Oct 6, 2014

PIANY: Write Gov. Cuomo to help pass certificates of insurance reform law

PIANY needs its members to contact the governor and tell him that certificates pose major problems for New York insurance agents (and industry). Please take a moment to draft a short letter asking him to support our top-priority certificates of insurance reform bill (A.9590 Morelle/S.6545-A Seward). Representatives from Gov. Andrew M. Cuomos office have said that they do not believe that certificates of insurance pose a major problem for producers. We need our members to persuade them otherwise. Please write Gov. Cuomo a letter on your agencys letterhead and help PIANY show strong, broad-based support for this important bill.

The message is simple. Simply reiterate these points on your agencys letterhead:

The Honorable Andrew Cuomo

Office of the Governor

State Capitol

Albany, NY 12224

RE: A.9590 Morelle/S.6545-A Seward

Gov. Cuomo:

As a licensed insurance producer in the state of New York and a PIANY member, I write to you to ask for your help. There is a large and growing problem regarding the improper use of certificates of insurance in New York. Many times, the improper use of certificates creates situations in which proper insurance coverage is not in place. This puts both workers and the general public at risk. Legislation headed to your desk (A.9590 Morelle/S.6545-A Seward) directly addresses the problem by regulating the use of certificate forms and requiring that certificates clearly and accurately reflect the coverages in the policy. Please give this bill your favorable consideration. This bill was amended this year to eliminate the concerns you set forth in last years veto message to allow state agencies to use their own forms once approved by the DFS.

Sincerely,

_________________________

Cc: Mr. Niall O'Hegarty, Esq., Counsel, Office of the Counsel to the Governor, State Capitol, Albany, NY 12224

Please also send copies to PIANY (25 Chamberlain St., Glenmont, NY 12077) so that we may hand deliver these to the governor.

A.9590 Morelle/S.6545-A Seward: The bill requires the use of an ACORD certificate form (with limited exceptions) and provides that no person or governmental entity shall request or require, prepare or issue a certificate of insurance that such person knows does not accurately state the terms of coverage provided by the policy; or purports to alter, amend, extend or misrepresent the terms of coverage to which the certificate makes reference; or purports to confer to any person new or additional rights beyond what the referenced policy of insurance expressly provides. Essentially, the bill requires a certificate to be a true and accurate representation of the policy.