Indian Railways will introduce optional travel insurance for passengers booking reserved tickets at Passenger Reservation System (PRS) counters from October 27. The facility, already available to passengers booking tickets online, will now be extended to those purchasing tickets at railway reservation counters.The Railway Board has directed all zonal railways to complete the necessary arrangements before the deadline, following a Supreme Court order dated October 6 in the case of Union of India vs Radha Yadav.
Insurance Will Be Optional
Passengers booking tickets at reservation counters will be able to opt for insurance covering death, disability and injuries arising from rail travel. The facility will not be compulsory, and passengers must provide their consent to avail themselves of the coverage.Those opting for insurance will need to provide their mobile number and pay the premium digitally along with the ticket fare. Policy details will be sent to the registered mobile number. Passengers who do not opt for the facility will not receive insurance coverage under the scheme.
Railway Staff Given Instructions
The Railway Board has instructed reservation staff to inform passengers about the insurance facility and clearly explain that it is voluntary. Staff members must record consent correctly, collect the required passenger details and answer queries about the scheme.Divisional Railway Managers and commercial officers will monitor the implementation. Any technical glitches or operational difficulties must be reported to the Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) and the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) for resolution.Zonal railways have also been directed to submit compliance reports to the Railway Board.
Premium and Insurance Coverage
Under the existing policy terms applicable to online ticket bookings, the insurance premium is 45 paise per passenger, inclusive of taxes. This rate has been in effect since February 17, 2024. The same terms and conditions will apply to passengers opting for insurance at PRS counters.
The policy provides the following benefits, subject to its terms and conditions:
Death: Compensation of up to ₹10 lakh.
Permanent total disability: Coverage of up to ₹10 lakh.
Permanent partial disability: Compensation of up to ₹7.5 lakh.
Hospitalisation expenses for injuries: Coverage of up to ₹2 lakh.
Transportation of mortal remains: Up to ₹10,000.
The initiative aims to make travel insurance accessible to more railway passengers by extending the optional facility to those booking reserved tickets directly at railway counters.