§36-1-6. Insurance of state employees operating motor vehicles in performance of their duties.

(a) Any director or head of a state department, agency, bureau, or division shall allow any state employee under his or her supervision, who operates a motor vehicle in the performance of his or her duties, whether such employee is in travel status or otherwise, and whether the vehicle is state owned or leased or otherwise, to acquire insurance, in the manner provided in subsection (b) of this section, insuring such employee against personal liability arising out of and a proximate consequence of the operation of a motor vehicle by such employee in the performance of his or her duties. Such coverage shall be issued by an insurance company licensed and qualified to do business in this state.

(b) The insurance provided under the provisions of this section shall be acquired by the employee by virtue of an additional condition or rider to a policy of insurance under which the state employee is otherwise insured, provided however, the deductible on said insurance shall not exceed two hundred fifty dollars ($250).

(c) The department, agency, bureau, or division shall reimburse the employee for the actual cost of the required coverage in the form of a rider to the employee's personal policy. The director or head of the state department, agency, bureau, or division shall have sufficient proof that the employee's coverage meets the provisions of this section, if current and has been paid before he or she approves any reimbursement to the employee. Such reimbursement shall not exceed the cost of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) combined single limit liability insurance nor shall the coverage authorized herein exceed that which is provided to the employee in the personal liability policy of the employee. Such reimbursement, properly documented, may be made by warrant issued by the Comptroller, and such reimbursement may be claimed as a travel expense item, charged against the department or agency, when approved by the director or head thereof. Such required insurance may be purchased without regard to the competitive bid laws of this state.

(d) The term "state employee" as used in this section shall not include any teacher or any employee of any institution of higher learning.

(e) In addition to, and in the same manner as reimbursement for insurance coverage, a state employee shall be reimbursed for insurance deductible and out-of-pocket expenses that result from damages sustained in an accident that occurs in a personal vehicle while that personal vehicle is being used for official state business. The reimbursement shall be made to the state employee within 90 days after the state receives proper documentation demonstrating payment by the employee for damages sustained or associated with the accident.

(Acts 1980, No. 80-754, p. 1559, §§1-4; Acts 1985, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 85-118, p. 164, §1; 2001-479, p. 645, §1.)