Over the past decade, India has significantly increased spending on safety. For instance, Indian Railways’ safety budget rose from ₹39,463 crore in 2013–14 to ₹1,16,470 crore in 2025–26, while consequential train accidents declined from 135 in 2014–15 to 11 in 2025–26. However, risks remain, with 21,803 lives lost in rail accidents in 2023, according to NCRB data. Stampedes, too, have claimed over 3,000 lives between 2001 and 2022.
“Our 1.4 billion population may mask such statistics with low death rates. However, conditions leading to such losses are part of our daily life, and require us to account for them in our financial planning,” says Maneesh Mishra, Chief Product and Marketing Officer, Bandhan Life. Bandhan Life’s recently launched Linked Enhanced Accidental Death Benefit (ADB) Rider aims to provide added financial protection against precisely such risks.
An insurance rider is an optional add–on to an existing insurance policy that modifies or expands coverage to better suit the policyholder’s specific needs. The ADB rider specifically offers an additional payout to nominees if the policyholder passes away due to an accident. It offers benefits in specific accident scenarios, such as train or aeroplane accidents, or stampedes or fires at large public/religious gatherings.
Bandhan Life’s rider is available in two options: Premium and Classic. Under the Premium option, policyholders can choose to receive a higher payout, up to 300% of the rider sum assured, depending on the nature of the incident. The Classic option allows policyholders to choose from 1 to 3 times of the base sum assured up to ₹3 crore. The rider also offers significant flexibility. Policyholders can add or detach the rider during the policy term and adjust the rider sum assured based on their income, liabilities, or lifestyle needs—in case of increased work travel, for instance.
“With the Enhanced ADB Rider, our aim was to design a solution that reflects the realities of everyday risks. Unfortunately, many families remain under-protected against unforeseen events. Through solutions like the Enhanced ADB Rider, we at Bandhan Life are committed to enabling our policyholders to provide stronger financial protection for their loved ones, regardless of the circumstances,” says Mishra.
Crucially, the rider provides substantial additional protection at a nominal cost. The ADB can be currently added to the iInvest Ultima plan, starting at ₹700 for a ₹10 lakh cover, and is available across all branches of Bandhan Bank. “With this launch, Bandhan Life aims to provide customers with accessible, flexible protection solutions that address real-world risk scenarios, thereby enhancing financial security for families,” Mishra concludes.
