Insurance

Towson University is self-insured through Maryland's State Insurance Trust, and carries additional commercial coverage for certain risks. Real and personal state property, physical damage to state vehicles, liability claims brought under the Maryland Tort Claims Act (MTCA), professional liability exposures, travel risks, excess property exposures, and student athletes' accident programs are all covered.

Claims Procedures

The Maryland State Treasurer's Office administers and processes all claims filed against state agencies. The university's insurance administrator serves as the liaison between the Maryland State Treasurer's Office and the university. The administrator aids in investigating accidents and incidents occurring on campus, although the State Treasurer's Office makes the final determination for claim settlements. You can contact the university's insurance administrator at 410-704-6377 or safety AT_TOWSON.

Liability Claims

TU has liability coverage under the Maryland Tort Claims Act (MTCA). Anyone wishing to file a claim against the university as a result of damage to personal property, personal injury and/or death caused by the negligence, wrongful act, or omission of any employee of the state while acting in the scope of his or her employment must do so in writing to the Maryland State Treasurer's Office. Complete the notice of claims form and send it to State Treasurer Dereck E. Davis, Goldstein Treasury Building, 80 Calvert Street, Annapolis, MD 21401-1991. Contact Towson's insurance administrator as soon as practical so that a timely investigation can occur, and make sure that they receive a copy of the notice of claims form. If a report has not been filed with the TUPD, an Incident Report (PDF) form must be completed and forwarded to Environmental Health and Safety. Human Resources provides additional information about work-related injuries.

Damage to State-Owned Property

Most state-owned property is covered for direct physical loss, although there are some exceptions (PDF). Losses should be reported to the university's insurance administrator as soon as possible, ideally within 24 hours or the next business day. The report should include a brief statement detailing the incident and the cause of the incident, an inventory of the damaged property, and an estimate of the cost to repair/replace the property. All incidents involving theft or vandalism should also be reported to the TUPD at 410-704-4444.

Towson's insurance administrator will advise the State Treasurer's Office of the loss and guide the affected department on procedures to follow for reimbursement. The affected department must make the claim payment upfront and submit the required claims documentation to the insurance administrator in order to receive reimbursement. There is a $1,000.00 deductible for damages.

Damage to State-Owned Vehicles

For the purpose of insurance coverage, state vehicle is defined as any vehicle owned by, hired, leased, loaned to, or used on behalf of the state of Maryland. Coverage is provided by the state's self-insurance program. The responsible university department must satisfy the $1,000.00 deductible. Any damage to a state vehicle must be reported to Fleet Services within 24 hours of the incident. Contact Fleet Services at 410-704-2482.

For additional information on accident reporting requirements or the Attorney General's memo on the risks and liabilities of automobile use (PDF) within the scope of public duties.

Non State-Owned Property

Towson University does not assume responsibility for personal or non-university owned property kept or stored in university facilities. Should damage or loss occur, payment for loss or replacement is the responsibility of the individual. Employees are encouraged to check if their personal insurance covers any personal property brought on campus.

The university provides only liability coverage for all privately-owned vehicles driven by authorized persons on state business. Always notify both the university's transportation department and your personal automobile insurance agent of all incidents and accidents. Failure to notify both could jeopardize your legal status in related claims and lawsuits. The university does not provide either uninsured or underinsured protection coverage. The employee may file and receive benefits under his/her automobile insurance policy. It is required that faculty/staff/students using their own vehicle on official university business carry their own auto insurance with the minimum limits required by the State of Maryland.

Insurance Certificate Requests

Requests for insurance certificates for student professional liability, general liability and art loans can be made by emailing Towson's insurance administrator at safety AT_TOWSON. Please allow 5-10 working days for processing. For art certificates, please include the Request for Coverage and Art Agreement forms (Lender, Owner, and Faculty) and schedule of items. For student professional liability certificates, please include the name and address of the facility along with the contact person and email address, if available. For general liability certificates, please include the name and address of the facility along with the facility contact person, the dates and times of the event, a brief summary of the event, the number of students participating, and the department sponsoring the event.