Train tickets bought at the station counter get insurance from 27 October
The Supreme Court has told Railways to insure counter tickets like online ones from 27 October 2026. What the online cover pays and what is still unclear.
If you buy your train ticket at the reservation counter, you may soon get the same accident insurance that online buyers can choose. The Supreme Court has directed Indian Railways to cover every ticket sold over the counter from 27 October 2026.
What the court said
- The order: On 6 October 2026, a bench of Justices Ahsanuddin Amanullah and R Mahadevan said that "all tickets sold over the counter at all railway stations shall also be covered by insurance", in the same way as tickets bought online.
- The date: the order must be carried out within two weeks, that is from 27 October 2026.
- Who is responsible: the court said the order is mandatory, and that the Railway Board will be directly responsible if it is not followed. The Chairman and members of the Railway Board have to appear before the court on 16 November 2026.
- Why: the court noted that counter tickets are bought mostly by poorer passengers, who need this protection the most. Until now, the insurance was offered only on tickets booked online.
What the online cover pays
Today, when you book on the IRCTC website or app, you can tick a box to add travel insurance for 45 paise per passenger, taxes included. It covers confirmed and RAC passengers, not waitlisted passengers or children under 5. The cover per passenger is:
- ₹10 lakh for death or permanent total disability in a train accident.
- Up to ₹7.5 lakh for permanent partial disability, depending on the injury.
- Up to ₹2 lakh for hospital costs after an injury.
- Up to ₹10,000 for transporting the body.
Claims go to the insurance company, not to IRCTC. These figures are for the online scheme, as reported by Business Today. The court asked for counter tickets to be covered in the same way.
What is still not clear
By 15 October 2026, Railways had not said how it will do this. We do not yet know:
- whether counter passengers will pay the 45 paise or Railways will pay it,
- whether the cover will be added to every ticket or you will have to ask for it,
- how a passenger or family member will file a claim without an online booking.
We will update this guide when Railways announces the details.
What you can do now
- Booking online: tick the insurance box. It costs less than a rupee and the cover is large.
- Booking at the counter after 27 October: ask the clerk whether your ticket includes insurance, and keep the ticket safe. It is your proof of travel for any claim.
- Tell your family where you keep your tickets when you travel, so they can find them if needed.
Sources: LiveLaw: Supreme Court directs Railways to insure tickets sold over the counter, Business Standard: SC directs Railways to insure all counter tickets from October 27, Business Standard: Train ticket insurance from October 27, how much cover will passengers get?, Outlook Money: Supreme Court directs Railways to offer cover for counter bookings, Business Today: Indian Railways offers ₹10 lakh travel insurance for 45 paise.
Rules, rates and limits change. Check the official source linked above before you rely on a figure here. Posts never contain referral or affiliate links from the writer.
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