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State announces incentive program to encourage timely reporting of automobile accidents

By Jonathan Welden, Physical Plant Director

Click on the image above for steps to take after an auto accident.

State employees involved in a motor vehicle accident while on the job will be required to report the incident within 24 hours beginning July 1.

Tennessee Treasury Department Division of Claims and Risk Management (Tennessee Treasury) has issued a new policy that requires any employee involved in an automobile accident while on the job to call the State’s Automobile Accident Call Center at 855-253-0629 within 24 hours of the accident. In the event you are unable to contact the call center, a supervisor may report the accident on your behalf.

The College will be fined $1,000 for each failure to call the accident hotline to report an accident. The Tennessee Treasury will monitor the College for compliance monthly.

The goals of the policy are to settle claims in a more timely manner, improve customer service and reduce the State’s financial losses stemming from motor vehicle accidents involving employees.

The Division estimates that reporting and investigating automobile liability claims faster will result in a savings of about $1 million to the State’s Risk Management Fund. The earlier an accident is reported, the more likely that it will be adjusted quicker with the least amount of cost to the state. Faster reporting also allows for the preservation of the accident scene and evidence while the facts of the claim are still fresh.

For more information about this new policy, please contact Carol Tyler in Physical Plant at (901) 333-4266 or ctyler@southwest.tn.edu.