Recently, the Court of Appeals of Connecticut affirmed a decision by a lower court, which granted a motion for summary judgment in favor of several insurance carriers. It confirmed that these carriers did not have a duty to defend and indemnify two policyholders under...
N.Y.: Have you met TED?
As New York ushers in a new year, it’s not just resolutions that are changing. The insurance landscape is set for a transformative shift. Gov. Kathy Hochul released her executive budget earlier this month. Through the budget, we can get a peek of what the governor has...
N.J.: Trio of insurance-related laws signed
At the end of the 2022-23 legislative session in New Jersey a series of insurance-related bills that will impact personal- and commercial-lines clients were signed into law by Gov. Phil Murphy. These bills range from mandating safety measures in housing construction,...
Before you start planning your wedding, don’t forget to insure the ring
Getting engaged for Christmas or New Years is very exciting and romantic. It could involve a beautiful one-carat diamond ring that looks amazing on your finger! There’s so much planning to do for the big day, but don’t forget to insure your ring from theft, if the...
Legislation to combat residential fires passes N.J. Senate
Nearly a decade ago, New Jersey witnessed the inherent dangers posed by rapidly spreading fires—the catastrophic 2015 Avalon Apartment fire in Edgewater, which thankfully caused no injuries or deaths. However, the incident still lingers vividly in the minds of the New...
N.J.: Introduced legislation would make insurance mandatory for e-bikes and e-scooters
Coming off an expensive statewide ballot election featuring all 120 elected Assemblymembers and Senators, the New Jersey state Legislature’s lame duck session currently is in full swing. On Nov. 30, 2023, Senate President Nicholas Scutari, D-22,...
Risks associated with electronic bikes
Electric bicycles—or e-bikes—have become popular as an eco-friendly, efficient, and cost-effective mode of transportation. While these bicycles offer myriad benefits, they carry certain risks—which riders can mitigate. Electric bikes are powered by batteries,...
PIA testifies before the N.Y. Assembly Committees on Insurance and Environmental Conservation
PIANY Director of Government & Industry Affairs Bradford J. Lachut, Esq., along with other industry representatives, testified this morning on extreme weather and the resiliency of the property/casualty insurance marketplace. The hearing was jointly hosted...
PIA Market Trends Survey: Rising premium rates, other factors indicative of a hard market
Professional insurance agents may be aware that the insurance industry is amid a hard market. This means you also may have noticed that your insureds’ premiums have risen, and insurance coverage is more restricted, among other changes. PIA Northeast conducted a survey...
Are you selling umbrellas with holes in ’em?: If your clients get wet, you could too!
We (independent agents) are raised to sell umbrella liability insurance policies, but why? We are told to sell umbrellas because people can get sued for an auto accident or a slip-and-fall, and other outrageous scenarios. Basically, when you make a mistake and cause...