There’s something just so romantic about train travel that flights just don’t have. From the iconic DDLJ to Chennai Express, travelling on a train in India is an emotion. Plus, the good news is that incidents of railway accidents have been decreasing, with the Indian Railways reporting a four-fold decrease in accidents from an average of one every 0.12 million train kilometres in 2012 to 0.03 in 2022. Yet, having insurance is as important as knowing your PNR number.
This is because we can never predict when a mishap might occur. It is so easy and affordable to get IRCTC travel insurance that there is no excuse to leave yourself and your loved ones unprotected against calamities. It only takes one click to add train travel insurance while booking your e-tickets.
Have a PNR? Get Travel Insurance
IRCTC travel insurance is not mandatory but can prove to be immensely useful since it covers incidents, such as train collisions and derailments. Such travel insurance is usually offered by many general insurance companies under the Personal Accident Cover. With IRCTC, travel insurance is only available to Indian citizens and is linked to the PNR number on your ticket. The benefits of train travel insurance include coverage of up to ₹10 lakhs for total or partial disability or death due to a train mishap for a premium of just ₹0.35 per passenger.
What You Should Remember About Train Travel Insurance
Although IRCTC travel insurance is optional, if chosen, the coverage is compulsory for all passengers travelling under the same PNR.
Children younger than 5 years do not need a ticket to travel and therefore do not come under the purview of train travel insurance.
Train travel insurance can only be availed by passengers with a PNR number associated with confirmed, Reservation Against Cancellation (RAC) or Partially Confirmed (Part CNF) tickets.
Although insurance coverage is available via the IRCTC, all claims and liabilities are dealt with by the insurance company providing the travel insurance plan for rail passengers.
Insurance for train travellers includes coverage for death, partial and total permanent disability, hospitalisation expenses, as well as transportation of mortal remains.
Claims Settlement for IRCTC Travel Insurance
Claims against travel insurance plans for rail passengers need to be filed within four months of a mishap or accident. Claims are settled only after the railway authorities submit a report with the list of passengers who have lost their lives or suffered injuries. The claims are processed through National Electronics Funds Transfer (NEFT) after verifying the necessary documents.
Don’t Forget to Add a Nominee to Your Train Travel Insurance
Once you have chosen a travel insurance plan for rail passengers on the IRCTC portal and have received your PNR number, click on the link sent by the insurance company via email or SMS and fill in your nominee details. This is crucial because if anything untoward were to occur, claims can only be filed by the nominee(s) named on the policy.
The IRCTC offers possibly the cheapest travel insurance in the world. Yet, the Odisha train tragedy of June 2023 revealed that only 30% of the passengers had opted for this cover. Don’t let unexpected events derail your financial health or mental peace. Make the smart choice to reap the benefits of travel insurance.
