Whenever any work shall be done or money expended by any local unit, whether by agreement or by the terms of any insurance policy, for which an individual or corporation is liable, the local unit shall be authorized to collect from such individual or corporation such sum or sums as shall be necessary to reimburse the local unit, and such sum or sums, when received, shall be placed to the credit of the appropriation from which the cost of doing such work shall have been expended.
N.J.S. § 40A:5-32