ICICI Lombard launches India’s first motor cyber insurance to protect connected vehicle users from cyber threats, hacking, and digital theft, recognising the rising digital vulnerabilities of modern automobiles.
ICICI Lombard has launched what it describes as India’s first motor cyber insurance cover, targeting the growing exposure created by connected cars. The new rider is aimed at policyholders whose vehicles are linked to smartphones, navigation tools, payment apps and other digital systems that can be vulnerable to hacking, data theft and remote disruption.
According to Gaurav Arora, chief commercial lines and motor underwriting and claims at ICICI Lombard, even conventional petrol and diesel cars now carry software and connectivity features that can be attacked, while electric vehicles are even more dependent on code and digital integration. He said the company saw a clear need for a product built around this risk and is offering it as an optional add-on rather than as a standard feature.
The cover is meant to respond to incidents such as unauthorised access to a vehicle’s systems, theft of funds or digital assets through connected devices, cyber extortion and lockouts in which criminals disable a car and demand payment to restore access. It also includes support for repairing software affected by a cyber incident and for reimbursing direct financial loss linked to unauthorised access to digital wallets.
The launch builds on ICICI Lombard’s broader insurance portfolio, which already includes motor policies for vehicle damage, third-party liability and personal accident cover, as well as separate cyber risk insurance for organisations. The company has previously experimented with cyber protection in consumer-facing products too: in 2019, it partnered with MobiKwik on a small cyber-insurance offering for digital payment users.
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