S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
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8437
I N S E N A T E
June 1, 2020
___________
Introduced by Sen. LIU -- 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 group policies for
motor vehicles engaged in the business of carrying or transporting
passengers for-hire
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 3457
to read as follows:
§ 3457. GROUP FLEET POLICY FOR MOTOR VEHICLES ENGAGED IN THE BUSINESS
OF CARRYING OR TRANSPORTING PASSENGERS FOR-HIRE. (A) (I) EVERY AUTHOR-
IZED INSURER THAT ISSUES OR ISSUES FOR DELIVERY IN THIS STATE A POLICY
OF COMMERCIAL RISK INSURANCE INSURING AGAINST LOSSES OR LIABILITIES
ARISING OUT OF THE OWNERSHIP, OPERATION, OR USE OF A MOTOR VEHICLE,
SHALL ESTABLISH AND OFFER A GROUP FLEET POLICY INSURING AGAINST THE
LOSSES OR LIABILITIES ARISING OUT OF THE OWNERSHIP OF MOTOR VEHICLES
ENGAGED IN THE BUSINESS OF CARRYING OR TRANSPORTING PASSENGERS FOR-HIRE,
HAVING A SEATING CAPACITY OF NOT LESS THAN EIGHT PASSENGERS. SUCH GROUP
FLEET POLICY SHALL PROVIDE COVERAGE FOR MORE THAN ONE VEHICLE THROUGH
ONE POLICY. SUCH GROUP FLEET POLICIES SHALL BE SUBJECT TO ALL LAWS,
RULES AND REGULATIONS APPLICABLE TO POLICIES OF COMMERCIAL RISK INSUR-
ANCE INSURING AGAINST LOSSES OR LIABILITIES ARISING OUT OF THE OWNER-
SHIP, OPERATION, OR USE OF A MOTOR VEHICLE ENGAGED IN THE BUSINESS OF
CARRYING OR TRANSPORTING PASSENGERS FOR-HIRE, HAVING A SEATING CAPACITY
OF NOT LESS THAN EIGHT PASSENGERS, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LAWS,
RULES AND REGULATIONS ESTABLISHING FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY REQUIRE-
MENTS.
(II) FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS SECTION, A "GROUP FLEET POLICY" SHALL
MEAN, A POLICY ISSUED BY AN AUTHORIZED INSURER IN THIS STATE INSURING
AGAINST LOSSES OR LIABILITIES ARISING OUT OF OWNERSHIP, OPERATION, OR
USE OF A MOTOR VEHICLE ENGAGED IN THE BUSINESS OF CARRYING OR TRANSPORT-
ING PASSENGERS FOR-HIRE, HAVING A SEATING CAPACITY OF NOT LESS THAN
EIGHT PASSENGERS, AND SUCH POLICY SHALL COVER MORE THAN ONE VEHICLE.
(B) THE GROUP FLEET POLICY MAY BE ISSUED TO:
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD15098-07-0
S. 8437 2
(I) ANY PERSON, FIRM, ASSOCIATION, CORPORATION OR OTHER ENTITY WHICH
SHALL BE DEEMED THE POLICYHOLDER, WHERE THE POLICY INSURES THE FOR-HIRE
MOTOR VEHICLES OWNED BY SUCH PERSON, FIRM, ASSOCIATION, CORPORATION OR
OTHER ENTITY; OR
(II) AN ASSOCIATION WHERE SUCH ASSOCIATION SHALL BE DEEMED THE POLICY-
HOLDER; WHERE ALL THE ELIGIBLE MEMBERS OF THE ASSOCIATION HAVE THE SAME
PROFESSION, TRADE, OR OCCUPATION, AND THE ASSOCIATION HAS BEEN ORGANIZED
AND MAINTAINED IN GOOD FAITH FOR PURPOSES PRINCIPALLY OTHER THAN THAT OF
OBTAINING INSURANCE, AND HAS BEEN IN ACTIVE EXISTENCE FOR AT LEAST TWO
YEARS, AND WHERE THE POLICY INSURES THE MEMBERS OF THE ASSOCIATION.
(C) AN AUTHORIZED INSURER ISSUING POLICIES PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION
SHALL PROVIDE A MULTIPLE VEHICLE REDUCTION BASED ON THE NUMBER OF MOTOR
VEHICLES THAT WILL BE COVERED UNDER SUCH POLICY. SUCH REDUCTION SHALL BE
BASED ON ACTUARIALLY APPROPRIATE REDUCTIONS AS PROVIDED FOR IN
SUBSECTION (E) OF THIS SECTION. EACH INSURER REQUIRED TO PROVIDE SUCH
REDUCTION SHALL SUBMIT A REPORT TO THE SUPERINTENDENT AT THE END OF EACH
CALENDAR YEAR IDENTIFYING THE NUMBER OF POLICIES ELIGIBLE FOR SUCH
DISCOUNT AND THE NUMBER OF POLICIES TO WHICH SUCH DISCOUNT HAS BEEN
APPLIED.
(D) A MEMBER OF AN ASSOCIATION SHALL NOT BE DEEMED TO BE AN EMPLOYEE
OF SUCH ASSOCIATION SOLELY BECAUSE SUCH MEMBER IS COVERED UNDER A GROUP
FLEET POLICY ISSUED TO AN ASSOCIATION PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION.
(E) AUTHORIZED INSURERS REQUIRED TO ESTABLISH GROUP FLEET POLICIES
PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION SHALL MAKE SUCH POLICIES AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE
NO LATER THAN JANUARY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-ONE.
(F) THE SUPERINTENDENT SHALL PROVIDE FOR AN ACTUARIALLY APPROPRIATE
REDUCTION IN THE RATES OF PREMIUMS FOR COMMERCIAL RISK INSURANCE APPLI-
CABLE TO MOTOR VEHICLES ENGAGED IN THE BUSINESS OF CARRYING OR TRANS-
PORTING PASSENGERS FOR-HIRE, HAVING A SEATING CAPACITY OF NOT LESS THAN
EIGHT PASSENGERS, FOR POLICIES THAT PROVIDE COVERAGE FOR MULTIPLE VEHI-
CLES. NOTHING IN THIS SECTION SHALL BE CONSTRUED TO AUTHORIZE ANY
INCREASE IN PREMIUM RATES FOR ANY OTHER POLICY ISSUED BY SUCH AUTHORIZED
INSURER AS A RESULT OF ANY GROUP FLEET POLICY PREMIUM RATE.
(G) THE SUPERINTENDENT MAY PROMULGATE ANY RULES AND REGULATIONS NECES-
SARY TO IMPLEMENT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.