Railway Insurance
Railway Insurance
Key Information
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| 1. Mandatory Coverage | All reserved (PRS) ticket holders are compulsorily insured under the “Travel Insurance Scheme” at 0% premium since 1 Sept 2018. |
| 2. Implementing Insurer | Scheme is underwritten by “Indian Railway Insurance” (IRI), a captive of IRCTC; ICICI Lombard is the present external insurer for claim processing. |
| 3. Sum Insured | ₹10 lakh for death, ₹10 lakh for permanent total disability, ₹7.5 lakh for permanent partial disability, ₹2 lakh for hospitalisation expenses. |
| 4. Time Limit to Claim | Legal heir must lodge claim within 4 months (120 days) of accident/date of death. |
| 5. Eligible Accidents | Train accident, terrorist attack, dacoity, rioting, shoot-out, arson, short-circuit fire, explosion, robbery while on train or railway premises. |
| 6. Coverage Window | From actual boarding to 2 hours after reaching destination station or leaving railway premises, whichever is earlier. |
| 7. Un-reserved Passengers | UR passengers are NOT covered; only reserved passengers (SL, 2S, 1A, 2A, 3A, CC, EC, etc.) are insured. |
| 8. Ticket Types Covered | e-ticket, i-ticket, counter PRS ticket, ATVM, UTS on-payment (reserved) – all included. |
| 9. Exclusions | Suicide, self-inflicted injury, influence of alcohol/intoxicants, war, nuclear risk, pre-existing disability. |
| 10. Claim Documents | FIR, death certificate / disability certificate, original ticket, bank details of nominee, ID proof. |
| 11. Claim Channel | Online through www.irctc.co.in → “Travel Insurance” tab or toll-free 155299 (IRCTC help-line). |
| 12. Premium Borne By | Indian Railways / IRCTC; passenger pays zero premium. |
| 13. Policy Period | Renewed every year (1 April – 31 March) through open tender; present policy 2024-25. |
| 14. Foreign Citizens | Foreign nationals holding reserved tickets are also covered; claim payable in INR only. |
| 15. Children | Children (above 5 yr) with reserved half ticket are insured; below 5 yr (no ticket) excluded. |
| 16. Benchmark Order | Railway Board’s letter No. 2016/TG-V/16/Insurance dated 31 Aug 2018 made coverage compulsory. |
| 17. Grievance Redressal | If claim is rejected, complain to IRCTC Grievance Portal; further appeal to Railway Board (Insurance section). |
| 18. Earlier Scheme (2016-18) | Optional travel insurance @ ₹0.92 paisa premium; scheme withdrawn after low opt-in. |
Important Points
- Zero-premium, ₹10-lakh accidental death cover for every reserved passenger.
- Coverage starts only after actual boarding—mere booking does not trigger insurance.
- Maximum claim window is 120 days; delay leads to automatic rejection.
- Only reserved class tickets (including suburban season with seat) are insured; general/UTS unreserved tickets stay out.
- Hospitalisation cover of ₹2 lakh is reimbursement basis—original bills compulsory.
- In case of missing person, court-declared death can be accepted after 7 years.
- Nominee need not be the same as in ticket; any legal heir can claim with succession certificate.
- Foreign tourist can claim; KYC must be done through Indian embassy certification.
- Claim amount is exempted under Section 10(10D) of Income-tax—no TDS.
- Policy is renewed annually; insurer name may change but benefits remain same.
- RPF/RPSF personnel on duty are separately covered under “Railway Employees Insurance” — not this scheme.
- Ticket refund (even full) does not invalidate insurance if journey was actually performed.
- Duplicate ticket is acceptable if original lost and FIR lodged before alighting.
- Helpline 155299 is 24×7; keep PNR ready while calling.
- Always retain photocopy of ticket till 4 months after journey—claim can arise later.
Practice MCQs
Question:01 Who bears the premium cost of the compulsory rail-travel insurance introduced in 2018?
A) The passenger pays the full premium at booking.
B) Indian Railways / IRCTC (passenger pays zero premium).
C) The Ministry of Finance subsidises 50 % of the premium.
D) State governments reimburse the premium to IRCTC.
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: Since 2018, Indian Railways/IRCTC has been providing the compulsory rail-travel insurance cover free of cost; no premium is charged to the passenger.
Question:02 Within how many days must legal heirs lodge a death claim under the 2026 Railway accident-compensation scheme?
A) 60 days
B) 90 days
C) 120 days
D) 180 days
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: Rule 2026 mandates that legal heirs have 120 days (4 months) from the date of the accident to file a death claim; failure to do so within this window can lead to forfeiture of compensation.
Unreserved (UTS) journey ticket.
Question:03 The present external insurer that processes the claims on behalf of IRCTC is:
A) HDFC ERGO General Insurance Co. Ltd.
B) Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Co. Ltd.
C) ICICI Lombard General Insurance Co. Ltd.
D) SBI General Insurance Co. Ltd.
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: As of 2026, ICICI Lombard General Insurance Co. Ltd. is the external insurer appointed by IRCTC to handle and process passenger insurance claims.
Question:04 A passenger holding an e-ticket dies in a train derailment. What is the maximum death compensation payable?
A) ₹5 lakh
B) ₹7.5 lakh
C) ₹10 lakh
D) ₹15 lakh
Show Answer
Correct Answer: C
Explanation: As per the 2026 Railway Claims Tribunal rules, the maximum compensation payable to the legal heirs of an e-ticket holder who dies in a train accident is ₹10 lakh.
Question:05 Coverage ceases how long after the passenger reaches the destination?
A) 1 hour after reaching destination or leaving railway premises, whichever is earlier.
B) 2 hours after reaching destination or leaving railway premises, whichever is earlier.
C) 3 hours after reaching destination or leaving railway premises, whichever is earlier.
D) 4 hours after reaching destination or leaving railway premises, whichever is earlier.
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: As per the 2026 Railway rules, coverage ends 2 hours after the passenger reaches the destination or leaves the railway premises, whichever occurs first.
Medical fitness certificate of the claimant.
Question:06 Foreign nationals holding reserved tickets are treated as:
A) Not eligible for any compensation; fare refunded in original currency.
B) Fully covered; claim paid in INR.
C) Covered only for accident injuries; no fare refund.
D) Partially covered; claim paid in USD.
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: Foreign nationals with reserved tickets are fully covered under Indian Railways rules and any compensation claim is settled in Indian Rupees (INR).
Question:07 The compulsory travel insurance scheme for Indian Railways passengers was implemented on which date?
A) 1 January 2019
B) 1 September 2018
C) 1 April 2017
D) 1 October 2020
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: The Indian Railways introduced the compulsory travel insurance scheme effective from 1 September 2018 to provide accidental coverage to passengers.
Question:08 Choose the correct statement regarding the hospitalisation cover provided.
A) Hospitalisation cover of ₹2 lakh is paid as a lump-sum without any bills.
B) Hospitalisation cover of ₹2 lakh is on reimbursement basis on production of original bills.
C) Hospitalisation cover of ₹2 lakh is credited directly to the salary account in advance.
D) Hospitalisation cover of ₹2 lakh is provided only as a daily cash allowance.
Show Answer
Correct Answer: B
Explanation: The ₹2 lakh hospitalisation cover is reimbursed only after the employee submits original medical bills.
BETA
