University Insurance

The University maintains a comprehensive range of insurances to protect its assets against various events likely to cause loss or damage.

The Principal Policies are as follows:

• Industrial Special Risks (Property Insurance);
• General Public & Products Liability;
• Directors and Officers Liability;
• Professional Indemnity;
• Medical Malpractice.
  

Other Policies include:

• Personal accident cover for students while engaged in University approved activities including placement or field expeditions.
  
• Marine transit covering (a) University owned equipment or (b) household goods owned by staff who are relocating.
  1. Persons arranging the international consignment of University owned equipment must advise details to the Insurance Officer before shipment occurs.
  2. Staff being relocated will liaise with the University approved relocation service for declarations of goods to be insured.
• Travel Insurance for staff travelling on authorised business of the University including:
  1. Intrastate journeys exceeding a distance of 100 kilometres. (This does not include normal commuting).
  2. Interstate or overseas journeys.

Students may request cover under the policy when they travel overseas to attend University approved placements and conferences in connection with their studies.

All staff and students requiring insurance for overseas travel must complete an on-line application form to register their trips before departure.

The Policy also covers external members of the community, appointed to University committees, for accidental injury received while travelling to or from committee meetings.

• Marine Hull for watercraft owned by the University and its affiliates;
• Aviation Liability (non ownership);
• Aviation Hull Liability;
• Motor vehicle for University owned vehivles.
  
• Insurance claims and queries, except for the following, are handled by the University Insurance Officer:
  

  – Workers Compensation claims are lodged with the Occupational Health and Safety Section, Human Resources Division;

  – Motor Claims for University vehicles are lodged with the Transport Office, General Services, Buildings and Property Division.

  – Student Personal Accident claims are lodged at the Flinders Campus Community Services Student Support Services.

It is important that any incident or loss which may give rise to an insurance claim is reported immediately to the University Insurance Officer, or other responsible officer as indicated above. Late notification may result in the Insurer denying liability for a claim.

Under no circumstances will liability be admitted, either verbally or in writing for any loss incurred.

Claim negotiations with third parties will not be undertaken by University staff without the approval of the Insurer.

Insurance claim deductibles (or 'excesses') will normally be funded wholly or in part by Cost Centres, entities or affiliated organisations when they are the beneficiaries of claims under the University's insurance program. Appendix A provides more detail regarding the default amounts to be paid and the procedures that will apply.

All losses will be reported immediately.

A separate documentation file will be maintained for each loss/claim.

All losses will be immediately recorded in the university’s accounts.

14.1.2 On notification of the accident or loss, the Insurance Officer will advise the claimant on appropriate action to be taken.

14.1.3 A claim form will be sent to the claimant which will be completed and returned with any supporting documentation to the Insurance Officer.

14.1.4 All reasonable steps will be taken, following an accident or loss, to protect against further injury or damage.

14.1.5 Any loss by theft, wilful or malicious damage will be reported to the nearest Police Station at the earliest opportunity by the Head of the Department concerned and a Police report number obtained.

14.1.6 The Insurance Officer will submit a completed claim form to the Insurer.

14.1.7 Motor vehicle losses/claims will be reported direct to the insurer by the Transport Officer.

14.1.8 The Insurance Officer will inform the Executive Director of Administration of any significant property or liability claims.

14.1.9 The Cost Centre will complete an asset write off form for the total loss of an asset where the original acquisition cost was $10,000 or more.

14.1.10 A claim will be recorded and a file opened.

14.1.11 The Insurance Officer will liaise with all parties having an interest in the claim.

14.2.1 On receipt of claim settlement proceeds the Insurance Officer will notify the Cost Centre(s) involved.

14.2.2 The Cost Centre will provide an account number to which the funds are to be credited and the Insurance Officer will request the Cashier to receipt the cheque accordingly.

When personal property settlements are received (eg Travel Claims) the Insurance Officer will contact individual claimants and arrange for them to receive payment.

14.2.3 The document file will be closed and filed with completed claims.

Procedures

Property
1. Cost Centres, entities and affiliates responsible for causing claims will be accountable for payment of the default deductible. This will apply even if the responsible Cost Centre does not incur any direct loss or damage.

2. For claims when there is no fault involved, a Cost Centre, entity or affiliate that is the primary beneficiary of a claim will be accountable for payment of the default deductible. Flexibility may be allowed if a number of Cost Centres are affected by one event in which case the cost may be shared proportionately by those involved.

3. In cases of hardship or where it is considered unreasonable to pass on the default deductible, the EDA can exercise discretion by varying the amount to be paid.

Public & Products Liability
1. If through negligence and/or failure to comply with OH&S requirements a Cost Centre, entity or affiliate is responsible for causing injury or damage it will be called upon to fund the default deductible unless the EDA determines otherwise.

Professional Indemnity
1. Cost Centres, entities and affiliates responsible for obvious breaches of a professional duty resulting in a claim will be called upon to pay the default deductible unless the EDA determines otherwise.

Directors & Officers
1. Entities and affiliates will pay the default deductible unless the EDA determines otherwise.

2. The University will pay the deductible in all other cases.

Clinical Trials and Other Research Projects
1. The University will pay the deductible for a claim arising out of the normal internal conduct of a research trial or project.

2. A Cost Centre or entity will pay the default deductible if its negligent actions result in a claim by trial participants and those actions are deemed to be external to the normal conduct of the research trial or project.

Medical Malpractice
1. University Cost Centres will pay the default deductible.

2. The EDA can exercise discretion in varying the amount to be paid.

3. Owned entities carrying a Medical Malpractice risk will be responsible for the full policy deductible. Strategies to manage this financial risk will be implemented in consultation with the University’s Insurance Officer.

Ancillary Policy Deductibles

1. The deductibles applicable to these policies are relatively minor and they will be paid by individual beneficiaries lodging claims. Examples include persons claiming benefits under the University’s Corporate Travel Insurance or students claiming benefits under the Students Personal Accident Policy.

2. An exception applies to the Marine Transit Policy covering shipments of possessions and household goods owned by persons coming to Adelaide to take up positions with the University. In such cases the deductible is funded by the University.