Financial protection for owners of captive domestic elephants — against death from accident, electrocution, drowning, EEHV disease, and Permanent Total Disability. The only insurance product in India's rural range covering a Schedule-I wildlife species under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. Sum insured from ₹50 lakh to ₹3 crore+. A Probitas Insurance Brokers rural product.
Rural Insurance
Elephant Insurance is a specialised rural / livestock insurance product by Probitas Insurance Brokers Ltd. (the insurer) providing financial protection to owners of captive domestic elephants against death or permanent disability due to accident, disease, or other covered perils. Captive elephants are simultaneously a prized cultural / religious asset, a working animal, and a legally protected Schedule-I species under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. Market value ranges from ₹50 lakh to ₹3 crore+ per elephant — making this the highest-value single-animal insurance in India. Probitas Insurance Brokers Pvt. Ltd. (IRDAI Lic. No. 528) is your licensed broker.
Adult male with tusks — ₹1.5–₹3 crore+. Temple festivals, Dasara processions, tourism
Tuskless male or female — ₹50 lakh–₹2 crore. Temple, forest, and domestic elephants
Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu — Devaswom boards, temple committees, festival elephants
Logging, forest department, elephant camps — Assam, West Bengal, Northeast India
Kerala has 500+ captive elephants — India's largest captive population. Temple tuskers like Thechikottukavu Ramachandran (India's tallest captive elephant) and Mangalamkunnu Karnan are among the most valuable captive elephants in the world. A single temple tusker can earn ₹10–₹50 lakh per year in festival fees alone — Thrissur Pooram, Guruvayur, and hundreds of smaller temple festivals across the state. Karnataka's Mysore Dasara elephant procession features the celebrated Arjuna, Abhimanyu, and other state-owned tuskers. Annual upkeep — mahout, food, veterinary, accommodation — costs ₹5–₹15 lakh per elephant per year.
Who Can Apply
Agreed / Market Value basis: Market value assessed by a certified government / zoo veterinarian at inception.
Or: State government's notified compensation schedule (Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu all have notified values).
Typical SI ranges:
Adult female: ₹50 lakh–₹1.5 crore
Makhna (tuskless male): ₹75 lakh–₹2 crore
Tusker (adult male): ₹1.5 crore–₹3 crore+
Young elephant (<15 yrs): ₹50 lakh–₹1 crore
(EEHV high-risk age band — higher premium)
A valid Ownership Certificate from the Chief Wildlife Warden (CWW) / state forest / wildlife authority must be submitted at inception. Without this certificate, no insurer in India can issue this policy. This is a non-negotiable legal requirement under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. Ensure your CWW certificate is current and valid before applying for Elephant Insurance.
A health certificate from a government-appointed or zoo veterinarian, issued within 30 days of policy inception, confirming the elephant is in good health and free from pre-existing disease, is mandatory. A fresh veterinary health certificate must also be submitted at each annual renewal — the elephant's health status is reassessed annually.
When an insured male elephant enters musth (elevated testosterone, heightened aggression — lasting weeks to months), the insurer must be notified. Some policy restrictions may apply during the musth period. Musth elephants are highly unpredictable — elevated accident risk applies. Call Probitas on 022 4302 0000 for musth-specific policy conditions.
Plan Comparison
Compare Death Cover, Death + PTD, Tusker Premium, and Forest / State Dept. plans under the insurer Elephant Insurance. All plans require Ownership Certificate from CWW and a veterinary health certificate at inception.
| Points of Difference | Death Cover (Basic) | Death + PTD | Tusker Premium | Forest / State Dept. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accidental Death (Electrocution, Drowning, Road) | ✔ Yes | ✔ Yes | ✔ Yes | ✔ Yes |
| Disease Death (EEHV, TB, Anthrax, FMD) | ✔ Yes | ✔ Yes | ✔ Yes | ✔ Yes |
| Lightning Strike / Fall into Pit / Ravine | ✔ Yes | ✔ Yes | ✔ Yes | ✔ Yes |
| Surgical Complication Death | ✔ Yes | ✔ Yes | ✔ Yes | ✔ Yes |
| Permanent Total Disability (PTD) | ✘ No | ✔ Yes (75–100% SI) | ✔ Yes (100% SI) | ✔ Yes |
| Tusker-specific High SI Valuation | ✘ No | ✘ No | ✔ Yes | ✘ N/A |
| Tusk Length Recorded at Inception | ✘ No | ✘ No | ✔ Yes | ✘ N/A |
| Typical Sum Insured | ₹50L–₹1.5Cr | ₹50L–₹2Cr | ₹1.5Cr–₹3Cr+ | State-notified rate |
| Eligible Species | All captive elephants | All captive elephants | Tuskers only | Forest dept. elephants |
| Ownership Certificate (CWW) | Mandatory | Mandatory | Mandatory | Mandatory |
| Govt. Vet Certificate at Inception | Mandatory | Mandatory | Mandatory | Mandatory |
| Govt. Post-Mortem within 24 hrs | Mandatory | Mandatory | Mandatory | Mandatory |
| Musth Notification (male elephants) | Required | Required | Required | Required |
| Tusk Value Covered | ✘ No (WPA 1972) | ✘ No (WPA 1972) | ✘ No (WPA 1972) | ✘ No (WPA 1972) |
| Annual Vet Inspection | May be required | Required | Required | Required |
| Premium Level | Base | Moderate | Highest | State rate |
Coverage Under Elephant Insurance
Three categories of coverage: Death by Accident, Death by Disease, and Permanent Total Disability (PTD). All death claims require a government veterinarian post-mortem within 24 hours. Notification to Probitas AND the state forest / wildlife authority within 24 hours of death is critical.
Death of the insured elephant must be notified to Probitas on 022 4302 0000 AND to the state forest / wildlife authority within 24 HOURS of occurrence. The government veterinarian post-mortem must be conducted within 24 hours of death. Do NOT dispose of the carcass, remove the tusks, or perform any intervention before the post-mortem is completed. For disease deaths: the treating government veterinarian must be informed immediately. Delayed notification voids the claim.
Under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, upon the death of a tusker, the tusks legally vest in the state government — they are government property and cannot be claimed, sold, or retained by the owner. The Elephant Insurance sum insured covers the live elephant's market value only — NOT the tusk or ivory value. Claiming tusk value constitutes a serious offence under the Wildlife Protection Act. This applies regardless of tusk length or market value of the ivory.
When an insured male elephant enters musth, the insurer must be notified immediately. Musth is a periodic state of elevated testosterone causing extreme aggression — the elephant is unpredictable and dangerous to mahouts, bystanders, and other elephants. Some policy restrictions on the elephant's use / activities apply during musth. Consult Probitas on 022 4302 0000 for specific musth conditions under the policy.
How Claims Are Calculated
Claim = Sum Insured − Compulsory Excess
Sum Insured = agreed market value at inception (as assessed by certified govt. / zoo veterinarian and accepted by insurer). Death claim is the full SI minus the compulsory excess as per policy schedule.
PTD Claim = 75%–100% of Sum Insured (per schedule) − Compulsory Excess
PTD must be certified by two authorised government veterinarians (including one from the state wildlife authority). The percentage payable (75% or 100%) is as per the policy schedule — verify with Probitas at inception.
No death claim can be settled without a government veterinarian post-mortem report certifying cause of death — countersigned by the District Forest Officer (DFO) or equivalent. Private veterinarian certificates alone are not accepted for death claims. The post-mortem must be conducted within 24 hours of death. The insurer may additionally appoint their own licensed veterinary expert to attend and verify the post-mortem findings.
The sum insured covers the live elephant's market value only. Upon death of a tusker, the tusks legally vest in the state government. The insurer pays the animal value (sum insured minus excess). Tusk value, ivory revenue, or any tusk-related compensation is excluded. This is a mandatory legal position under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 — not a policy exclusion that can be waived or varied.
| Parameter | Death by Electrocution (Adult Tusker) | Death from EEHV (Young Elephant, 10 yrs) | Permanent Total Disability (Adult Female) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elephant Type | Adult Male Tusker | Male Elephant, Age 10 | Adult Female (Temple Elephant) |
| Event | Electrocution from power line along forest route | EEHV — rapidly fatal; govt. vet confirms EEHV | Road accident — spinal injury, permanent lameness |
| Cause Certification | Govt. vet post-mortem — within 24 hrs | Govt. vet post-mortem | Two govt. veterinarians certify PTD |
| Sum Insured | ₹ 2,50,00,000 (₹2.5 crore) | ₹ 75,00,000 (₹75 lakh) | ₹ 1,00,00,000 (₹1 crore) |
| Settlement Basis | Full SI (death) | Full SI (death) | 100% of SI (PTD per schedule) |
| Compulsory Excess | ₹ 50,000 | ₹ 25,000 | ₹ 25,000 |
| Tusk Value (if applicable) | NOT covered — vests in govt. | N/A | N/A |
| Claim Payable | ₹ 2,49,50,000 | ₹ 74,75,000 | ₹ 99,75,000 |
* Illustrative only. These are among the highest individual animal claim values in India's entire insurance market. Actual settlement depends on SI at inception (agreed value), govt. vet post-mortem cause certification, and compulsory excess. Tusk value NOT included in any scenario — tusks vest in state government under WPA 1972.
Policy Conditions
The following 12 conditions are binding under the the insurer Elephant Insurance Policy. Condition 1 (Ownership Certificate), Condition 5 (24-hour death notification), and Condition 9 (Govt. vet post-mortem) are the most critical.
Ownership Certificate Mandatory: Valid Ownership Certificate from the Chief Wildlife Warden (CWW) must be submitted at inception. Without this certificate, no insurer can issue this policy — it is a non-negotiable Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 requirement.
Veterinary Health Certificate at Inception: Certificate from a government-appointed or zoo veterinarian — issued within 30 days of inception — confirming good health and absence of pre-existing disease. Mandatory at each annual renewal.
Identification Certificate: Elephant must be uniquely identified by physical characteristics (tusk length, body marks, ear pattern, scars) and/or microchip / DNA number. Must match the ownership certificate.
Veterinary Certificate at Death / Disability: Post-mortem report from a government veterinarian — countersigned by District Forest Officer — is mandatory to establish cause of death. Post-mortem must be within 24 hours of death.
Notification within 24 HOURS of Death: Death / serious injury must be notified to Probitas (022 4302 0000) AND the state wildlife / forest authority within 24 HOURS. Delayed notification voids the claim.
Musth Notification: When any insured male elephant enters musth, the insurer must be notified immediately. Restrictions on use / activities during musth apply. Contact Probitas for musth-specific policy conditions.
Mahout Continuity: The declared mahout must remain responsible for the elephant's care throughout the policy period. Change of mahout: notify insurer within 7 days and submit a new mahout declaration.
Tusk Value NOT Covered: Upon death of a tusker, tusks vest in the state government under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. Sum insured covers the live elephant's value only — NOT tusk or ivory value. Claiming tusk value is a criminal offence.
Government Veterinary Post-Mortem Mandatory: No death claim is settled without a government-vet-conducted post-mortem report. Private veterinary certificates alone are not accepted. Post-mortem must be within 24 hours of death.
Geographic Restriction: Coverage applies within India only. If the elephant is taken outside India (very rare), prior written approval from the insurer is required — cover is suspended without such approval.
Annual Veterinary Inspection: The insurer may require an annual veterinary inspection of the insured elephant at the insurer's cost. The owner must make the elephant available for inspection at reasonable notice.
Fresh Proposal at Each Renewal: A fresh veterinary health certificate must be submitted at each annual renewal — the elephant's health status and market value are reassessed annually given the animal's long lifespan and changing health condition.
How to File a Claim
Elephant death claims require government veterinarian post-mortem within 24 hours. The 24-hour notification window is absolutely critical — both to Probitas AND to the state forest / wildlife authority. Call 022 4302 0000 immediately.
Call Probitas on 022 4302 0000 AND notify the state forest / wildlife authority within 24 hours of the elephant's death or serious injury. For disease deaths: inform the treating government veterinarian immediately. Do NOT dispose of the carcass or remove tusks before post-mortem.
A government veterinarian (and District Forest Officer) conducts the post-mortem within 24 hours of death and certifies cause. For PTD: two government veterinarians assess and certify permanent disability. The insurer may appoint their own veterinary expert to verify findings.
Submit: Claim Form, Policy doc, Ownership Certificate (CWW), Elephant Identification Certificate (microchip/DNA/physical), Govt. vet post-mortem report, DFO countersignature, mahout statement, photographs of deceased/disabled elephant, state wildlife authority acknowledgement (24 hrs), bank details.
Death: SI minus compulsory excess. PTD: 75%–100% of SI minus excess (per schedule). Tusk value: NOT included (vests in govt.). Payment by NEFT within 30 days of complete document submission per IRDAI TAT norms.
Common Questions about Elephant Insurance
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