[Amended 12-7-2010]
A. 
Any transaction involving the purchase, sale or transfer of any Town-owned real or personal property, whether vehicles, buildings, land, equipment, etc., must be forwarded to the Finance Director in order to determine the requirements of insurance.
B. 
When a contract contains an insurance requirement, that portion of the contract must be submitted to the Finance Director and the Town Attorney for review and approval of coverages.
C. 
When a department engages a vendor and requires insurance coverage, the limits should meet those minimally set forth in the Town's coverages. No direct transactions are to be conducted by department personnel with the insurance broker or the insurance company. All transactions shall be directed through the Finance Director or his or her designee.
D. 
If there are questions, they should be directed to the Finance Director.
The Town Manager has assigned the Finance Director as the person responsible for coordination of the Town's insurance. The Finance Director shall be responsible for ensuring that the Town Attorney is apprised of legal issues pertaining to litigation representation and control, pursuant to applicable Town ordinances. The Town Manager reserves the right to modify and amend the procedure and policy outlined, as necessitated by coverage changes. It is intended to promulgate annual updates to this policy.
A. 
Purpose: to establish the criteria for the payment of losses under the Town self-insurance program, effective June 30, 1993.
B. 
Applicability. This program applies to property, physical damage, automobile and general liability claims for damages within the Town of Barnstable. The claims for damages under the Town's property policy will be made from the Municipal Building Insurance Fund in accordance with Town ordinance and MGL c. 40, § 13. The claims for damages under the Town's automobile and general liability policies will be made in accordance with the procedure specified below.
C. 
Rationale. The Town cannot continue to rely upon the insurance industry to stabilize the increase in insurance premiums. The coverage obtained will vary from areas previously covered. Policy deductibles are introduced where previously the Town enjoyed no deductible or a small deductible. It is therefore adopted as policy by the Town of Barnstable, to instruct departments subject to these policies in the following manner.
D. 
Procedure. In general, the following procedures apply. Specific exceptions may be found under the description of each major insurance policy.
(1) 
To apply for reimbursement under this program, the department manager or claimant must submit the claim for alleged damages to the Finance Director as soon as possible from its known occurrence, in writing. Failure to make such notification may result in its denial.
(2) 
Initial report of a potential claim should be made by telephone and followed up by a written report to the Finance Director.
(3) 
The claim notice, if the standard ACORD form is not used, should provide information relative to: nature of claim; date of accident/loss, time of same; location (specific) of claim; name, address, phone number of person making claim; full description of accident or loss; estimate of dollar loss on claim; names, addresses, phone numbers of witnesses; relationship to Town of Barnstable (insured party).
(4) 
Estimates of damages alleged should be developed by the department manager/claimant, and submitted to the Finance Director as soon as possible.
(5) 
Deductibles for policies will vary; consult with the Finance Director for current deductibles in the following policies:
(a) 
Automobile.
(b) 
Property.
(c) 
Building and contents.
(d) 
Fine arts.
(e) 
Portable radios.
(f) 
Contractor equipment.
(g) 
Flood and earthquake.
(h) 
General liability.
(i) 
Boiler and machinery.
(6) 
It is the policy of the Town that losses for various coverages apply as follows:
(a) 
Automobile: Losses up to $499 payable by department incurring loss; balance through the Auto Insurance Account, if funds are available.
(b) 
Property: Losses up to $999 payable by department; losses from $1,000 to policy deductible processed through the Municipal Building Insurance Fund.
(c) 
Building and contents: Losses up to $999 payable by department; losses from $1,000 to policy deductible processed through the Municipal Building Insurance Fund.
(d) 
Fine arts: Losses up to $250 payable by department; losses above deductible processed through the Municipal Building Insurance Fund.
(e) 
Portable radios: Losses up to $250 payable by department.
(f) 
Contractor equipment: Losses up to $999 payable by department; losses over $1,000 payable through the Municipal Building Insurance Fund.
(g) 
General liability: Losses up to $999 payable from either department liability reserve fund (i.e., sewer maintenance), the General Liability Loss Fund (GLLF), or both.
(h) 
Boiler and machinery: up to $999 payable by department; balance through boiler and machinery policy.
(7) 
In regard to notices of loss for property: in excess of $1,000 up to deductible, general liability under $1,000; the Town may elect to use the services of an insurance appraisal firm. These will be utilized on a per-occurrence basis. Since a fee is charged for these services, the Town will be selective in using same.
(8) 
Upon approval of claim, the department manager/claimant will be notified and payment processed.
(9) 
The use of a release for claims made paid for amounts under appropriate deductible will establish relinquishment of Town to make any additional payments after receiving any additional claims for damages. This will establish a payment without prejudice provision and be enforced by the Town Attorney.
A. 
The claimant reports the accident to his/her supervisor.
B. 
The supervisor completes the first report of the accident, supervisor's report of injury, and medical authorization form, within 48 hours of notification. The supervisor submits the completed form to the workers' compensation agent in the Personnel Department. If the claimant is to be out five days or more, a wage statement form must be completed and submitted to the workers' compensation agent in the Personnel Department.
C. 
Action by agent.
(1) 
The agent remits the original report of injury to the Industrial Accident Board, 100 Cambridge Street, Boston, MA 02109.
(2) 
Copies of the report of the accident and original supervisor's report of injury and medical authorization are forwarded to the Town's claims administrator.
(3) 
The agent maintains a file copy of three forms for each claim by claimant name, department, date of injury.
D. 
All bills received from the claimant are forwarded by the agent to the claims administrator; copy of bill is maintained in the claimant file.
E. 
Reports of accident are reviewed quarterly with records to determine if reserves are warranted.
F. 
Bills or claims made by a claimant on a previous claim over one year from date of initial claim should be forwarded from the claimant to the supervisor to the agent. The agent will forward to the claims administrator.
G. 
Claimants shall seek treatment at: physician of Town's choice for industrial accidents. They should identify themselves as Town of Barnstable employees. A physician will conduct evaluations on behalf of the Town.
H. 
In order to stabilize reserves in the Worker's Compensation Trust Fund, the Town will debit the departmental salary account for that portion of salary due the employee for accidents qualifying for lost time payments to the extent that the departmental salary account can sustain such debits and not interfere unreasonably with accomplishment of the department's goals and objectives.
A. 
The operator must complete blue ACORD Form No. 2 and Registry of Motor Vehicles accident report for any incident involving any vehicle, whether registered or not. All reports are to be given to the department supervisor for delivery to the insurance coordinator within 48 hours of the incident.
B. 
The Finance Director will forward the form as follows:
(1) 
Broker of record.
(2) 
Finance Director files.
C. 
Estimates of damage to be obtained and submitted to the Finance Director; Director to forward estimate to the broker.
D. 
Damages to Town-owned vehicles which are recoverable under the Town insurance plan must be submitted to the broker of record.
E. 
Damages coming under the Town self-insurance program are to be submitted to the Finance Director.
F. 
Damages to Town-owned vehicles which are recoverable, but not paid by the other party, must be turned over to the Town Attorney for collection.
G. 
Operators and/or supervisors shall not contact the broker directly, except as previously arranged through the Finance Director. All notice of damage shall route through the Finance Director. Failure to do so may result in denial of the claim.
A. 
Where person/persons are known, an ACORD Form No. 2 must be completed and forwarded to the Finance Director. Estimates of repair are to be submitted to the Finance Director.
B. 
The Finance Director will distribute as follows:
(1) 
Broker of record.
(2) 
Town Attorney.
(3) 
Finance Director files.
C. 
The Town Attorney shall proceed with recovery from the other party, if the other party refuses to pay.
A. 
The initial report is to be completed on green ACORD Form No. 1 and submitted to the Finance Director.
B. 
The Finance Director will forward as follows:
(1) 
Broker of record for assignment of adjuster.
(2) 
Finance Director files.
C. 
Estimates of repair in detail shall be submitted to the Finance Director for forwarding to the broker of record.
D. 
All correspondence relating to the claim shall be forwarded to the Finance Director.
A. 
Upon notification of injury, the Finance Director will complete blue ACORD Form No. 2 as completely as possible.
B. 
The Finance Director will dispense as follows:
(1) 
Broker of record with copies of all correspondence.
(2) 
The Town Attorney with copies of all correspondence.
(3) 
Finance Director files.
C. 
All correspondence relating to the claim is to be forwarded to the Finance Director.