New bill to help New Yorkers recover from natural disasters passes Senate

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Staten Islanders are no strangers to the devastation brought by natural disasters and the plethora of insurance-related issues that can arise in their aftermath.

The borough has been hit hard in the past by devastating storms, most notably Hurricane Sandy in 2012, which washed away hundreds of homes on the borough’s East Shore.

On Monday, State Sen. Jessica Scarcella-Spanton (D-North Shore/South Brooklyn) announced that Senate Bill 2069, which she sponsored, has passed the State Senate.

The bill would establish the position of an insurance liaison on the state’s Disaster Preparedness Commission to clarify insurance-related issues, assist with filing claims and help streamline the recovery process.

“During Hurricane Ida, I witnessed firsthand the difficulties my constituents faced while trying to navigate their flood insurance coverage,” said Scarcella-Spanton. “It is clear that we need an insurance liaison to provide guidance and support to those affected by these increasingly prevalent natural disasters.”

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