Section 83A. The county commissioners of any county, acting as trustees of a hospital established therein under section eighty-two may effect insurance providing indemnity for or protection to the officers and employees of such hospital against loss by reason of their liability to pay damages to others for bodily injuries, including death at any time resulting therefrom, or for damage to property, caused by the operation, within the scope of their official duties or employment, of motor or other vehicles owned by the institution to an amount not exceeding forty thousand dollars on account of the injury to or death of one person, or not exceeding one hundred thousand dollars for any one accident, and not exceeding one thousand dollars on account of damage to property. The expense of such insurance shall be included as a part of the cost of maintenance of such hospital.