NY State Senate Bill 2017-S5214

Senate Bill S5214

2017-2018 Legislative Session

Prohibits insurer from increasing auto insurance premiums upon renewal for persons 60 years of age or over solely on the ground of insureds' age

download bill text pdf

Archive: Last Bill Status - In Senate Committee Insurance Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

Please enter your contact information

First Name

Last Name

Email Address

A valid email address is required.

Home address is used to determine the senate district in which you reside. Your support or opposition to this bill is then shared immediately with the senator who represents you.

Optional services from the NY State Senate:

Create an account. An account allows you to officially support or oppose key legislation, sign petitions with a single click, and follow issues, committees, and bills that matter to you. When you create an account, you agree to this platform's terms of participation.

Include a custom message for your Senator? (Optional)

Enter a message to your senator. Many New Yorkers use this to share the reasoning behind their support or opposition to the bill. Others might share a personal anecdote about how the bill would affect them or people they care about.

Actions

View Actions

	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 03, 2018	referred to insurance
Mar 16, 2017	referred to insurance

2017-S5214 (ACTIVE) - Details

See Assembly Version of this Bill:: A3650
Current Committee:: Senate Insurance
Law Section:: Insurance Law
Laws Affected:: Amd §3425, Ins L
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2009-2010: S1754, A1265
2011-2012: S1211, A992
2013-2014: S636, A1531
2015-2016: S3166, A4750
2019-2020: S2943, A2878
2021-2022: A4024
2023-2024: A2406

2017-S5214 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Prohibits insurer from increasing auto insurance premiums upon renewal for persons 60 years of age or over based solely on the ground of the insured's age.

2017-S5214 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 BILL NUMBER:  S5214

 TITLE OF BILL :

An act to amend the insurance law, in relation to prohibiting the
increase of premiums or failure to renew automobile insurance policies
for persons 60 years of age or over

 PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL :

To prohibit automobile insurance carriers from increasing insurance
rates solely on the basis of age.

 SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS :

Section 1. Subsection (i) of § 3425 of the insurance law is amended.
No insurer shall increase the premium billed to an insured who is
sixty years of age or over for the renewal of an existing policy
solely on the ground of the age of the insured.

 JUSTIFICATION :

The automobile insurance industry presently has in place a
discriminatory grading system, whereby insurance rates may be raised
simply because a policyholder has reached a specified birthday, which
puts them in a more expensive rating.

It is a common practice among automobile insurance carriers to raise
premiums on elderly customers when they reach their 75th, 80th, or
other birthday. These customers experience rising insurance rates, yet
they have not been involved in any accidents or violations of the
Motor Vehicle and Traffic Law which would merit rate increases. After
years of responsible driving and loyalty to their insurance company,
senior citizens suddenly find their automobile insurance rates
increased solely because they have gotten older. Senior citizens are
normally known as responsible, cautious drivers who obey motor vehicle
laws and operate their cars in a competent manner.

This industry-wide practice is discriminatory against the elderly,
many of whom are on fixed incomes and may have difficulty finding the
financial resources to pay for the ever increasing rates as they get
older.

 PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

Introduced in previous legislative sessions.

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS :

None.

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
The first of January next succeeding the date on which it shall have
become law and shall apply to renewals of policies issued on and after
such date.

2017-S5214 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                            
 
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   5214
 
                        2017-2018 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                              March 16, 2017
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by Sen. STAVISKY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Insurance
 
 AN ACT to amend the  insurance  law,  in  relation  to  prohibiting  the
   increase of premiums or failure to renew automobile insurance policies
   for persons 60 years of age or over

   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Subsection (i) of section 3425  of  the  insurance  law  is
 amended to read as follows:
   (i)  (1)  No  insurer  shall refuse to issue or renew a covered policy
 solely on the ground of the advanced age of the applicant or insured.
   (2) WITH RESPECT TO AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE POLICIES,  NO  INSURER  SHALL
 INCREASE  THE  PREMIUM BILLED TO AN INSURED WHO IS SIXTY YEARS OF AGE OR
 OVER FOR THE RENEWAL OF AN EXISTING POLICY SOLELY ON THE GROUND  OF  THE
 AGE OF THE INSURED.
   §  2. This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeed-
 ing the date on which it shall have become a  law  and  shall  apply  to
 renewals of policies issued on and after such date.
 
 
 
 

  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD04982-01-7

Comments

Open Legislation is a forum for New York State legislation. All comments are subject to review and community moderation is encouraged.

Comments deemed off-topic, commercial, campaign-related, self-promotional; or that contain profanity, hate or toxic speech; or that link to sites outside of the nysenate.gov domain are not permitted, and will not be published. Attempts to intimidate and silence contributors or deliberately deceive the public, including excessive or extraneous posting/posts, or coordinated activity, are prohibited and may result in the temporary or permanent banning of the user. Comment moderation is generally performed Monday through Friday. By contributing or voting you agree to the Terms of Participation and verify you are over 13.

Create an account. An account allows you to sign petitions with a single click, officially support or oppose key legislation, and follow issues, committees, and bills that matter to you. When you create an account, you agree to this platform's terms of participation.