May 25, 2017

Committee favorably considers PIANY-supported anti-arson applications repeal bill

The state Assembly Insurance Committee favorably considered a PIANY-supported bill that would repeal anti-arson applications. The bill (A.6217) would amend the Insurance Law to only apply this requirement to cities with a population of 1 million or more persons, according to the 1970 census, effectively removing the requirement from Buffalo.

When New York first enacted this law, arson-for-profit reached a significant point due in large part to specific economic circumstances. Those circumstances are no longer present and the methods of investigating arson no longer make it necessary to continue this act. Further, this bill singles out Buffalo as the only Upstate city to which it automatically applies. This causes time and effort to be wasted when attempting to secure insurance in the city.