The Department of Corrections and the Department of Human Services shall pay all claims involving property damage, not covered by insurance, resulting from actions of escaping inmates or runaway patients occurring while making their escape. The departments must verify the reasonableness of the amounts claimed. Upon the approval of the commissioner of human services or the commissioner of corrections as to the institutions under their respective control, the superintendent or chief executive officer of an institution may pay out of the current expense appropriation of the institution to an employee of the institution the amount of any property damage sustained by the employee, not in excess of $500, because of action of a patient or inmate of the institution.