Risk Management-Automobile Accident Procedures

The Commonwealth of Virginia's Risk Management Plan applies to any accident involving:

• A JMU driver, in a JMU owned vehicle is involved in an accident where a non-JMU owned vehicle or non-JMU owned property is damaged and/or there is physical injury involved.



• A JMU driver, while conducting official university business/travel, is involved in ANY accident involving a rental vehicle (even if no other vehicle is involved). This coverage would also include any damage, theft or breakdown of a vehicle rented by the university, which occurs while the vehicle is under our care.

Filing an Automobile Claim

The following instructions must be followed if a JMU driver in a state/university vehicle, or a vehicle rented by the university, is involved in ANY automobile accident (even single-car), or if the vehicle becomes disabled (breaks down), has been stolen, or has become damaged in some other way:

1. First, the driver must notify the State police if the accident, theft, breakdown or damage has occurred off-campus. If the accident, theft, breakdown or damage occurs on campus, contact Campus Police.
2. The driver must avoid making any statements regarding who is or is not at fault in the accident.
3. The driver must secure a copy of the accident report from the officer at the scene.
4. The driver must complete an Automobile Loss Notice
5. The driver of the JMU vehicle (or rental vehicle) involved in the accident must contact the Third Party Agent (TPA) designated by the Division of Risk Management to initiate a claim. The TPA is currently Crawford Company (1-866-219-6120). Copies of the police report, the Auto Loss Notice form, and any other documentation or witness statements must be forwarded to the insurance agency as soon as possible. The driver should keep copies of all forms submitted for their personal records.

NOTE: It is the responsibility of the JMU driver involved to initiate contact with the TPA and collect and submit all required information in a timely manner.

6. The driver must report the accident to the JMU Risk Management office. If the vehicle involved in the accident was JMU owned, then the driver must also report the accident to the JMU Motor Pool. In addition, the driver must also forward copies of all forms and documents submitted on the claim to the JMU Risk Management office in the event the TPA asks for assistance with the claim.
7. The driver involved in the accident/damage and the university itself will both be required to assist fully in any further investigation or inquiry involved in the claim.

Contact Yeevonne Riggleman, Resource Management, at 540.568.6495 (phone) or riggleyy@jmu.edu for additional information.