BILL NUMBER:  S6909

 TITLE OF BILL :

An act to amend the insurance law, in relation to permitting a
liability policy to provide coverage for punitive damages and civil
penalties

 PURPOSE :

To allow insurance coverage for punitive damages.

 SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS :

Section 1 creates a new subsection K of section 3240 of the Insurance
law. Section 2 is the effective date.

 JUSTIFICATION :

New York is one of only two states that completely bars insurance for
any punitive damages assessed. The vast majority of states permit
insurers to provide coverage for punitive, exemplary damages and civil
penalties.

In New York, in 1979 the Court of Appeals determined that punitive
damages were not insurable because they are designed to punish the
              

wrongdoer and deter further misbehavior. Hartford v. Village of
Hempstead (48 N.Y. 2d 218). All subsequent New York cases on the issue
have largely been constrained to follow the Hartford case.  While the
Hartford case remains New York's leading statement on this issue of
public policy, it is a difficult one to enforce and administrate in
the face of interstate commerce.

The Department of Financial Services continues to enforce that public
policy, however, in recognition of the issues involving interstate
commerce, it acknowledged in an Office of General Counsel opinion
dated December 21, 2005 that a New York licensed reinsurer is
permitted to reinsure an insurer not licensed in New York for policies
with punitive damage coverage under most circumstances.

This policy set by the judiciary over thirty-five years ago has not
been reconsidered despite the national trend. This legislation seeks
to fix an antiquated policy and align New York State with the rest of
the nation.

Today, insurance producers and insurers sell punitive damage insurance
on a regular yet selective basis in almost every state. They do so
because insureds desire to protect themselves from the adverse
financial and business consequences of punitive damages awards,
particularly when those awards arise out of strict liability or
vicarious liability. Insurers sell such coverage believing they can
determine appropriate rates based on an estimable range of loss costs.

New York insureds cannot buy coverage for punitive damages from New
York licensed insurers, nor from eligible excess line insurers. New
York insureds who desire this coverage are forced to purchase such
insurance from insurers not licensed in the state, including off shore
insurers in Bermuda and other countries beyond the jurisdiction of New
York courts and beyond state regulators and regulation. While punitive
damages coverage is not available for purchase within the state, the
Supreme Court of the United States has held that it is legal for
insureds to purchase coverage beyond the borders of the state. See
State Board of Insurance v. Todd Ship Yards Corp., 370 U.S. 451
(1962). New York consumers would benefit if they could acquire such
coverage through the New York regulated market where consumer
protection is a paramount goal.
Any concern that coverage for punitive damages will result in
insurance for intentional or criminal acts can be addressed by the way
policies are written in the states that permit coverage for punitive
damages. In the states that permit the insurance of punitive damages,
insurance policies are written to exclude coverage for intentional
acts of the named insured.

The result of any large punitive damage judgment awarded in New York
today is often an uncollected, hollow judgment without benefit to the
aggrieved party and without punishment to a judgment debtor which
files bankruptcy or otherwise ceases to do business without satisfying
the punitive damage award. This proposal seeks to foster the
collection of court awarded damages by the plaintiffs who received
these awards.

 LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

New bill.

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :

None.

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
Immediately.