Here comes a big update for the Indian Railways passengers as they now can avail Optional Travel Insurance Scheme while purchasing e-tickets by paying a premium of 45 paisa, inclusive of all taxes, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
Travel insurance available only only for Confirmed/RAC passengers
Giving further details, Vaishnaw said that all passengers can book tickets through online mode or at reservation counters; however, the Optional Travel Insurance Scheme (OTIS) is available only to those Confirmed/RAC passengers who have booked their tickets online.
“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,” Vaishnaw said.
The insurance premium is Rs 0.45 per passenger
He further stated that 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,” he added.
As per the Union Railway Minister, the Railway passengers receive the policy information through SMS on their registered mobile and email IDs directly from the insurance company, along with the link for filing nomination details. Apart from this, the insurance company is directly responsible for policy issuance and claims settlement, as the claim liability is between the insured and the insurance company.
Passengers can file claim directly with insurance company
The Railway minister also added that passengers file the claim directly with the insurance company as per the documents received through email from the insurance company, and filing of claim is a continuous process between the passenger and insurance company.
The Railway Minister further added that the Optional Travel Insurance Scheme is an effective and passenger-friendly scheme as it offers insurance coverage at a low premium of Rs 0.45/-, making it affordable and accessible for all passengers who book e-ticket.
He also stated that the passengers can seamlessly opt-in/opt-out easily by simply checking the Tick Box while booking tickets on the IRCTC website or app.
(With inputs from PTI)
