Railway passengers buying reserved tickets at station counters will be eligible for optional travel insurance from October 27, 2026, following a direction issued by the Supreme Court. The move is intended to extend a safety benefit previously available during online bookings to passengers who do not use the IRCTC website or mobile application.
The direction was issued by a bench comprising Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and R Mahadevan during proceedings related to railway safety after the train accident in Odisha in June 2023. The court directed the Railway Board to implement the measure within two weeks and fixed October 27 as the deadline. It also warned that the Railway Board would be directly responsible if the direction was not implemented as instructed.
Under the existing online railway travel insurance option, passengers can receive coverage of up to Rs 10 lakh in cases of death or permanent total disability, subject to the terms of the policy. The premium for online bookings is currently 45 paise per passenger, including tax. The insurance is optional and is offered during the booking process.
Until now, passengers purchasing reserved tickets directly from railway reservation counters did not have access to the same insurance option. The change will extend the facility to counter-booked tickets, although the applicable premium, documentation requirements and claims procedure for such bookings have not yet been fully specified in the information available.
The distinction between online and counter bookings has practical significance because railway reservation counters continue to serve passengers who may have limited access to digital services or may not be able to complete online transactions. Extending insurance eligibility across both booking channels is intended to reduce a protection gap based on the method used to buy a ticket.
The court’s intervention followed concern over the delay in extending insurance coverage to offline passengers despite assurances previously given by railway authorities. The proceedings placed the issue within a wider railway-safety context, but the immediate measure concerns the availability of travel insurance for passengers purchasing reserved tickets at stations.
Passengers have been advised to rely on official railway announcements for final details before the October 27 implementation date. The Railways is yet to clarify the complete operational process for opting into the cover at reservation counters, including the documents required and how claims will be handled.
