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Gov. Cuomo outlines guidelines for reopening

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced Monday guidelines for when regions of New York can reopen. The state will monitor four factors to determine whether a region is eligible to reopen: New infections, health care capacity, diagnostic testing capacity and contact tracing capacity. Additionally, the governor outlined which industries and businesses can open in each phase of the state’s reopening plan, which consists of four phases. Businesses considered more essential with low risks of infection will be prioritized, followed by businesses that are less essential. Learn more about Cuomo’s reopening guidelines here, including new safety precautions that each business will have to take upon reopening. However, according to Cuomo, as of Monday, based on the state’s guidelines,  no New York region is ready to reopen. To stay updated on the day-to-day changes, see the PIANY coronavirus resource page and be sure to read your PIANY publications. Recent updates include: an announcement from Cuomo’s office that the governor signed an executive order closing all New York schools for the remainder of the academic year, and a webinar about COVID and the construction site.

New bill would prohibit use of noncompete agreements

State Sen. Alessandra Biaggi, D-34, introduced a bill (S.8274) that would prohibit the use of noncompete agreements and would provide that noncompete agreements are enforceable only if the agreement is no greater than required for the protection of the legitimate interest of the employer; does not impose an undue hardship on an employee; is not injurious to the public; and is reasonable in time period and geographic scope. A noncompete agreement is an agreement or clause contained in an employment contract between an employer and an employee that restricts the employee from obtaining employment after he or she leaves that employer. Nondisclosure agreements do not meet this definition and would not be impacted by this legislation. PIANY will continue to monitor this bill in case changes are made that would negatively impact professional insurance agents.

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COVID-19 related bills introduced in
state Legislature

Several new bills were introduced in the state Legislature in the last week. The first bill, A.10343, would grant an automatic extension to pay taxes for those individuals who are affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Another bill, A.10344/S.8172, would require employers to grant sick leave to employees when such employees are subject to a mandatory or precautionary quarantine due to COVID-19. A.10348/S.8275 and A.10401/S.8266 would address workers’ compensation issues during the current state of emergency, and A.10360/S.8191 would prohibit the charge of certain membership fees (e.g., gym memberships) during a state disaster emergency. Read more about these bills here.

AIPSO NYAIP
manual revised

The Automobile Insurance Plan Service Office announced revisions to the New York Automobile Insurance Plan were introduced to provide a premium credit of 15% for the period of time a policy is in effect during May 2020 and/or June 2020, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The electronic manual is available here.

NYCIRB clarifies code 8873

The New York Compensation Insurance Rating Board clarified the effective date of the new classification code 8873–Telecommuter Reassigned Employees, which was announced in R.C. Bulletin 2512, dated May 1, 2020. The provisions of classification code 8873 apply to all new and renewal policies effective on or after May 1, 2020, and to all policies that were in-force from March 16, 2020, through April 30, 2020.

NYSIF Advisor Spring 2020

The New York State Insurance Fund has published its NYSIF Advisor Spring 2020, which includes helpful articles assisting policyholders with COVID-19 issues.

PIA partners with Progressive to offer agents funds for business recovery

PIA National has partnered with Progressive to offer marketing program credits to professional insurance agents who want to move their businesses forward throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. PIA member agents—who also pay dues to PIA National—can use these funds to develop, among other things, marketing resources, business recovery initiatives, social-media campaigns and consulting services that will help them come out of this pandemic stronger and strategically placed to grow their businesses. The $250 credit is available directly through PIA National. These services, which are customized for your agency’s needs, are available through PIA Northeast Design & Print. Or, if you prefer ready-made materials, you can access PIA National’s Direct Marketing Vault.

You’re still working for your clients, let them know

During the COVID-19 outbreak, many businesses have had to shut down. However, let your clients and social-media followers know you are working for them during this time of uncertainty. PIA Design & Print has created ready-to-use, social-media graphics that PIA members can use for free. View the options here.

PIA National hails the launch of COVID-19 recovery fund coalition

PIA National is pleased to be an active member of a new coalition urging for the creation of a COVID-19 Recovery Fund for businesses and employees. PIA National and over 100 organizations from the business and insurance communities, have formed America’s Recovery Fund, a group dedicated to developing a common-sense solution for businesses struggling to cope with the economic fallout of the coronavirus crisis. The proposal creates a COVID-19 recovery fund within the U.S. Department of the Treasury. The fund is modeled after the September 11^th Victim Compensation Fund, operated by the federal government, and run by a presidential appointee with the authority to enter into contracts with interested businesses to administer the fund and facilitate the distribution of federal funds to affected businesses.

Avoid compromising your agency’s E&O coverage

The COVID-19 outbreak is causing insureds to look for coverage in their existing insurance policies to cover some of their unexpected losses. While it may be a while before all their coverage questions can be answered, there may be some unhappy clients when they find out some of their losses may not be covered by their current policies. If clients accuse your agency of omitting coverages or failing to inform them of risks, there are certain actions your staff members should take, so your agency doesn’t compromise its errors-and-omissions coverage.

PIANYPAC thanks NGL Group LLC for more than two decades of support

PIANYPAC recognizes and thanks NGL Group LLC for its 21 years of support, and for consistently donating at the Diamond Club and then Platinum Club levels. Donors like NGL Group LLC help strengthen PIANYPAC and ensure the voices of independent agents are heard in Albany. To learn more, check out PIANYPAC’s website.

Ask PIA: Raffles for clients

Q. We want to run a raffle to increase our agency’s visibility. We plan to reach out to our existing homeowners insurance customers, and if they allow us to quote their auto insurance, they will be entered into a raffle for a chance to win a cruise vacation package worth $1,000. Is this permissible in New York? A. No. According to New York’s rebating laws, raffles are permitted only if they are open raffles, which means that anyone can enter the raffle, whether they are an existing customer; and entry into the raffle cannot be tied to the purchase or solicitation of an insurance product. Here is more information about holding raffles for your current customers. As a PIA member, you have access to the entire Ask PIA library of frequently asked questions and expert answers by PIA’s technical staff.

PIANY education: Bonding, ethics in the insurance industry and more

Looking for quality education classes? PIANY offers a wide range of education sessions on salient topics, including the following open courses: Bonding–Not Insurance! (Friday, May 8, PIA Webinar, NYCE: 1 BR, C3, PA, PC); Customer Service in the Insurance Industry (Monday, May 11, PIA Webinar, NYCE: 2 BR, C1, C3, LA, LB, LSB, PA, PC); Ethics: Responsibilities and Practical Challenges (Tuesday, May 12, PIA Webinar, NYCE: 3 BR, C1, C3, LA, LB, LSB, PA, PC); Insurance Agents Professional Liability^{^FF^UN} (Wednesday, May 13, PIA Webinar, NYCE: 3 BR, C1, C3, LA, LB, LSB, PA, PC); Condominium Exposures & Coverages (Friday, May 15, PIA Webinar, NYCE: 2 BR, C3, PA, PC); and 2020 CISR 1IC (Commercial Casualty I) CGL, Additional Insureds (May 19 and 21, PIA Webinar, NYCE: 7 BR, C3, PA, PC, Earn one additional NYCE credit with a passing grade on exam). ^{^FF^UN}–This course has been approved for E&O loss-prevention credit by Fireman’s Fund and Utica National. Call the PIA E&O Department for details. For more offerings, see the complete education schedule.

Available online: CISR and Ruble seminar

PIA is offering 2020 CISR 1IC (Commercial Casualty I) CGL, Additional Insureds, May 19 and 21, 2020. The course isa two-day online seminar to earn a NYCE total of 7 BR, C3, PA, PC. Attendees can earn one additional NYCE credit with a passing score on the exam. Register and learn more about the CISR class here. Additionally, the 2020 James K. Ruble Graduate Seminar will be available online via webinar on May 27-28, 2020. Instructors for this seminar will be Bettye Hutchison, CRM, CIC, CPCU, ARM, CPIA, AAI, TRIP; Steven D. Lyon, CPCU, CIC, CRM, CRIS, AAI, ARM, AIS, MLIS, AFIS; and Catherine L. Trischan, CPCU, CIC, CRM, AU, AAI, CRIS, ARM, MLIS, TRIP. Register and learn more here.

Sexual harassment prevention training required for employees who do business in New York and Connecticut

New York and Connecticut state laws require most state employees to complete sexual harassment prevention training. New York employees are required to complete this course annually, and it is available from PIA in the form of an online webinar on Wednesday, May 20, 2020; and Thursday, June 11, 2020. Employees in Connecticut must take a mandatory training course by Thursday, Oct. 1, 2020, in order to comply with the law. You and your employees must comply with this law if you do any business in Connecticut. PIA also provides this training in the form of an online webinar. Dates for the Connecticut webinar include Monday, May 18, 2020, Tuesday, June 23, 2020, and Thursday, July 16, 2020.

Deadline extended: Nominate an Outstanding CSR of the Year

Each year, exceptional insurance professionals are chosen by The National Alliance for Insurance Education & Research to represent their states and compete to become The National Outstanding CSR of the Year. This prestigious award—regarded as the foremost national award of its kind—recognizes the contributions and commitment of those who serve clients within the insurance industry. Nominate your best customer service representatives and account managers for the Outstanding CSR of the Year award. The competition is open to any insurance CSRs or candidates primarily responsible for customer service regardless of affiliation or professional designation. Candidates may nominate themselves. The deadline for submissions has been extended until are due Monday, June 1, 2020.

Tips for homeowners hiring a contractor

Proper maintenance is a key factor in the retention and growth of a house’s value. This factor is one reason why it is important for homeowners to hire highly qualified contractors when making major repairs or renovations. If you have clients who are considering hiring contractors to work on their houses, consider sharing Top 10 contractor hiring tips for homeowners, which can be found in the PIA QuickSource library.

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