In a bid to enhance passenger safety, Indian Railways has introduced a new facility for its passengers, following a tragic accident in Odisha’s Balasore where the Shalimar-Chennai Coromandel Express and Bangalore-Howrah Superfast Express derailed, along with a freight train.
The collision resulted in the loss of 260 lives, leaving over 900 people injured. As a crucial lesson from this incident, Indian Railways has now initiated a mandatory insurance cover for passengers at the time of ticket booking, aiming to minimize financial risks.
Comprehensive Insurance Cover of Rs 10 Lakhs for a Nominal Fee
Previously, the option of travel insurance was available to passengers before booking train tickets. However, the insurance coverage was optional.
Now, Indian Railways has made it mandatory, ensuring that insurance coverage worth Rs 10 lakhs is automatically provided as soon as the ticket is booked through IRCTC.
Remarkably, passengers can avail this extensive insurance cover by paying a meager amount of 35 paise.
Streamlined Claim Process for Insurance Coverage
Under this new facility, passengers can claim insurance within four months of a train accident. To avail the insurance coverage provided by IRCTC, passengers can file a claim by visiting the office of the insurance company.
It is crucial for passengers to specify the name of their nominee while purchasing the insurance, ensuring a smooth claims process in the unfortunate event of an accident.
In the case of an accident during the journey, the insurance company will provide a compensation of Rs 10 lakhs to the victim.
The amount of the claim will vary based on the severity of the injuries sustained by the passenger in different accident scenarios.
