Auto Claim Questions

Yes, all accidents, while driving on UT business, must be reported to the driver’s supervisor, and to the Office of Risk Management as soon as possible. Accidents that involve injury to any person or property damage greater than minor scrapes must also be reported to the local law enforcement agency where the accident occurred. You and your supervisor need to contact the CorVel Workplace Injury and First Notice of Loss Call Center to report the workers’ compensation claim. Drivers and their supervisors are required to complete a Drivers Report of Vehicle Accident and submit it to the Office of Risk Management as soon as possible after the accident. If the accident involves a third-party vehicle or their person, the University employee (driving a University-owned, rental vehicle, or personally-owned vehicle) must also notify the State of TN Auto Accident Call Center at (855) 253-0629 with 24 hours of the accident.

Yes, the driver is responsible for all tickets received in University vehicles. Drivers are required to immediately notify their supervisor about citations received while driving on UT business.

On occasion, employees may use their personal vehicle while on university business and the following applies:

On occasion, employees may use their personal vehicle while on university business and the following applies:

1. The State’s Auto liability coverage afforded through the Tennessee Code Annotated will be the primary coverage at all times up to the state’s limits if the employee was deemed negligent.  If the employee was acting in a willful, illegal or malicious way, state auto liability coverage may not apply.
2. The employee must carry the minimum automobile liability coverage that is mandated by the state in which he/she resides.
3. The employee must have a valid driver’s license, which is not currently suspended or revoked, while using his/her personal vehicle for university business.

If the employee’s action caused damage to a third party, the third party would have to file a tort claim with the State of Tennessee Department of Risk Management and Claims Administration for the State to process and determine negligence. Please contact the Office of Risk Management for the instructions.

No. There is no UT or state insurance coverage for loss or damage to personal property. If the individual incurring a loss believes that their loss or damage resulted from UT negligence, then the individual may make a liability claim against UT, in accordance with applicable Tennessee statutes for claims against public entities (TCA 9-8-101 et seq.). Please contact the Office of Risk Management for the required forms.

“Notify the local authorities and make a report and if it is a medical emergency, seek immediate medical attention. Let your immediate supervisor know of the accident and you and your supervisor need to contact the CorVel Workplace Injury & First Notice of Loss Call Center at 866-245-8588 Option 1 and report the workers’ compensation claim.” If you have rented the vehicle for University business, notify the Office of Risk Management of the accident and forward any communication you receive to the Office of Risk Management. We will handle any claims that may arise from the accident. We will verify with your supervisor whether or not you were on business travel at the time of the accident. If you rented the vehicle through the State contract with National or Enterprise, no further action will need to take place. If you did not rent through the State contract, your department will be charged for the first $1,000 of the damages (if there was no third party involved), with the Office of Risk Management Self-Insurance Fund paying the balance. If the accident involves a third-party vehicle or their person, the University employee must also notify the State of TN Auto Accident Call Center at (855) 253-0629 within 24 hours of the accident.

Authorized passengers in university vehicles are limited to university employees, registered volunteers, students and guests participating in university activities, and family members who are accompanying the employee on official travel. Only employees or registered volunteers are permitted to drive university vehicles, except mechanics in the normal course of providing repair services. When family members accompany an employee on official travel, the driver must ensure that the vehicle is used only for transportation in connection with the trip and that no additional expense is incurred for personal use

An insurance card is provided in the key case.