Risk Management

How to Document & Report Vehicle Damage or Loss

• If you are involved in a vehicle accident while conducting University business, you are required to report the accident whether you are driving a University vehicle, a rental vehicle, or a personal vehicle.
• You must report any accident which causes injury to you, to your passengers, or to third parties, or which causes damage to your vehicle or to third party vehicles.
• Immediate notification is critical to the investigation; do not delay in reporting a vehicle accident. It must be reported to your supervisor, UCR Fleet Services and submit an Online Incident Report to report loss or damage within 24 hours of the date of knowledge. 
• If unable to access the Online Incident Report, Departments or Drivers may instead report loss or damage to the University Claim Hotline at (800) 416-4029.
• In the case of a parked car that suffers damage (hit and run, vandalism) or theft, the employee primarily responsible for the vehicle must report the incident.
• The University’s Third-Party Claims Administrator, Sedgwick, may ask you to give a statement to. Do not talk to anyone else about the accident except your supervisor and UCR Risk Management.
• Additional information about the accident, including police reports, photos, cost estimates, etc. can be submitted as they become available.

UC Vehicle Damage Claim – Processing & Payment 

• For vehicles owned by UCR Fleet Services and leased or rented to departments or drivers, Fleet will manage the repairs, claims processing and payment. They will reach out to the department or driver if additional information is needed. 
• For vehicles that are Department owned (not leased from UCR Fleet Services), the Department will be required to manage the repairs, claims processing and payment.
• Within 48-hours of receipt of an Incident Report, the University's Third-Party Administrator, Sedgwick, will assign a claim number and adjuster who will make contact with you directly.
• Sedgwick will investigate the claim and determine if there is coverage under the University’s Automobile Insurance Program.
• If the claim is covered under the Automobile Insurance Program, Sedgwick will adjust the claim and determine the appropriate payment (minus the Deductible).
• Once Sedgwick has determined the appropriate payment, it will issue a Statement of Loss for review and approval by campus Risk Management and the department that experienced the loss.
• After UCR approves the Statement of Loss, Sedgwick sends notice to OP Risk Services authorizing payment.
• OP Risk Services transfers the approved funding to UCR Accounting Office.
• UCR Accounting Office credits the department account with the funded amount using the COA provided by the Department. 

How to Handle Yourself at Accident Scene

• Do not admit liability or accuse anyone of fault.
• Contact UC Police if the accident happens on campus and wait for an officer to prepare a report before anyone leaves the scene. If the accident occurs off-campus, the local police or Highway Patrol typically only respond to major collisions or accidents in which injuries have occurred.
• Use the Driver’s Accident Reporting Packet in your UC vehicle to gather information:
  • Drivers' Names
  • Registered Owners' Names
  • License Numbers
  • Insurance Companies' Names, Addressed, Policy Numbers, Expiration Dates
  • Witnesses' Names, Addresses, Phone Numbers
• Take photos of the scene, damage to vehicles.
• Obtain information about any damage or injury and make notes.
• Diagram the accident.
• Do not discuss the accident except with law enforcement, your supervisor, UCR Risk Management, and Sedgwick.

Traffic & Parking Tickets

Tickets received while operating a UC vehicle are the responsibility of the driver, not the University.

Vehicle Accident That Causes Employee Injuries

If UC employees are injured in the accident, notify the employee’s supervisor(s) and UCR Workers’ Compensation.