Automobile Liability Insurance & Physical Damage to Vehicles
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Dartmouth Owned Vehicles
Dartmouth owned or leased departmental vehicles or other licensed equipment are to be used for Dartmouth related business only and are insured for auto liability (third party bodily injury and property damage). Dartmouth is currently self-insured for comprehensive and collision coverage for its owned vehicles. The annual cost of insurance and any deductible charge in the event of an accident, along with annual registration fees, are all charged to the individual departments.
Please report any vehicle accidents, regardless of the circumstances, to the Risk Management and Insurance Office as soon as possible (see Claims Reporting).
Liability
In the case of an auto liability claim (involving another vehicle and where the Dartmouth driver is at fault), it is the responsibility of the department to fund the cost of the $1,000 deductible as well.
Physical Damage to Dartmouth Vehicle
In the case of damage to a Dartmouth owned or leased vehicle, it is the responsibility of the departments to fund the cost of the $1,000 deductible.
Only Dartmouth Approved Drivers should be driving Dartmouth owned or leased vehicles. Parking and Transportation Services manages the driver approval process. For questions related to the policy please contact Driver Safety at 603-646-9876 or refer to the Driver Safety Program web page. If an accident occurs involving a non-approved driver, the total claim expense becomes the responsibility of the department allowing the driver.
Rental Cars Insurance
Domestic: Dartmouth's preferred vendor is Enterprise/National Rental Service. Insurance applies only when the vehicle is rented for Dartmouth business purposes. It is recommended that employees arrange for a rental vehicle through Dartmouth's travel service.
- Rentals through ENTERPRISE and/or NATIONAL for business use provide liability and full collision coverage (excludes Puerto Rico). For more information, please refer to the the Rental Car Program.
- Renters should waive all insurance costs when renting a vehicle for Dartmouth business.
- If using Enterprise/National to rent a vehicle for personal use, the liability and physical damage is the responsibility of the driver. It is not recommended that these be waived on the rental contract.
Trucks & Trailers: When renting a truck such as with Ryder or UHaul, the collision damage waiver (CDW) should be accepted. This charge is reimbursable.
International: It is recommended that renters purchase any liability and collision insurance offered by the rental company. The benefit to this policy is that in the event of an accident, the claims process is handled locally.
Use of Personal Vehicle for Dartmouth Business
Dartmouth does not have a formal policy for the use of personal vehicles being used for Dartmouth business. Each department must formulate its own policy taking into account the need, alternatives, and the risk involved. However, the use of personal vehicles for Dartmouth business is discouraged for many reasons, some of which are cited below:
- If there is an accident, it is often difficult to determine whether an individual was on personal business, or Dartmouth business.
- Dartmouth has no knowledge of the condition of the vehicle or the expertise of the driver.
- Employees using their personal vehicle for business should be aware that their insurance is primary. In the event of an accident, the employee would have to submit the claim to their insurance company for handling and payment and be responsible for any deductible amount.
- Employees are required to carry a minimum amount of $100,000/$300,000/$100,000 and submit proof of this coverage prior to using the personal vehicle for Dartmouth business if deemed necessary by the department.
When staff and faculty use a personal vehicle for Dartmouth business, their personal auto liability, comprehensive and collision insurance is always primary. Therefore, owners of personal vehicles used at any time for Dartmouth business must maintain automobile liability insurance of at least $100,000/$300,000/$100,000. A portion of the mileage allowance is considered to cover the cost of gas, oil, repairs, depreciation and insurance. In the event of a liability claim, Dartmouth does provide insurance in excess of personal insurance for employees, but only in the event the driver has been approved, per Dartmouth driver approval process.
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