On Friday, many Northeasterners felt the effects of a 4.8 magnitude earthquake, which rocked our world with shaking buildings from Philadelphia to New Jersey to New York City to Connecticut to Westchester, N.Y. The earthquake was centered near Whitehouse Station,...
The insurance implications and economic impact of the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse
On the early morning of March 26, 2024, the container ship MV Dali hit the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Md. The bridge collapsed within the span of a minute, sending the bridge, cars, machinery, cargo, and even people in the chilly depths of the Patapsco...
N.Y.: Navigating the home stretch: New York state’s budget talks and the impact on insurance
As the calendar turns its pages toward the end of March, New York state finds itself in the thick of its budget negotiation process, with the April Fools’ Day deadline looming just six days away. During this time, the New York state Legislature finds itself juggling...
N.Y.: PIA-priority New York City anti-arson bill passes the state Assembly
PIA-supported legislation (A.8831) that would repeal the outdated anti-arson application in New York City, was passed by the New York state Assembly (by a vote of 147-0) on March 25, 2024. The current anti-arson law In response to a surge in insurance fraud linked to...
PIANY-priority windstorm definition legislation passes state Assembly
The New York state Legislature may be right in the middle of budget negotiations, but the Assembly took a break from the budget to pass one of PIANY’s top legislative priorities for the 2024 legislative session. The Assembly passed A.2866—which requires the New York...
Unleashing opportunities: How Sniffspot safeguards hosts and enriches doggy playtime
Sniffspot is an innovative platform designed to provide private and secure spaces for dogs to play and explore. It’s an app-based service that connects dog owners with local hosts who offer their private lands, yards or specialized areas for dog playdates, training...
N.Y.: Navigating the rise of e-bikes and e-scooters in the Big Apple
E-bikes and e-scooters have surged in popularity as efficient, eco-friendly and fun alternatives to traditional vehicles—offering a compelling solution to urban congestion and contributing to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Their accessibility and ease of...
Client misrepresentations could leave you on the hook for insurance fraud
Insurance agents are the middlemen—they act as intermediaries between insureds and insurers. With this positioning, there are times when agents are put into situations in which they are unsure of what side to take—especially when evidence of a misrepresentation has...
What PIA members need to know about the Corporate Transparency Act
While the Corporate Transparency Act became law on Jan. 1, 2021, you may just be hearing about it now. That is because it became effective as of Jan. 1, 2024, and it has created new business reporting requirements on a federal level for smaller businesses. The law’s...
N.Y.: Gov. Hochul’s plan to deter retail theft
The ongoing trend of organized retail theft is rippling across through the retail industry, contributing to store closures that have impacted communities far and wide. This upsurge in coordinated thefts, including smash-and-grab robberies and chronic shoplifting, is...