Two of PIANY’s top legislative priorities were on the agenda of the New York state Assembly Insurance Committee and both were reported out of committee today. Here is a little more about the bills that passed and what comes next:
Photo inspections
PIANY’s top legislative priority for the 2023 legislative year is passage of legislation that would make important reforms to the state’s outdated photo inspection law (A.3172A). This bill, sponsored by member of the Assembly Kenneth Zebrowski, D-96, would allow insurance companies to file a waiver with the New York State Department of Financial Services to allow them to waive photo inspections for all or some of the personal automobiles they insure. Learn more about photo inspection reform here.
Bait and switch
A bill, sponsored by Assembly Insurance Committee Chair David Weprin, D-24, would address the harmful practice of bait-and-switch that may happen when a person buys an auto insurance policy (A.4668).
Bait and switch is the colloquial term used to describe when an insurance company verifies an insurance applicant’s driving history after the applicant has paid the premium on a personal auto policy. This legislation would require insurance companies to verify an insured’s driver history before binding a policy. Learn more about bait and switch here.
What’s next?
Both bills now will go on Assembly Calendar, and they will be considered by the entire state Assembly.
PIANY would like to thank Assemblyman Zebrowski and Chairman Weprin for their continued leadership on these important consumer issues.
And, PIANY will continue to advocate for these and other issues on its 2023 legislative agenda.
Get involved
If you want to get involved with PIANY’s legislative and advocacy work, there are many ways to engage with the association:
- participate in PIANY’s District Office Visit Program;
- become a member of Agents Advocacy Coalition; and
- watch your PIA Northeast publications and PIA Northeast’s social-media channels for important New York updates, and share them with your followers.
Bradford J. Lachut, Esq.
Bradford J. Lachut, Esq., joined PIA as government affairs counsel for the Government & Industry Affairs Department in 2012 and then, after a four-month leave, he returned to the association in 2018 as director of government & industry affairs responsible for all legal, government relations and insurance industry liaison programs for the five state associations. Prior to PIA, Brad worked as an attorney for Steven J. Baum PC, in Amherst, and as an associate attorney for the law office of James Morris in Buffalo. He also spent time serving as senior manager of government affairs as the Buffalo Niagara Partnership, a chamber of commerce serving the Buffalo, N.Y., region, his hometown. He received his juris doctorate from Buffalo Law School and his Bachelor of Science degree in Government and Politics from Utica College, Utica, N.Y. Brad is an active Mason and Shriner.
