General
Portable electronics insurance as defined in Indiana Code IC 27-1-15.9-6 means insurance that provides coverage for the repair or replacement of portable electronics. This includes coverage for loss, theft, inoperability due to mechanical failure, malfunction, damage or other similar causes of loss.
The term does not include the following:
(1) A service contract or extended warranty that provides coverage for repair, replacement, or maintenance only to address operational or structural failure caused by:
(A) a defect in materials or workmanship;
(B) accidental damage from power surge; or
(C) normal wear and tear.
(2) A policy of insurance that covers a seller's or manufacturer's obligations under a warranty.
(3) Any of the following:
(A) A homeowner's insurance policy
(B) A renter's insurance policy
(C) A private passenger automobile insurance policy
(D) A commercial multi-peril insurance policy
(E) An insurance policy that provides coverage similar to the insurance provided by a policy described in clauses (A) through (D).
Licensing Requirements
Limited Lines Business Entity License Required
A vendor that directly or indirectly engages in portable electronics transactions shall not sell, solicit, or negotiate portable electronics insurance unless the vendor holds a limited lines business entity license issued under IC 27-1-15.6 to sell, solicit or negotiate portable electronics insurance. A limited lines license authorizes each of the following to sell, solicit, or negotiate portable electronics insurance to a customer at each of a vendor's locations:
(1) the vendor
(2) each of the vendor's employees or authorized representatives, regardless of whether the employee or authorized representative is individually licensed under IC 27-1-15.6, if the insurer that issues the portable electronics insurance directly supervises or appoints a supervising entity, see below, to supervise:
(A) the administration of the portable electronics insurance sold by the vendor;
(B) a training program for the employees and authorized representatives.
Training Requirements
The following apply to a training program described above:
- The training must be provided to any employee or authorized representative who is directly engaged in the sale, solicitation, or negotiation of portable electronics insurance.
- Initial training of an employee or authorized representative:
(A) must be provided before the employee or authorized representative engages in the sale, solicitation, or negotiation of portable electronics insurance; and
(B) may be provided in electronic form. - Continuing training of an employee or authorized representative must be provided on a periodic basis. The training may be provided in electronic or another form.
- The training must be developed and overseen by employees of the supervising entity who are licensed as insurance producers under IC 27-1-15.6 with the Property & Casualty qualification.
- The training must provide basic instruction concerning the portable electronics insurance offered to customers of the vendor and disclosures required by IC 27-1-15.9.12.
Authorization and representation as limited lines producer
An employee or authorized representative of a vendor shall not advertise, represent, or otherwise profess to be an insurance producer other than a limited lines producer licensed under IC 27-1-15.6.
Supervising entity
A supervising entity means a business entity that is either an insurer or insurance producer that is licensed under IC 27-1-15.6 and issues, or is appointed by the insurer that issues, a portable electronics insurance policy that is sold, solicited, or negotiated by a vendor to supervise the activities of the vendor related to the portable electronics insurance policy.
Application for Limited Lines Producer License
A vendor shall apply for a limited lines producer license by completing the electronic Business Entity Application found on online at www.sircon.com or www.NIPR.com.
Please note information in the application requires an employee or officer of the vendor who is designated as the individual who is responsible for the vendor's compliance with Indiana Code for Portable electronics insurance.
Fees
A resident business entity license is $40.00 plus online processing fee.
Non-resident business entity license will vary depending on the resident state. Typically the fee is $90.00 plus online processing fee.