**Executive Summary:**
This document summarizes a response to a parliamentary question regarding the Optional Travel Insurance Scheme (OTIS) offered to passengers booking e-tickets through IRCTC. It details the scheme's availability, premium, claim process, and amounts paid out over the last five years. The scheme is deemed effective and passenger-friendly, with no immediate plans for review mentioned.
**Key Points / Main Content:**
* **Optional Travel Insurance Scheme (OTIS):**
* Available to Confirmed/RAC passengers booking e-tickets online.
* Passengers can opt-in at their own discretion during ticket booking.
* Provides additional insurance cover to those who opt-in and pay the premium.
* **Premium and Policy Information:**
* The current premium is Rs. 0.45 per passenger per trip, inclusive of all taxes.
* Policy information is sent via SMS and email to the passenger's registered contact details directly from the insurance company.
* This includes a link for filing nomination details.
* **Claims and Settlement:**
* The insurance company is directly responsible for policy issuance and claims settlement.
* The claim liability lies between the insured and the insurance company.
* Passengers file claims directly with the insurance company as per the provided documents.
* Claim filing is a continuous process between the passenger and the insurance company.
* **Performance and Monitoring:**
* In the last five years, 333 claims were settled, and Rs. 27.22 Crores were paid out by insurance companies.
* The scheme is considered effective and passenger-friendly due to its low premium and ease of opt-in/opt-out.
* **Accessibility:**
* Passengers can opt-in/opt-out easily by simply checking the Tick Box while booking tickets on the IRCTC website or app.
* The process is simple and integrated, requiring no separate application or documentation at the time of booking.
**Impact Analysis:**
* **Passengers:**
* *Impact:* Passengers booking e-tickets have the option to avail travel insurance at a nominal premium. Passengers who have experienced incidents covered by the insurance and who have chosen to opt in to the optional scheme, will receive compensation.
* *Action Required:* Passengers must opt-in during ticket booking and file claims directly with the insurance company if needed.
* **Insurance Companies:**
* *Impact:* Insurance companies are responsible for policy issuance, claims assessment, and settlement under the OTIS.
* *Action Required:* Insurance companies need to process claims and disburse payments as per the policy terms.
* **IRCTC:**
* *Impact:* IRCTC facilitates the offering of the insurance scheme on its platform.
* *Action Required:* IRCTC needs to maintain the opt-in/opt-out functionality on its website and app.
Key Entities Referenced
Indian Railways: The government agency responsible for the railway network in India.
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Parliament of India, where the question was raised.
SHRI BABU SINGH KUSHWAHA: The Member of Parliament who raised the unstarred question.
RAIL TRAVEL INSURANCE: The subject of the Lok Sabha question, referring to the optional insurance scheme for rail passengers.
Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC): The organization responsible for online ticketing and catering services of Indian Railways.
SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW: The Minister of Railways, Information Broadcasting and Electronics Information Technology, who provided the answer to the question.
Optional Travel Insurance Scheme (OTIS): The optional insurance scheme offered to passengers booking e-tickets through IRCTC.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2902
TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.08.2025
RAIL TRAVEL INSURANCE
† 2902. SHRI BABU SINGH KUSHWAHA:
Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:
(a) whether it is a fact that optional travel insurance is offered to passengers
who book e-tickets through the Indian Railways Catering and Tourism
Corporation (IRCTC);
(b) if so, the details of the total premium collected from passengers by the
insurance companies under rail travel insurance during the last five years,
year and company-wise;
(c) the total number of claims received/ accepted/ pending during the said period
as on date;
(d) the details of total amount distributed by the insurance companies to the
affected passengers/ their relatives under these claims;
(e) whether the said insurance scheme is monitored by the Government and
ensures timely and transparent delivery of insurance benefits to the
beneficiaries, if so, the details thereof; and
(f) whether the Government proposes to review and make the said scheme
more effective and passenger-friendly and if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF RAILWAYS, INFORMATION & BROADCASTING AND
ELECTRONICS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
(SHRI ASHWINI VAISHNAW)
(a) to (f) : All reserved passengers can book tickets through online mode or
at reservation counters. An Optional Travel Insurance Scheme (OTIS) is
Contd..2/--2-
available as an option for the Confirmed/RAC passengers who book an online
e-ticket. Any passenger who wishes to avail insurance benefit can opt for
this scheme at the time of booking the ticket at his/her own discretion. The
scheme is available to the passengers who book e-tickets and it provides
additional insurance cover to those who have opted for it and paid the
premium.
Currently, the premium is Rs. 0.45/- (Forty Five Paisa) per passenger
per trip inclusive of all taxes to avail insurance through Optional Travel
Insurance Scheme.
The passenger opts for the insurance scheme at the time of booking
ticket and pays the premium along with fare. The passenger receives the
policy information through SMS on their registered mobile and email IDs
directly from Insurance Company along with the link for filing nomination
details. The insurance company is directly responsible for policy issuance
and claims settlement. The claim liability is between the insured and
insurance company.
Passenger file the claim directly with the insurance company as per
the documents received through e-mail from the insurance company. Filing of
claim is a continuous process between the passenger and insurance
company. During the last 05 years 333 claims were settled by insurance
companies after filing of claims by passengers and an amount of Rs. 27.22
Crores has been paid by the insurance companies to the passengers.
The Optional Travel Insurance Scheme is an effective and passenger-
friendly scheme. It offers insurance coverage at a low premium of ₹0.45/-,
making it affordable and accessible for all passengers who book e-ticket.
Passengers can seamlessly opt-in/opt-out easily by simply checking the Tick
Box while booking tickets on IRCTC website or app. The process is simple
and integrated, requiring no separate application or documentation at the
time of booking.
****