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Major news for railway passengers, travel insurance to be mandatory for counter tickets from Oct 27
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News18•19-10-2026, 10:47
Major news for railway passengers, travel insurance to be mandatory for counter tickets from Oct 27
- •The Supreme Court has directed that passengers purchasing train tickets from offline counters must also be provided travel insurance coverage starting October 27, 2026.
- •Previously, the travel insurance option was exclusively available for passengers booking tickets online through the IRCTC website or mobile app.
- •Currently, online ticket insurance provides up to Rs 10 lakh in case of accidental death or permanent total disability for a nominal premium of 45 paise.
- •The final procedure regarding premium collection and insurance certificates for counter ticket holders will be announced officially by the railways soon.
Key Questions Answered
Following a Supreme Court directive, Indian Railways is extending travel insurance coverage to passengers who purchase their tickets offline at reservation counters starting October 27, 2026, bridging the gap with online bookers.
The directives were issued on October 6, 2026, by a bench consisting of Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Justice R. Mahadevan during the hearing of a petition related to the June 2023 train accident in Odisha.
The current online travel insurance scheme provides up to Rs 10 lakh for accidental death or permanent total disability, up to Rs 7.5 lakh for permanent partial disability, up to Rs 2 lakh for hospital treatment, and up to Rs 10,000 for transporting mortal remains.
