated based on the model, making and year of purchase; all this for a premium of Kshs 1,000 ($10) per annum.

Some companies offering the covers have spiced the deal for customers by providing their mobile phone insurance together with life cover.

"It is the best thing for people like us who love trends and style. I bought my 700 dollars phone because of insurance. Two months ago it fell down and broke the screen but I was not stressed because I have insured it. The company bought for me another phone of the same make," says a banker who has had the cover for over two years.

And manufacturers have not disappointed Kenyans seeking the high-end gadgets as they have an array of smart phones in the market to choose from.

Kenyans prefer to buy smart phones whose prices range from Kshs5,160- Kshs31,000 ($50-$300) seeing that the country is generally a low and middle-end smart phone market.

At Kenya's leading telecom Safaricom outlets, the Samsung S8 series phones that go for between Kshs93,000-Kshs103,000 ($900-$1,000) have now become a permanent feature.

"These ones would not even stay here until end month," said an attendant at one of the telco’s shops in Nairobi. "I dare you to check in four days' time and confirm," she added.

With more Kenyans purchasing high-end phones, phone manufacturers are considering Kenya as their flagship market in Africa as they seek to launch their gadgets first in the country before spreading to other parts of the continent.

david nganga