New Delhi, Oct. 14 -- The Supreme Court has directed Indian Railways to provide mandatory travel insurance to all passengers purchasing train tickets, whether online or at railway reservation counters, from October 27, 2026.
A bench comprising Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and R Mahadevan issued the interim order, directing the Railway Board to ensure that tickets purchased over the counter receive the same insurance coverage as those booked online through the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC).
The court said railway authorities had been given sufficient time to develop a mechanism to extend insurance benefits to passengers buying tickets at reservation counters, but the necessary arrangements had not been implemented.
"We direct that within two weeks, i.e., with effect from October 27, 2026, all tickets sold over the counter at all railway stations shall also be covered by insurance in the same manner as tickets purchased online," the court said.
It added that the Railway Board would be directly responsible for any failure to implement the direction.
Currently, travel insurance is available as an optional facility for passengers booking tickets online through IRCTC. The premium has been fixed at 45 paise per passenger, inclusive of taxes, since February 17, 2024. Under the new directive, insurance coverage will also extend to passengers purchasing tickets offline.
The implementation of the order will require the Railway Board to establish arrangements for extending the existing insurance facility to counter bookings.
According to the existing scheme, only Indian citizens booking e-tickets through IRCTC are eligible for coverage. Foreign nationals are not eligible under the scheme.
After booking, passengers receive policy information directly from insurance companies through SMS and their registered email addresses. These communications also contain a link through which passengers can submit nomination details. The policy number can be accessed through the booked ticket history section on the IRCTC website.
Passengers are advised to complete the nomination process on the respective insurance company's website after booking their tickets. If nomination details are not submitted, any eligible claim will be settled with the passenger's legal heirs, according to the existing procedure.
The order makes timely implementation the Railway Board's direct responsibility.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.