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PIANYOfficers Meet With Legislators in Albany

GLENMONT, N.Y.—Donna Chiapperino, past president, Richard Savino, president-elect, and Bruce Rowledge of The Professional Insurance Agents of New York State, Inc., met with local lawmakers in Albany on key issues affecting independent insurance agents in New York state. They met with the following area legislators: Brian Murphy, counsel for Sen. Kenneth LaValle, R-1; Sen. Jack Martins, R-7; Sen. Andrew Lanza, R-24; Sen. Neil Breslin, D-46; Sen. James Seward, R-51; Assemblyman Jonathan Bing, D-73; Assemblyman Gary Pretlow, D-87; Chris Bresnan, Chief of Staff for Assemblyman Kenneth Zebrowski, D-94; Assemblywoman Nancy Calhoun, R-96; Assemblyman Ron Canestrari, D-106; Assemblyman Brian Kolb, R- 129; and Assemblyman Joe Morelle, D-132.

PIANY is working on behalf of local independent agents, their businesses and their clients for the passage of a comprehensive legislative agenda in 2011.

The association’s key goals in it’s own words for the year are as follows:

  • The repeal of mandatory photo inspections. Currently, insurers must require these inspections, which call for photos to be taken of a car before collision or comprehensive insurance is issued. Though originally intended to reduce insurance fraud, the requirement represents an onerous burden for the insured, as failure to obtain an inspection, with sometimes as little as five days notice, can result in a lapse of physical damage coverage.
  • Standardize homeowners insurance windstorm triggers. Windstorm coverage requires classifications of wind damage in order for a policy to coverage damage, related to specific “trigger” events. However, these “triggers” differ from policy to policy, potentially leaving gaps for insurance consumers.
  • Require certificates of insurance to be filed and approved by the NYSID. Insurance producers often are asked to complete certificates of insurance forms that add terms or clauses that are not contained in an actual policy. Seeking to prevent parties from insisting on the creation of unique and highly problematic certificates, which potentially mislead policyholders or those who request them about the coverage that is in place, PIA seeks legislation to require that certificates of insurance must be filed with and approved by the Superintendent of Insurance and standardized through industry authorities.
  • Reform no-fault. Steep increases in no-fault fraud continue to plague New York state. As a result, the costs associated with fraud and abuse of the state’s no-fault system are ultimately borne by policyholders, our members’ clients, and are now the second highest in the country.