Train Ticket Insurance Mandatory From Oct 27 for Counter Tickets: SC

Buying a train ticket at a railway counter will soon come with the same safety net that online passengers already get. The Supreme Court has directed Indian Railways to extend travel insurance cover to tickets booked at reservation counters, with the arrangement to take effect from October 27, 2026. The order was passed by a bench of Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and R Mahadevan, who made it clear that the Railway Board will be answerable if it is not carried out.

For crores of passengers who still queue up at station windows – many of them daily wage earners, students, elderly travellers and families from small towns – this is a significant change. Until now, only people booking e-tickets could opt for insurance by paying a tiny extra amount.

Why the Supreme Court Stepped In

The direction came in a long-running matter on railway passenger safety that grew out of the June 2023 train accident in Odisha, one of the worst rail disasters in recent memory. The case has also touched on the rollout of Kavach, the indigenous automatic train protection system meant to prevent collisions.

Earlier in the proceedings, the bench had given railway authorities time to build a mechanism that would let offline ticket buyers, including people from the poorest sections of society, get the same insurance protection. When the matter came up on October 6, the court found that no real progress had been made. Instead of granting more time, the bench issued the direction itself and asked the Railways to put the system in place within two weeks.

The judges were sharply critical of the way the issue had been handled. The court recorded its "utter disappointment and displeasure" with officers who, it said, had not taken the matter seriously and had offered only assurances on paper. It also noted that budget allocations for areas flagged by the amicus curiae in the case were lying underused.

What Online Passengers Get Today

The optional travel insurance available on IRCTC e-tickets is one of the cheapest covers in the country. Here is how the existing scheme works, as reported:

Equal Protection, However You Book

At the heart of the order is a simple principle: a passenger's safety net should not depend on whether they own a smartphone or have a bank card. A labourer travelling from Bihar to Mumbai in a general or sleeper class coach faces the same risks as an office-goer who booked on an app. Yet, until now, only the second traveller could secure insurance worth lakhs of rupees for less than a rupee.

Counter bookings still make up a large share of journeys, especially for unreserved travel, short-distance trips and passengers in rural areas. That is exactly the group most likely to struggle financially if a family member is killed or seriously injured in an accident. Insurance experts have welcomed the move. Manas Kapoor, Business Head – Travel Insurance at Policybazaar, said the order "recognises it as an essential safeguard rather than an optional add-on."

What Is Still Not Clear

The court has fixed the deadline, but several practical details are yet to be announced by the Railways. These include:

1. Premium for counter tickets: It is not yet known whether counter buyers will pay the same 45 paise as online passengers, or whether the cost will be absorbed by the Railways.
2. Coverage limits: The court wants cover on par with online tickets, but the exact amounts for counter passengers will depend on the Railways' notification.
3. Proof of cover: How insured passengers will be identified, and whether a policy number will be printed on the paper ticket, is still to be worked out.
4. Claim process: The procedure for families to file claims after an accident will need to be spelt out for offline buyers.

What Passengers Should Do Now

Until the Railways issues formal guidelines, passengers do not need to take any action. Once the system goes live, a few simple habits can make a big difference if a claim ever has to be made:

1. Keep your printed ticket safe until the journey is complete, and photograph it on your phone as a backup.
2. Note the PNR number and share it with a family member before you travel.
3. In case of an accident, preserve hospital bills, discharge summaries and any police or railway report.
4. Watch for official announcements from the Railway Board and IRCTC on how counter-ticket cover will work.

It is also worth remembering that insurance does not mean an automatic payout for every incident on a train. Claims are subject to the terms of the policy, and the Railways is expected to publish those terms for counter passengers.

What Happens Next

With the October 27 date fixed by the top court, the Railways now has less than two weeks to tie up with insurers, update its passenger reservation system and train counter staff. The court has made it plain that it will hold the Railway Board responsible for any lapse, so a formal notification is likely in the coming days.

For the millions who still prefer, or have no option but, the station window, this order brings a long-overdue sense of fairness. When it comes into force, a ticket bought in cash at a small-town station should carry the same protection as one booked with a tap on a phone.

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