NEW DELHI: Indian Railways has extended the optional travel insurance facility for the passengers booking reserved tickets through offline mode or from Railway counters.
Till now, the facility was available for reserved tickets booked online only.
The passengers will be charged 45 paise premium per counter ticket, same as e-ticket premium.
The Railway Ministry has directed all the zonal railways to ensure the implementation by October 27, as ordered by the top court, and have asked the staff to appropriately inform the passengers about the availability of the facility.
The payment of the premium for insurance will be done digitally only.
While the Railways’ move will now cover all reserved class passengers, the second class or general class passengers that comprise the majority of those travelling on trains are still not covered under the existing insurance policy.
The travel insurance is also not applicable for the children below 5 years of age who book the ticket without berth or seat. It is applicable for the children of 5-11 years of age who book the ticket with berth or without berth.
According to the Railways, Where a passenger opts for insurance, the applicable premium shall be collected along with the ticket fare through digital means only.
Reservation staff shall ensure that the mobile number (mandatory) along with requisite passenger particulars, are captured accurately in accordance with the prescribed reservation procedure, so as to facilitate transmission of the relevant details to the insurance company for issuance of the policy.
It further said that the adequate instructions shall be issued to reservation supervisors and counter staff regarding the optional nature of the insurance facility, the procedure for recording the passenger’s choice, collection of premium and handling of passenger queries.
Passengers opting for insurance shall be informed that the policy details will be communicated to their registered mobile number, the Railways maintains.
The existing terms and conditions of Optional Travel Insurance Scheme (OTIS) for e-ticket passengers as issued by IRCTC will be equally applicable to insurance policies issued in respect of tickets purchased through PRS counters.
In an order on October 6, the Supreme Court ordered the Railway Board to extend the insurance facility to offline or counter tickets.
Though with the push for digitisation, over 87 per cent of the railway tickets are booked online, but a lot of passengers coming from remote areas still rely on the counter tickets for travel.
“Court has granted sufficient time to the authorities to devise a mechanism for extending such coverage to persons belonging to the lowest strata of society, who, in most cases, purchase their tickets at the railway reservation counters while undertaking journeys by train,” the Supreme Court had said.
According to existing guidelines of IRCTC, the scheme applies only to Indian citizens and is provided only for confirmed, partly confirmed, and RAC (Reservation Against Cancellation) tickets at the time of booking only.
The travel insurance is necessary for the passengers to get compensation in the wake of train accidents and untoward incidents for deaths and injuries. While the Railways have to mandatory pay compensation in such cases as per the existing law, it also offers option third party travel insurance as a protection cover.
The claim and liabilities fall between the passengers and insurance companies. Railways only provide links with insurance companies through its website to take insurance cover for the passengers.
The scheme covers death, permanent total disability, partial disability, and hospitalisation expenses for injury and transportation of mortal remains following rail accidents or untoward incidents.
The sum insured under the insurance scheme ranges from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 10 lakh, based on the severity. (BVI)
