Where This Fits in the Claim Process
If you were hurt in a slip-and-fall on campus property, getting the right liability insurance contact is often an early “claim setup” step. The goal is usually to identify who handles the claim (risk management, a third-party administrator, or counsel) and confirm whether there is insurance or a self-insurance program involved. When the campus does not respond, it often means you have not reached the correct department—or the entity is not required to share that information pre-suit.
Practical Steps That Usually Help
- Make sure you are asking the right entity: “Campus” can mean a state agency, a community college, a local board of education, a city/county entity, or a private school. The correct legal entity matters because the claim process and defenses can change based on who owns/controls the property.
- Send a targeted, written request to risk management: A short letter or email that identifies the incident date, general location, and injury claim (without unnecessary medical detail) often gets routed faster than a general inquiry.
- Ask for the claims administrator contact (not just the policy): Even when policy details are not shared, many entities will provide a mailing address or email for the person who accepts claims.
- Use formal legal tools if the claim must be litigated: Once a lawsuit is properly filed, the rules of civil procedure generally allow discovery requests that can require disclosure of insurance coverage information in the case.
- Account for government-immunity issues early: Many public entities in North Carolina have some form of immunity unless it is waived (often through the purchase of insurance or participation in a risk pool). Identifying whether immunity is waived can be as important as identifying the insurer.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Assuming a non-response means “no insurance”: It may simply mean the request went to the wrong office or the entity uses a different claims process.
- Waiting too long to escalate: Even if you are still trying to identify insurance, deadlines can continue to run.
- Over-sharing medical history too early: It is reasonable to provide enough information to open a claim, but you generally want to be thoughtful about what you provide and when—especially before you know who is handling the file.
How This Applies
Apply to the facts: Here, the issue is not just “who is the insurer,” but also “who is the campus entity” and who has authority to accept and process the claim. If the initial outreach is going unanswered, the next practical move is usually to confirm the correct legal owner/operator of the property and then direct a written request to that entity’s risk management/claims contact. If the campus is a state-related entity, you also want to confirm whether a special state-claim forum or procedure applies before relying on informal claim communications.
What the Statutes Say (Optional)
- N.C. Gen. Stat. § 143-291 (State Tort Claims Act forum) – Certain negligence claims against State agencies must be brought through the North Carolina Industrial Commission, not ordinary civil court.
- N.C. Gen. Stat. § 143-299 (State Tort Claims Act time limit) – Many State tort claims are barred unless filed within three years of accrual (with a different rule for wrongful death).
- N.C. Gen. Stat. § 160A-485 (Cities: insurance and immunity) – A city may waive governmental immunity by purchasing liability insurance, but only to the extent of coverage.
- N.C. Gen. Stat. § 153A-435 (Counties: insurance and immunity) – A county may waive governmental immunity by purchasing liability insurance, but only to the extent of coverage.
- N.C. Gen. Stat. § 116-222 (UNC system liability insurance records) – Certain records tied to the UNC liability insurance program are not treated as public records and are generally not subject to discovery.
Conclusion
If a campus does not respond to a request for liability insurance information, it does not necessarily mean your claim is over—it usually means you need to confirm the correct legal entity and use a more formal path to get the right claims contact and preserve your rights. In North Carolina, public-entity cases can involve immunity and special procedures, so the safest next step is to document your outreach and speak with a licensed North Carolina personal injury attorney promptly about the correct forum and deadlines.
