Senate Bill S4048

                            
                    S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________

                                  4048

                       2015-2016 Regular Sessions

                            I N  S E N A T E

                            February 26, 2015
                               ___________

Introduced  by  Sen.  LANZA  -- 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 creating a homeowners'
  bill of rights and a consumer guide on insuring  against  catastrophic
  loss caused by natural disasters

  THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  Section 1. The insurance law is amended by adding a new section 3444-a
to read as follows:
  S 3444-A. HOMEOWNERS' BILL OF RIGHTS.  (A)  ANY  INSURER  THAT  WRITES
PERSONAL  LINES  INSURANCE  OR  COMMERCIAL LINES INSURANCE POLICIES THAT
COVER LOSS OF OR DAMAGE TO REAL PROPERTY, PERSONAL  PROPERTY,  OR  OTHER
LIABILITIES  FOR  LOSS OF OR DAMAGE TO PROPERTY SHALL, UPON ISSUANCE AND
RENEWAL OF ANY SUCH POLICY OR CONTRACT, PROVIDE TO AN INSURED OR  POTEN-
TIAL  INSURED  WRITTEN  DETAILED  DISCLOSURE  IN  A NOTICE PRESCRIBED OR
APPROVED BY THE SUPERINTENDENT DESCRIBING CLEARLY AND IN PLAIN  LANGUAGE
THE FOLLOWING:
  (1)  ANY  AND  ALL  COVERAGE  FOR  LOSS CAUSED BY CERTAIN OCCURRENCES,
INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO FIRE, WIND, WINDSTORM, MUDSLIDE, HURRICANE,
SNOW, ICE, WATER SURGE, OR FLOOD, COVERAGES PROVIDED UNDER  THE  POLICY,
ANY LIMITATIONS ON OR EXCLUSIONS FROM COVERAGE, CIRCUMSTANCES THAT WOULD
INVALIDATE  COVERAGE  UNDER  THE POLICY, ANY APPLICABLE DEDUCTIBLES, AND
WHEN SUCH DEDUCTIBLES SHALL BE TRIGGERED;
  (2) ALL INFORMATION RELATED TO CLAIMS  INVESTIGATION  AND  PROCESSING,
INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE PROCESS BY WHICH THE INSURED MAY FILE A
CLAIM,  ALL  APPLICABLE  TIME FRAMES REQUIRED BY LAW AND REGULATION, ALL
NECESSARY PROOF OF LOSS INFORMATION AND OTHER  INFORMATION  THE  INSURER
MAY  REQUIRE FROM THE INSURED, THE PROCESS BY WHICH THE INSURED MAY FILE
A COMPLAINT WITH THE DEPARTMENT, AND ANY OTHER INFORMATION DEEMED NECES-
SARY BY THE SUPERINTENDENT;

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD01131-01-5

              

S. 4048                             2

  (3) ANY AND ALL RIGHTS A CLAIMANT HAS UNDER THE LAWS AND POLICY WHEN A
CLAIM IS DENIED OR WHEN THE CLAIMANT REJECTS A SETTLEMENT OFFER FROM THE
INSURER, INCLUDING THEIR RIGHT TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE DEPARTMENT;
  (4)  THAT  THE  PROVISIONS  OF  THIS POLICY MAY BE MODIFIED OR CHANGED
PURSUANT TO STATE OR FEDERAL LAW WHEN A  LOCAL  STATE  OF  EMERGENCY  IS
DECLARED  PURSUANT TO SECTION TWENTY-FOUR OF THE EXECUTIVE LAW, WHEN THE
GOVERNOR DECLARES A DISASTER EMERGENCY PURSUANT TO SECTION  TWENTY-EIGHT
OF  THE EXECUTIVE LAW, OR WHEN THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES ISSUES
A MAJOR DISASTER OR EMERGENCY DECLARATION  PURSUANT  TO  THE  ROBERT  T.
STAFFORD  DISASTER RELIEF AND EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE ACT (P.L. 93-288) AND
HOW THE INSURED MAY OBTAIN INFORMATION ABOUT ANY SUCH  MODIFICATIONS  OR
CHANGES;
  (5)  INFORMATION ON HOW THE INSURED MAY CONTACT THE INSURER, INCLUDING
THE INSURER'S BUSINESS HOURS, MAILING ADDRESS, PHONE NUMBER, FAX NUMBER,
WEBSITE ADDRESS AND EMAIL; AND
  (6) INFORMATION ON HOW THE INSURED CAN OBTAIN THE  CONSUMER  GUIDE  ON
INSURING  AGAINST CATASTROPHIC LOSSES CREATED BY THE DEPARTMENT PURSUANT
TO SECTION THREE HUNDRED THIRTY-EIGHT OF  THIS  CHAPTER  AND  ANY  OTHER
GUIDES, PAMPHLETS, OR OTHER INFORMATION THE DEPARTMENT HAS MADE PUBLICLY
AVAILABLE THAT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO THE INSURED.
  (B)  IN  THE  EVENT  THAT  A  POLICY SUBJECT TO SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS
SECTION DOES NOT INCLUDE COVERAGE FOR DAMAGE  AS  A  RESULT  OF  WEATHER
CONDITIONS,  NATURAL  DISASTERS, OR OTHER OCCURRENCES, INCLUDING BUT NOT
LIMITED TO FIRE, WIND, WINDSTORM, MUDSLIDE, HURRICANE, SNOW, ICE,  WATER
SURGE,  OR  FLOOD,  THE  INSURER  OR  PRODUCER  SHALL, UPON ISSUANCE AND
RENEWAL OF ANY SUCH POLICY OR CONTRACT, PROVIDE TO AN INSURED OR  POTEN-
TIAL  INSURED  INFORMATION ON ANY ADDITIONAL COVERAGE OPTIONS, INCLUDING
ADDITIONAL POLICIES AND RIDERS, THE NEW YORK PROPERTY  INSURANCE  UNDER-
WRITING ASSOCIATION, THE COASTAL MARKET ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, THE NATIONAL
FLOOD  INSURANCE  PROGRAM,  AND ANY OTHER OPTIONS AUTHORIZED BY STATE OR
FEDERAL LAW.
  S 2. Paragraphs 6 and 7 of subsection  (a)  of  section  2601  of  the
insurance  law,  paragraph  6  as  amended  and  paragraph 7 as added by
section 27 of part H of chapter 60 of the laws of 2014, are amended  and
a new paragraph 8 is added to read as follows:
  (6)  failing  to promptly disclose coverage pursuant to subsection (d)
or subparagraph (A) of paragraph two of subsection (f) of section  three
thousand four hundred twenty of this chapter; [or]
  (7)  submitting  reasonably rendered claims to the independent dispute
resolution process  established  under  article  six  of  the  financial
services law[.]; OR
  (8) KNOWINGLY MISREPRESENTING OR FAILING TO PROVIDE PERTINENT FACTS OF
POLICY  PROVISIONS  TO  CLAIMANTS  AS REQUIRED BY SECTION THREE THOUSAND
FOUR HUNDRED FORTY-FOUR-A OF THIS CHAPTER AND NOT  COMPLYING  WITH  SUCH
POLICY  PROVISIONS, INCLUDING ESTABLISHED TIME FRAMES FOR INVESTIGATION,
CLAIMS PROCESSING AND SETTLEMENT, AND PAYMENT OF CLAIMS.
  S 3. The insurance law is amended by adding a new section 338 to  read
as follows:
  S 338. CONSUMER GUIDE ON INSURING AGAINST CATASTROPHIC LOSSES. (A) SIX
MONTHS  AFTER  THE  EFFECTIVE  DATE  OF THIS SECTION, THE SUPERINTENDENT
SHALL ISSUE AND UPDATE, AS  NECESSARY,  A  CONSUMER  GUIDE  ON  INSURING
AGAINST CATASTROPHIC LOSSES THAT SHALL CONTAIN COMPREHENSIVE INFORMATION
WRITTEN  IN PLAIN LANGUAGE IN A CLEAR AND UNDERSTANDABLE FORMAT, INCLUD-
ING THE FOLLOWING:
  (1) THE WAYS IN WHICH DIFFERENT TYPES OF WEATHER  CONDITIONS,  NATURAL
DISASTERS, OR OTHER OCCURRENCES CAN CAUSE CATASTROPHIC LOSSES, INCLUDING

S. 4048                             3

BUT  NOT  LIMITED TO DAMAGE FROM FIRE, WIND, WINDSTORM, MUDSLIDE, HURRI-
CANE, SNOW, ICE, EXTREME COLD, WATER SURGE, AND FLOOD;
  (2)  THE  TYPES  OF  INSURANCE AVAILABLE THAT PROVIDE COVERAGE AGAINST
CATASTROPHIC LOSSES FOR BOTH HOMEOWNERS AND  BUSINESSES,  A  LISTING  OF
COMPANIES THAT PROVIDE SUCH COVERAGE, AND RECOMMENDATIONS AS TO HOW BEST
TO  SHOP FOR AND COMPARE PRICES, SERVICE AND QUALITY OF INSURANCE COVER-
AGE;
  (3) A LIST OF THE EXCLUSIONS TYPICALLY  FOUND  IN  SUCH  COVERAGE  AND
INFORMATION  ON  HOW A CONSUMER MAY OBTAIN COVERAGE FOR SUCH EXCLUSIONS,
INCLUDING A LISTING OF COMPANIES  THAT  PROVIDE  SUCH  COVERAGE  AND  AN
EXPLANATION OF, INFORMATION ON, AND THE TYPES OF COVERAGE AVAILABLE FROM
THE  NEW  YORK  PROPERTY INSURANCE UNDERWRITERS ASSOCIATION, THE COASTAL
MARKET ASSISTANCE PROGRAM, AND THE NATIONAL FLOOD INSURANCE PROGRAM, AND
OTHER OPTIONS AUTHORIZED BY STATE OR FEDERAL LAW;
  (4) STEPS A CONSUMER CAN TAKE TO PREPARE FOR  A  NATURAL  DISASTER  OR
OTHER CATASTROPHIC LOSS;
  (5)  STEPS  A CONSUMER CAN TAKE FOLLOWING A CATASTROPHIC LOSS IN ORDER
TO FACILITATE THE TIMELY PROCESSING OF THE  CONSUMER'S  INSURANCE  CLAIM
AND AN EXPLANATION OF POLICYHOLDERS' RIGHTS AS PROVIDED IN LAW AND REGU-
LATION; AND
  (6)  A  DEPARTMENT  TOLL  FREE  CONSUMER  HOT-LINE AND WEBSITE ADDRESS
THROUGH WHICH CONSUMERS MAY INITIATE  COMPLAINTS,  AND  REQUEST  GENERAL
INFORMATION ABOUT INSURANCE.
  (B)  THE  REQUIREMENTS SET FORTH IN SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS SECTION MAY
BE SATISFIED BY SEPARATE OR SUPPLEMENTAL PUBLICATIONS AND UPDATES.
  (C) THE SUPERINTENDENT SHALL  POST  THE  CONSUMER  GUIDE  ON  INSURING
AGAINST CATASTROPHIC LOSSES ON THE DEPARTMENT'S WEBSITE.
  S  4.  This  act  shall  take  effect on the same date and in the same
manner as section 27 of part H of chapter 60 of the laws of  2014  takes
effect.