Indian Railways has officially extended its optional travel insurance scheme to passengers buying reserved tickets at physical station counters. The Railway Board issued the circular following a binding directive from the Supreme Court of India. The expanded insurance facility will take effect across all railway booking windows starting October 27.
Previously, only passengers booking electronic tickets online through the IRCTC portal could avail of the low-cost accident cover. According to policy details published by The Economic Times, the Centre for Railway Information Systems (CRIS) has updated counter booking software nationwide. Millions of passengers purchasing paper tickets at Passenger Reservation System (PRS) terminals will now gain access to the safety net. Therefore, the decision bridges a decade-old welfare gap between online and offline rail travelers.
Nominal 45-Paise Premium Requires Digital Payment at Windows
Under the new guidelines, counter passengers can opt for travel insurance by paying a nominal premium of 45 paise per person. However, the Railway Board stipulated that travelers must pay the premium through digital payment modes.
Passengers can scan UPI QR codes or swipe debit cards at the reservation window to activate the policy. As reported by the International Travel & Health Insurance Journal (ITIJ), digital payment ensures instant policy generation and automated SMS links. Once the transaction clears, the insurance company sends policy documents and nominee registration links directly to the passenger’s mobile phone. Consequently, booking clerks can process paper tickets quickly without collecting lengthy insurance forms at crowded station queues.
Supreme Court Ended Discrimination Against Offline Buyers
The major policy reform stems from sustained judicial intervention by the Supreme Court earlier this year. The apex court had questioned why the national transporter restricted accident insurance exclusively to internet users.
The bench observed that excluding offline ticket holders unfairly penalized rural citizens, senior citizens, and economically weaker passengers. As documented by LiveLaw, the judges ruled that safety welfare schemes cannot discriminate based on the mode of ticket purchase. Furthermore, the court set an October 27 deadline for the Railway Board to integrate offline counters into the insurance framework. As a result, railway authorities coordinated with partnered general insurance firms to roll out the unified system.
Up to Rs 10 Lakh Accident Coverage Under Existing IRCTC Norms
The extended scheme offers identical financial protections to those currently provided on IRCTC online tickets. In the event of death or permanent total disability during a train accident, the policy provides a payout of Rs 10 lakh.
Coverage by Asia Insurance Review confirmed that permanent partial disability attracts Rs 7.5 lakh in compensation. Meanwhile, injured passengers receive up to Rs 2 lakh to cover hospitalization and medical treatment expenses. In addition, the policy provides Rs 10,000 for the transportation of mortal remains. On the other hand, officials clarified that the insurance remains applicable only to reserved class tickets for now. Nevertheless, passenger rights groups welcomed the rollout as a vital financial safeguard ahead of the busy Diwali travel rush.
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