Railway passengers who buy their tickets at a station counter are set to get accident insurance cover from 27 October 2026, after the Supreme Court directed Indian Railways to treat offline bookings on par with online ones.
The direction was issued on 6 October 2026 by a bench of Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and R Mahadevan. It came during hearings on railway safety that arose after the June 2023 train accident in Odisha.
What the court has directed
Until now, the low-cost travel insurance offered with train tickets has been available only to passengers booking e-tickets through the IRCTC website or app, where it is an opt-in checkbox at the time of booking. Passengers queuing at reservation counters had no equivalent option.
The court said the same insurance protection must be available for tickets sold over the counter, and set 27 October 2026 as the date from which this should apply. According to Outlook Money, the bench expressed displeasure that the Railways had not made enough progress on building a system for offline passengers despite earlier directions. It also observed that counter tickets are largely bought by people from the poorest sections of society, who most need such protection.
The Railway Board has been held directly responsible for any failure to implement the order. Outlook Money reports that the Board's Chairman and members have been asked to appear before the court in person on 16 November 2026.
What the existing online cover offers
Under the current scheme for e-tickets, the premium is 45 paise per passenger, including taxes. As reported by Business Standard and Angel One, the cover includes:
- Up to ₹10 lakh for accidental death or permanent total disability
- Up to ₹7.5 lakh for permanent partial disability, depending on severity
- Up to ₹2 lakh towards hospitalisation expenses for injuries
- ₹10,000 for transporting mortal remains
These amounts describe the existing online scheme. Whether counter tickets will carry exactly the same benefits and terms has not yet been officially detailed.
What is still unclear
Several practical points had not been announced as of the latest reports: the premium for counter tickets, whether the cover will be automatic or optional, how insurance details will be printed or sent to passengers, and how claims will be filed and verified. No official circular from the Ministry of Railways or IRCTC on these details was available at the time of writing.
Jargon explained
Permanent total disability means an injury that leaves a person permanently unable to work or carry out daily activities, such as loss of both eyes or both limbs. Permanent partial disability covers a lasting but partial loss, such as loss of one limb, and is usually paid as a percentage of the sum insured. This kind of cover is personal accident insurance; it is separate from, and does not replace, a regular health insurance policy.