Lok Sabha Question No. 3729 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-12-11
Subject: Optional Travel Insurance Scheme
Ministry: RAILWAYS
Asked by: A.K.P. Chinraj, Hemant Patil, Shrirang Appa Barne, Vinayak Bhaurao Raut, Heena Vijaykumar Gavit

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3729 TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.12.2019

## OPTIONAL TRAVEL INSURANCE SCHEME

## 3729.   SHRI A.K.P CHINRAJ:

SHRI HEMANT SRIRAM PATIL:

SHRI SHRIRANG APPA BARNE:

SHRI VINAYAK RAUT:

DR. HEENA GAVIT:

## Will the Minister of RAILWAYS be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  with  the  increase  in  the  incidents  of  railway  mishaps,  the Government has started an Optional Travel Insurance Scheme (OTIS) on pilot basis;
- (b) if  so,  the  details  thereof  along  with  the  total  quantum  of  insurance premium collected from passengers since its inception;
- the amount of compensation paid to rail travellers who have opted for OTIS  and  have  met  with  rail  accidents  during  each  of  the  last  two
- (c) years;
- (d) whether the insurance premium collected from passengers has been enhanced recently;
- (e)
- if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (f) the  companies  which  have  been  shortlisted  by  IRCTC  to  provide insurance facility to passengers;
- (g) whether the Government has created awareness among rail passengers about the advantage of opting OTIS; and
- (h)
- if so, the details thereof and the response thereon?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF RAILWAYS AND COMMERCE & INDUSTRY

( SHRI PIYUSH GOYAL )

- (a) to (h): A Statement is laid on the Table of the  House.

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STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (h) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION  NO.  3729    BY  SHRI  A.K.P  CHINRAJ,  SHRI  HEMANT  SRIRAM PATIL, SHRI SHRIRANG APPA BARNE, SHRI VINAYAK RAUT AND DR.  HEENA  GAVIT  TO  BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON  11.12.2019 REGARDING OPTIONAL TRAVEL INSURANCE SCHEME

(a) and (b): Yes, Sir. An Optional Travel Insurance Scheme with a cover of upto ` 10  lakh  was  launched  w.e.f  01.09.2016  for  the  Confirmed/RAC railway  passengers  who  book  online  e-ticket  through  official  website  of Indian Railway Catering & Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) which is a wholly owned undertaking of Ministry of Railways.

W.e.f 01.10.2018, the premium for the scheme is ` 0.49/- (inclusive of all taxes) per passenger per trip. Under the scheme, in case of death/injury of  reserved  passengers  due  to  train  accident/untoward  incidents as defined  under  Section  123  read  with  Sections  124  and  124A  of  the Railways Act, 1989, the sum assured is paid to the victim/family or legal heir of the victim as the case may be.

The  insurance  coverage  is  valid  from  the  actual  departure  of  train from  the  originating  station  to  actual  arrival  of  train  at  the  destination station  including  'process  of  entraining'  and  'process  of  detraining'  the train.

The Sum assured given to the victim/family or legal heir of the victim is as follows:-

- (i) In case of Death -` 10 lakh,
- (ii) Permanent Total Disability -` 10 Lakh,
- (iii) Permanent Partial Disability  upto -` 7.5 Lakh,
- (iv) Hospitalization Expenses for Injury -` 2 Lakh,
- (v)  Transportation of mortal remains -` 10 Thousand.

The  total  quantum  of  insurance  premium  collected  from  travellers since inception is 19.47 Crore.

`

(c):  The  amount  of  compensation  paid  by  insurance  companies  to  the victims since Nov 2017 to Nov 2019 is as follows:-

Compensation paid

| Company                                                           |   Compensation paid (in Crores of ` ) |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------|
| Shriram General Insurance Co. Ltd.                                |                                  2.35 |
| ICICI Lombard (agreement over on Sept 2018)                       |                                  1.34 |
| Royal Sundaram (agreement over on Sept 2018)                      |                                  1.5  |
| Bharti Axa General Insurance (agreement started from Oct 2018)    |                                  0.25 |
| Bajaj Allianz General Insurance (agreement started from Oct 2018) |                                  0.7  |
| Total                                                             |                                  6.14 |

(d) and (e): No, Sir.

From  01.09.2016  to  09.12.2016,  a  premium  of ` 0.92  per  trip  was collected from the passengers.

As per Government's decision to promote digital and cashless economy,  with  effect  from  10.12.2016  to  31.08.2018,  the  insurance was  made  free  to  all  passengers  booking  e-tickets  online  and  the premium was paid by IRCTC to the insurance companies.

From  01.09.2018,  the  insurance  was  again  made  optional  to  the passengers booking e-tickets online and a reduced premium of ` 0.49 per trip is being collected from passengers.

(f)  :  Presently,  IRCTC  is  providing  this  insurance  facility  through 3 Insurance Companies, namely :-

(i) M/s Bharti Axa General Insurance Co. Ltd.,

(ii) Bajaj Allianz General Insurance Co. Ltd., and

(iii) Shriram General Insurance Co. Ltd..

(g)  and  (h)  :  Awareness  has  been  made  through  IRCTC's  Ticket Booking website i.e. www.irctc.co.in under 'IMPORTANT INFORMATION'  section  which  contains  all  relevant  details  about optional travel insurance for e-ticket passenger.

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