Auto Liability and Physical Damage

SFA safety truck

Risk Management

The UT System purchases a range of insurance policies that cover the operation and use of motorized vehicles. The rules and regulations for vehicle use are described in UT System Policy UTS157-Automobile Insurance Coverage for Officers and Employees and General Requirements for the Use of Vehicles. Insurance covering physical damage to a university-owned vehicle (including long-term leased vehicles) is also available.

Systemwide Automobile Liability

The Systemwide Automobile Liability Policy provides liability coverage for bodily injury and property damage to third parties. All SFA- owned and long-term leased vehicles are automatically covered.

  • Auto Liability policy Coverage Limits:
    • $600,000 (per occurrence in Texas)
    • $1,600,000 (per occurrence outside of Texas)
  • Auto Liability Deductible:
    • $2,500 per accident
    • Risk Management may charge the department multiple times for the same accident depending on the nature of the damage claim. The total charge for any single accident, however, will not exceed $2,500.

Physical Damage

The Physical Damage Auto Policy covers scheduled SFA-owned vehicles and special mobile equipment against theft and most types of physical damage.

  • Physical Damage Policy Deductibles (scheduled vehicles only):
    • $1,000 per vehicle for values up to $100,000.
    • $5,000 per vehicle with values greater than $100,000.
    • The coverage pays for repair of the university-owned motorized equipment, or Actual Cash Value if the vehicle is totaled.

Hired and Non-Owned Excess Auto Liability

The Hired and Non-owned Policy includes excess liability and physical damage coverage for hired vehicles, as well as excess liability coverage for other non-owned vehicles.

Employees are strongly discouraged from using their personal vehicles for conducting official university business. This coverage is supplementary to any personal auto insurance the employee has and only applies to third-party property damage or bodily injury. It does not include physical damage coverage for SFA employees' vehicles.

Athletics

The Athletics Policy provides liability, physical damage, personal injury protection, and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage for loaned, courtesy or promotional vehicles utilized by athletics department employees. Vehicles must be scheduled. Newly acquired vehicles should be added in advance and changes should be reported within 30 days of the vehicle change.

Foreign Auto Liability and Mexico Tourist Policy

The Foreign Auto Liability and Mexico Tourist insurance, which are part of the Systemwide International package policy, provide liability and physical damage coverage for owned and rented automobiles involved in incidents that occur outside of the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. Before traveling to Mexico, institutions must contact the EHSRM office and Risk Finance to obtain an auto-specific Mexican ID card.

Evidence of Financial Responsibility

A copy of the current Certificate of Liability Insurance must be kept in the glove compartment of all university-owned vehicles. This document contains information about the policy's number, effective dates, deductibles, and payment limits.

The authorized driver is responsible for ensuring that the university-owned vehicle is carrying current insurance information. This can be found in the 2023-24 Vehicle Insurance Packet, which should be kept in the glove box.

If you require a copy of the current Certificate of Liability Insurance, please contact Risk Management.

Auto Claims Procedures

All incidences and events that may result in liabilities to Stephen F. Austin State University as a result of a domestic automobile accident must be reported immediately (within 24 hours). 

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