32 C.F.R. § 842.31 Claims payable.
Title 32 - National Defense
Claims may be paid for: (a) Transportation or storage loss: (1) Pay for property damage or loss incident to: (i) Transportation under orders, whether it was in the possession of the government, carrier, storage warehouse, or other government contractor. This includes Do-It-Yourself (DITY) moves. (ii) Travel under orders, including temporary duty (TDY). (iii) Travel on a space available basis on a military aircraft, vessel, or vehicle. (2) Pay for property essential to everyday use, if the claimant has replaced the items that he or she reported as missing. Essential items may be paid for even if someone locates the property before the claimant files the claim. (b) Losses at quarters and other authorized places—(1) In the United States (including U.S. territories and possessions). Pay for personal property damage or loss, to include food spoilage, which is caused by fire, explosion, theft, vandalism, typhoon, hurricane, unusual occurrences or power outages which last for an extended period of time. The claimant must be free of negligence. (i) Claims for damage or loss caused by other acts of god are not paid except in those instances where the geographic area has been declared to be a federal disaster area or HQ USAF/JACC has determined that payment is appropriate because the severity of the act of god was truly extraordinary. (ii) In some areas, extreme weather, such as severe lightning storms, hail, or high winds, occur routinely. Damage claims from these storms are normally not paid. Failure to take reasonable care in protecting property from such known hazards may be negligence. These types of claims would include pitted windshields, dents, chipped paint on vehicles, and lightning damage to television sets, stereos, computer components, video recorders, and other electrical appliances. (2) Outside the United States. Pay for personal property damage or loss, to include food spoilage, which is caused by fire, explosion, theft, vandalism, acts of god, unusual occurrences, or power outages which last for an extended period of time. The claimant must be free of negligence. The SJA must make an affirmative determination that the act of god or unusual occurrence was truly extraordinary. (c) Privately owned vehicles (POV). Pay for damage to or loss of POVs caused by government negligence under subpart F or K. Pay under this subpart for damage or loss incident to: (1) Theft of POVs or their contents, or vandalism to parked POVs: (i) Anywhere on a military installation. (ii) At offbase quarters overseas. (iii) At other authorized places. (2) Government shipment: (i) To or from oversea areas incident to PCS. (ii) On a space available reimbursable basis. (iii) As a replacement vehicle under the provisions of the Joint Travel Regulations (JTR). (3) Authorized use for government duty other than PCS moves. The owner must have specific advance permission of the appropriate supervisor or official. Adequate proof of the permission and of nonavailability of official transportation must be provided prior to paying such claims. Claims arising while the claimant is deviating from the principal route or purpose of the trip should not be paid, but claims occurring after the claimant returns to the route or purpose should be paid. Travel between quarters and place of duty, including parking, is not authorized use for government duty. (4) Paint spray, smokestack emission, and other similar operations by the Air Force on a military installation caused by a contractor's negligence. (Process the claim under subpart F or K, if government negligence causes such losses.) If a contractor's operation caused the damage: (i) Refer the claim first to the contractor for settlement. (ii) Settle the claim under this subpart if the contractor does not pay it or excessively delays payment, and assert a claim against the contractor. (d) Damage to mobile or manufactured homes and contents in shipment. Pay such claims if there is no evidence of structural or mechanical failure for which the manufacturer is responsible. (e) Borrowed property. Pay for loss or damage to property claimants borrow for their use. Either the borrower or lender, if proper claimants, may file a claim. Do not pay for property borrowed to accommodate the lender, i.e., such as to avoid weight or baggage restrictions in travel. (f) Marine or aircraft incident. Pay claims of crewmembers and passengers who are in duty or leave status at the time of the incident. Payable items include jettisoned baggage, clothing worn at the time of an incident, and reasonable amounts of money, jewelry, and other personal items. (g) Combat losses. Pay for personal property losses, whether or not the United States was involved, due to: (1) Enemy action. (2) Action to prevent capture and confiscation. (3) Combat activities. (h) Civil activity losses. Pay for losses resulting from a claimant's acts to: (1) Quell a civil disturbance. (2) Assist during a public disaster. (3) Save human life. (4) Save government property. (i) Confiscated property. Pay for losses when: (1) A foreign government unjustly confiscates property. (2) An unjust change or application of foreign law forces surrender or abandonmnet of property. (j) Clothing and accessories worn on the person. Pay claims for damage to eyeglasses, hearing aids, and dentures the government did not supply, when the damage results from actions beyond the normal risks associated with daily living and working. Claimants assume the risk of normal wear and tear, and their negligence bars payment of the claim. (k) Money losses. Pay claims for loss of money when the losses are due to theft from quarters, other authorized places, or from the person, if the claimant was required to be in the area and could not avoid the theft by due care. As a general rule, $200.00 is reasonable to have in quarters, and $100.00 is reasonable to have on the person unless: (1) The money was in a bona fide coin collection. (2) The claimant can justify possession of the money for a PCS move, extended TDY, vacation, extensive shopping trip, or similar circumstances. The claimant must show a good reason why the money had not been deposited in a bank or converted into travelers checks or a money order. (3) Local commercial facilities are not available or because US personnel do not generally use such facilities.
Title 32: National Defense
PART 842—ADMINISTRATIVE CLAIMS
Subpart D—Personnel Claims (31 U.S.C. 3701, 3721)
§ 842.31 Claims payable.
