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To file a railway-accident travel-insurance claim in India, notify the insurer named in your IRCTC insurance SMS or certificate, submit the written claim and supporting papers within four months of the accident, and keep a separate Railway Claims Tribunal case if you are also seeking statutory compensation. The optional IRCTC e-ticket cover pays up to ₹10 lakh for death or permanent total disability, but the insurer—not IRCTC or the tribunal—settles that policy benefit. A tribunal claim is a different application against the railway administration.
This guide explains eligibility, benefit amounts, documents, insurer contacts, exclusions, payment timelines and the steps for both routes. It covers the IRCTC scheme and identifies what remains different for a travel policy bought elsewhere.
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Which claim should you file after a train accident?
Most families should examine two separate routes: an insurance claim under the policy attached to the ticket and a no-fault claim before the Railway Claims Tribunal. They arise from different contracts and laws, use different forms and deadlines, and are sent to different recipients.
| Route | Who pays | Who can apply | Key deadline | Where to file |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IRCTC optional travel insurance | The insurer named on the certificate or SMS | Insured passenger, nominee or legal heir | Written claim within four months of the event | Nearest office or claims channel of that insurer |
| Railway Claims Tribunal | Railway administration, after a tribunal award | Injured passenger, authorised agent, guardian or dependant | Form II asks for reasons if filed after one year | Registrar of the bench with jurisdiction |
The Supreme Court ruling reported in October 2026 and the existing IRCTC terms do not turn these into one process. Submit the insurance file to the insurer and, where appropriate, make a separate tribunal application. Ask the tribunal or a lawyer how any particular payment should be treated before signing a settlement.
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Section 128 of the Railways Act is described by the RTI Wiki’s explanation of railway compensation as preserving rights under other laws and contracts while preventing recovery more than once for the same accident. The practical point is to disclose the insurance claim in the tribunal case rather than assuming one route automatically cancels the other.
Does the IRCTC travel-insurance cover apply to your ticket?
The published 45-paise scheme is an optional group personal-accident cover bought during an eligible IRCTC e-ticket booking. It is not available after booking, and selecting it applies to every passenger on that PNR.
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- The ticket must be confirmed (CNF), RAC or partly confirmed (PartCNF) when booked.
- The booking must be an IRCTC e-ticket made by an Indian citizen through the IRCTC NGeT website or app. Foreign citizens are excluded from this scheme.
- The premium reported by IRCTC is 45 paise per passenger, inclusive of taxes, for bookings from 17 February 2024. The earlier 35-paise rate applied from 1 November 2021 and is historical, not the current figure.
- Insurance information is sent by SMS and registered email, with a nomination link. The policy number can also appear in IRCTC booking history.
- A child under five travelling without a paid seat or berth is excluded. Financial Express reports that children aged five to 11, whether or not they have a berth, are insured when a ticket is purchased.
The Economic Times account of the IRCTC terms quotes IRCTC: “Optional Travel Insurance facility is provided only for CNF/RAC/PartCNF tickets at the time of booking. The premium w.e.f 17-Feb-2024 is 45 paise per passenger inclusive of all taxes.”
The cover generally runs from the train’s actual departure at the originating station through actual arrival at the destination, including boarding and alighting. If Railways arranges an alternative vehicle after short termination and the passenger accepts it, that continuation is covered to the destination. A diverted route and a Vikalp replacement train remain covered under the published terms.
How much can the IRCTC policy pay?
The following amounts are the IRCTC benefit figures reported by Financial Express on 21 October 2026. They are policy sums, not a tribunal award.
| Event | Maximum benefit | Important condition |
|---|---|---|
| Accidental death | ₹10,00,000 | Accidental injury must directly and independently result in death within 12 months, subject to the certificate wording. |
| Permanent total disability | ₹10,00,000 | Disability must meet the policy definition and occur within the specified period. |
| Permanent partial disability | ₹7,50,000 | Reported as 75% of the ₹10 lakh sum insured for the listed disability. |
| Hospitalisation for injury | Up to ₹2,00,000 | Inpatient and eligible day-care injury treatment; no outpatient charges under the 2023 policy account. |
| Transport of mortal remains | Up to ₹10,000 | For death solely and directly caused by the covered rail accident or untoward incident. |
Hospitalisation is in addition to the death or disability benefit. IRCTC states that payments for multiple claims for one insured person during one policy period cannot exceed the applicable sum insured, while medical expenses and carriage of the body are payable in addition when applicable. The Financial Express report reproduces those terms.
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Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallThe 2023 policy account says room rent was capped at 2% and ICU/CCU at 4% of the relevant sum insured, but it does not make clear whether the percentage is calculated on the ₹2 lakh hospitalisation limit or the ₹10 lakh accident sum. Do not turn those percentages into a daily rupee figure without reading your certificate. Initial treatment should be taken at the nearest hospital to the accident site; specialised treatment should follow a written referral from that hospital.
What should you do immediately after the accident?
- Preserve the booking trail. Save the PNR, ticket PDF, train number, date, class, passenger list, insurer SMS and policy email. Screenshot the IRCTC booking-history page showing the policy number.
- Obtain railway and police records. Ask for the railway authority’s accident or untoward-incident report. For death or serious injury, request the FIR, post-mortem report where applicable, death certificate and hospital records.
- Notify the correct insurer promptly. The four-month limit is the outer submission period for this scheme, but early intimation makes it easier to obtain railway and medical documents. Use the phone, email or URL printed on your own certificate.
- Keep originals and copies. Insurers may require numbered bills, stamped receipts, diagnostic films, KYC and a bank mandate. Send copies unless the insurer specifically asks for originals, and retain proof of delivery.
How do you file the IRCTC insurance claim?
Follow these steps for the group policy attached to the e-ticket.
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- Confirm that cover existed. Check the insurer SMS or email and the policy number in IRCTC booking history. If the email is missing, the PNR can allow the insurer to locate the group certificate.
- Register the claim with the issuing insurer. Quote the policy number and PNR, passenger name, train, journey date, accident location and nature of loss. A nominee or legal heir registers a death claim; the insured, nominee or legal heir may register disability or hospitalisation claims as permitted by the certificate.
- Complete the personal-accident claim form. Give a clear chronology and sign the form. Include the NEFT mandate: account number, IFSC, account type and a personalised cancelled cheque, or a bank-attested passbook or statement showing the account holder’s name.
- Attach identity and authority documents. Include photo identity for the nominee or claimant. A death claim without a recorded nominee requires a legal-heir or succession certificate; the insurer may also ask for KYC of the insured, nominee or heirs.
- Add event and medical proof. Attach the railway report, FIR, death certificate, post-mortem report, doctor’s or civil surgeon’s disability certificate, discharge summary, bills, prescriptions and diagnostic reports as relevant to the benefit.
- Send the complete pack within four months. The written claim and supporting information go to the insurer’s nearest office or designated claims channel. Ask for an acknowledgement or claim number.
- Answer follow-up requests. The scheme terms reported by Financial Express and Business Standard say payment is due within 15 days after the last necessary document is received. If an accepted settlement is paid more than seven days late, interest is described as 2 percentage points above the bank rate at the start of the financial year in which the claim is filed and reviewed.
The four-month rule is repeated in the Business Standard policy account, the Economic Times report and the 2026 Financial Express report. A late claim should still be notified immediately with an explanation; do not assume an automatic waiver.
Which documents are required for each insurance benefit?
Death
- Railway authority report confirming the accident or untoward incident.
- Railway report identifying passengers declared dead.
- Personal-accident claim form signed by the nominee or legal heir.
- Nominee’s photo identity proof.
- NEFT mandate and personalised cancelled cheque or equivalent bank proof.
- FIR, post-mortem report and death certificate where requested by the insurer.
- Legal-heir or succession certificate when no nominee was declared.
IRCTC’s quoted rule is strict about the payee: “For Death Claims, claims will be settled only to the nominee declared at the time of buying insurance through IRCTC portal. In absence of a nominee, claim will be paid to Legal Heir only – as per Legal Heir / Succession Certificate.” If several heirs exist, the insurer may ask for additional declarations, indemnities or no-objection affidavits.
Permanent disability
- Railway accident or untoward-incident report.
- Attending doctor’s report describing the extent of disability.
- Attested disability certificate from the civil surgeon or treating hospital stating the percentage.
- Medical bills linked to prescriptions.
- FIR, X-rays, scans, investigation reports and films supporting the disablement.
- Photographs before and after the disability.
- Signed claim form and NEFT documents.
Hospitalisation
- Railway authority report, where required by the certificate.
- Discharge summary.
- Original hospital and medical bills matching prescriptions.
- Numbered, signed and stamped advance and final receipts.
- Prescriptions and diagnostic reports, including the doctor’s advice for tests.
- Cash memos for medicines purchased outside the hospital.
- Claim form, identity and bank mandate.
Transport of mortal remains
IRCTC’s 2023 account said no documentary evidence was required, but later insurer checklists ask for transport bills. Keep every receipt and submit it; the benefit is capped at ₹10,000 and may be reimbursed against actuals.
Why do insurer checklists differ?
There is no single universal checklist that overrides the certificate issued for your PNR. Lists quoted from IRCTC treat the railway authority report as a core document, while the SBI General IRCTC checklist marks the railway report “not mandatory” for some disablement and hospitalisation files and asks for transport bills for a mortal-remains claim.
That SBI sheet lists, for a death claim, a signed claim form or plain-paper application, nominee identity, legal-heir papers where necessary, proof of death from railway authorities or the deceased’s ticket, and beneficiary bank details. For disablement it lists the medical bills, disability certificate or discharge summary, photographs and NEFT documents. For hospitalisation it asks for an intimation letter, bill summary, discharge summary, numbered receipts, prescriptions, diagnostics, pharmacy cash memos and NEFT details.
Use the checklist of the insurer named on your SMS. If it says a railway report is not mandatory, still request and preserve one because another claims examiner or a tribunal may require it. If a document cannot be obtained, explain why in writing and ask what substitute proof is accepted.
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What if the policy email or certificate is missing?
Start with the PNR. Liberty General Insurance told the Economic Times that a valid PNR lets it check its database and coordinate with IRCTC to confirm whether the passenger was insured. The insurer can then register the claim through its toll-free number or dedicated email, even when the family cannot find the original policy email.
The PNR is not a substitute for every document. It identifies the journey and helps retrieve the group certificate; the insurer will still need proof of the accident, identity, entitlement and loss. Search bank or card records for the ticket transaction, ask co-passengers or relatives for the ticket PDF, and request a duplicate booking record from IRCTC.
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Which insurer should receive the claim?
The panel has changed over time. A 2023 account named Liberty General Insurance and SBI General; 2024 and 2026 reports name Liberty General Insurance, Royal Sundaram General Insurance and United India Insurance. The company printed on your certificate controls. Do not send every claim to one insurer simply because an older article names it.
The IRCTC Tejas claim-process PDF prints the following intimation channels. That PDF is specifically for IRCTC-operated Tejas Express circuits, so use your own certificate’s contact first:
- Liberty General Insurance: 1800-266-5844 (8 a.m.–8 p.m., daily) and [email protected].
- Royal Sundaram General Insurance: IRCTC claim-intimation page, 1800 568 9999 (24 hours) and [email protected].
- United India Insurance: IRCTC claim-intimation page, 1800 425 333 33 (10 a.m.–5:45 p.m., Monday–Friday), [email protected] and [email protected].
- SBI General Insurance: the published checklist gives 1800 210 3366, 1800 210 6366 and [email protected] for certificates that name SBI.
What exclusions can defeat an IRCTC claim?
Check the exclusions on the certificate before promising a payout. The published e-ticket and Tejas materials describe exclusions for:
- Suicide, attempted suicide or intentional self-injury.
- Intoxication or the influence of alcohol or drugs.
- Crossing railway tracks.
- Criminal or unlawful acts, specified hazardous or adventurous activities, war and nuclear risks.
- Natural disease or medical treatment unless treatment was necessary because of injury from the covered incident.
- Booking a ticket but not boarding, whether or not it was later cancelled.
- Travelling on an unconfirmed ticket in circumstances excluded by the wording.
- Events outside the insured journey.
- Personal belongings, which are not covered by this accident scheme.
The Tejas PDF also refers to an accident before or after the journey and to train-delay timing. It is a narrower operational manual, not a replacement for the wording on every IRCTC e-ticket certificate. An insurer’s decision should be tested against the actual certificate and evidence, not a generic list.
How is a Railway Claims Tribunal case different?
The tribunal route is statutory no-fault compensation under sections 124 and 124A of the Railways Act 1989. It is not an insurance claim and should not be filed by sending Form II to the insurer.
The law, as summarised by the RTI Wiki, covers train accidents such as derailments and collisions and “untoward incidents” including specified violent attacks, robbery, arson and the accidental falling of a passenger from a train. Its proviso excludes suicide or attempted suicide, self-inflicted injury, the passenger’s own criminal act, intoxication or insanity, and natural disease or treatment unless it was necessary because of the incident.
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Tribunal compensation figures
The RTI Wiki attributes the following amounts to the Compensation Amendment Rules, 2016, in force from 1 January 2017. The Gazette text was not reproduced in the source, so verify the schedule with the tribunal for a current case.
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- ₹8,00,000 for death and for the most serious listed losses.
- ₹7,20,000 for amputation through the shoulder joint.
- ₹4,00,000 for loss of four fingers of one hand.
- ₹2,40,000 for loss of a thumb.
How to submit Form II
- Prepare Form II in triplicate and present it to the Registrar, or send it by registered post. An applicant, authorised agent or legal practitioner may file it.
- Where there is more than one respondent, add the required copies and unused file-size envelopes addressed to each respondent.
- Choose the bench connected with the applicant’s residence, ticket-purchase location, accident location or destination station.
- Attach a Form IV receipt slip and retain proof of the filing date.
- If filing after one year, state the reasons for delay in the Form II grounds section. Do not leave the explanation blank.
- Ask for interim relief on Form V when urgent expenses require it; the RTI Wiki describes it as adjustable against the final award.
The Railway Claims Tribunal’s application guidance asks for the victim’s name, parent or spouse details, address, age, occupation, employer, accident date and place, train and class, and ticket or pass number where known. Facilitate adjudication with the post-mortem report, FIR, medical report, death certificate, heirship proof and evidence that the victim was a bona fide passenger. No fee is charged for an accident or untoward-incident claim.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What is ex-gratia relief, and is it the same as compensation?
Ex-gratia is immediate relief paid by Railways after qualifying incidents; it is not the final tribunal award and is not the IRCTC insurance benefit. The RTI Wiki, citing a September 2023 Ministry of Railways revision, reports these rates: for a section 124 train accident, ₹5,00,000 for death, ₹2,50,000 for grievous injury and ₹50,000 for simple injury; for a section 124A untoward incident, ₹1,50,000, ₹50,000 and ₹5,000 respectively. It also reports ₹3,000 per day for a grievously injured passenger hospitalised beyond 30 days, up to 12 months.
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The same source says ex-gratia is not deducted from the final compensation claim. Take the payment record and disclose it in any tribunal or insurance file rather than treating it as a substitute for either process.
What if the travel policy was bought outside IRCTC?
A separately purchased travel policy is a different contract. Its accident, medical, baggage and notification rules control, not the 45-paise IRCTC wording. Some general travel policies require notice within 24–72 hours for an accident or medical emergency, according to Dook International’s 2026 account, while the IRCTC scheme states a four-month written-claim period. If you hold both policies, notify each insurer within its own deadline.
Follow the issuing insurer’s grievance clause. For a non-IRCTC policy, the escalation path may run from the insurer’s grievance officer to IRDAI’s Bima Bharosa portal and then the Insurance Ombudsman, but do not assume that route replaces an IRCTC certificate’s arbitration or jurisdiction clause.
What changed for counter-booked tickets after 27 October 2026?
Financial Express and Moneycontrol reported that a Supreme Court direction required Indian Railways to extend insurance to passengers buying tickets at station counters from 27 October 2026. As of the reporting available on 13 November 2026, the operative counter-ticket policy wording, premium, insurer panel, opt-out rules and claim channel were not set out in those sources.
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Common mistakes that delay or sink a claim
- Sending an insurance claim only to the Railway Claims Tribunal, or sending Form II only to an insurer.
- Waiting beyond four months to submit the IRCTC insurance claim.
- Assuming a missing policy email makes a claim impossible instead of giving the insurer the PNR.
- Using a checklist for a different insurer or an old policy year.
- Failing to nominate a beneficiary or losing the legal-heir documents needed when no nominee exists.
- Submitting undated, unstamped or unmatched medical bills.
- Claiming for a passenger who bought a ticket but never boarded, or for an unconfirmed ticket excluded by the wording.
- Assuming personal belongings are included in a personal-accident policy.
- Treating ex-gratia relief as the tribunal award or the insurance settlement.
- Applying the online scheme’s terms automatically to a post-27 October 2026 counter ticket.
Keep a single claim file with the PNR, policy certificate, every acknowledgement, railway and police reports, medical records, bank proof and a dated chronology. That file can support both the insurer and tribunal routes without mixing their forms.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a family claim if the passenger’s PNR is available but the policy number is not?
Yes, the PNR can help the insurer match the passenger to the group certificate in its IRCTC database. The family should provide the PNR, journey details and passenger identity, then obtain the claim number and any replacement certificate the insurer can issue.
Does accepting ex-gratia money waive a later tribunal claim?
The RTI Wiki’s account of the Ministry’s 2023 rates says ex-gratia is not deducted from the final award. Disclose the payment and retain the receipt; do not sign a broader release without understanding its wording.
Can a nominee file while the legal-heir certificate is pending?
A recorded nominee is normally the payee for a death claim under the IRCTC terms. If no nominee was recorded, the insurer can require a legal-heir or succession certificate, so notify the insurer within four months and ask whether it will register the file while the formal certificate is obtained.
What happens if an insurer rejects the claim?
Request the written reason, the exact exclusion or condition relied on, and the evidence considered. Use the insurer’s internal grievance route; for a policy outside IRCTC, the policy may then direct you to Bima Bharosa or the Insurance Ombudsman, while an IRCTC certificate may contain its own arbitration and New Delhi jurisdiction clauses.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a family claim if the passenger’s PNR is available but the policy number is not?
Yes. The insurer can use the PNR to match the passenger to the IRCTC group certificate; provide the journey details and identity and ask for a claim number.
Does accepting ex-gratia money waive a later tribunal claim?
The reported Ministry rates say ex-gratia is not deducted from the final award. Disclose it and keep the receipt, and do not sign a release without advice.
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A recorded nominee is normally paid directly. Without a nominee, notify the insurer within four months and ask whether it will register the claim while heirship papers are obtained.
What happens if an insurer rejects the claim?
Ask for the written reason and clause relied upon, then use the grievance route on the certificate. Policies outside IRCTC may provide Bima Bharosa or Ombudsman escalation, while IRCTC certificates may specify arbitration.
