IRCTC Changes Travel Insurance Rules: Know How To Secure Your Train Journey?

Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corp (IRCTC) until now provided free and mandatory travel insurance coverage each time you booked your train ticket via its website or app. But the travel insurance rules laid down by IRCTC have changed from September 1, 2018 and it is no longer free or mandatory.

IRCTC Changes Travel Insurance Rules: Know How To Secure Your Train Journey?

Eligibility for IRCTC travel insurance

Any passenger while booking e-ticket for train travel via IRCTC website or app can avail of the travel insurance. There is no insurance however for children aged less than five years. Also this travel insurance is available only for Indian citizens and foreign nationals cannot avail of IRCTCs travel insurance scheme.

Flight ticket booking sites also offer travel insurance but at a comparatively higher rate while the ticket is being purchased.

For buying travel insurance, on the IRCTC website while booking the train e-ticket users will find an option for travel insurance wherein they may choose as per their discretion whether they want travel insurance or not.

Secure train travel insurance at a near-zero premium of 68 paise

Even though train travel insurance is no longer mandatory you should still be opting it as it is available at a mere premium of 68 paise. And for this amount, you can get financial protection to the extent of Rs. 10 lakh against any untoward incident during travel including train accidents, robbery etc.

Insurance coverage extended in IRCTCs travel insurance scheme

For death and permanent total disability of the train passenger due to train accident or any other untoward instance, the travel insurance scheme by IRCTC offers Rs. 10 lakh coverage.

In case of permanent partial disability, IRCTC extends Rs. 7.5 lakh cover. Also, there is an additional benefit given for hospitalization expenses in case of injury to the tune of Rs. 2 lakh over and above the coverage for death and disability.

Other than accidents, acts such as dacoity, theft as well as other violent actions during the travel are covered in the policy.

Claim filing
After the travel insurance policy is purchased for your train journey, the insurance company sends the policy cover note to your e-mail Id. Interestingly, IRCTC has tied-up with 3 insurers including Shriram General Insurance Company, ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company Limited and Royal Sundaram General Insurance Co. Limited. So you thus buy the travel policy from any of these insurers and not IRCTC.

Hence, after you purchase the policy it is important that you notify the details of nominee on the respective insurer's website else without it in case of a claim the settlement will be done with legal heirs.

Goodreturns.in