S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
182
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
(PREFILED)
January 8, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. CRUZ, STERN, BURDICK, SIMON, McDONOUGH, WEPRIN,
COLTON -- read once and referred to the Committee on Insurance
AN ACT to amend the insurance law, in relation to homeowner natural
disaster preparedness, home safety and loss prevention courses
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Subparagraphs 3 and 4 of paragraph (a) and paragraph (d) of
subsection 5 of section 2346 of the insurance law, as added by section 2
of part BB of chapter 54 of the laws of 2016, are amended and a new
paragraph (e) is added to read as follows:
(3) "Homeowner natural disaster preparedness, home safety and loss
prevention course" means a natural disaster preparedness, home safety
and loss prevention course that has been submitted to the superintendent
for [their information and review] APPROVAL by an applicant, AND WHICH
HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE SUPERINTENDENT, PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (D) OF
THIS SUBSECTION. Such course [may] SHALL provide useful information to
participants on items including, but not limited to: courses of action
that can be taken before, during and after the occurrence of a natural
disaster, strategies to reduce risk exposure to insured residential
property owners and renters, and information about the installation of
equipment, devices or other capital improvements to real property which
can help to eliminate or mitigate damage to real or personal property,
personal injury or the loss of life caused by a natural disaster or
other insurable event or occurrence of a fire, theft, burglary, personal
injury or property damage.
(4) "Applicant" means an insurer, or any other person, agency or
organization which submits a proposed homeowner natural disaster
preparedness, home safety and loss prevention course to the superinten-
dent for [their information and review] APPROVAL PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD00156-01-5
A. 182 2
(D) OF THIS SUBSECTION, and who or which is prepared and able to offer
such course to insureds upon the approval thereof.
(d) The superintendent may establish, by rule or otherwise, standards
or guidelines to be used by the superintendent when reviewing the
proposed homeowner natural disaster preparedness, home safety and loss
prevention courses. EVERY SUCH COURSE SUBMITTED BY AN APPLICANT TO THE
SUPERINTENDENT FOR APPROVAL MUST BE REVIEWED AND SHALL BE SUBJECT TO
APPROVAL BY THE SUPERINTENDENT.
(E) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ISSUE A REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR THE HOMEOWN-
ER NATURAL DISASTER PREPAREDNESS, HOME SAFETY AND LOSS PREVENTION COURS-
ES DESCRIBED PURSUANT TO THIS SUBSECTION. ON OR BEFORE MARCH FIRST, TWO
THOUSAND TWENTY-SIX, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL SUBMIT A REQUEST FOR STATE
FUNDING IN ORDER TO EFFECTUATE THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SUBSECTION;
PROVIDED, HOWEVER, THAT NO EXPENDITURE SHALL BE MADE UNTIL THE SUPER-
INTENDENT HAS APPROVED A PROGRAM AND FISCAL PLAN FOR HOMEOWNER NATURAL
DISASTER PREPAREDNESS, HOME SAFETY AND LOSS PREVENTION COURSES. SUCH
PLAN SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO, THE FOLLOWING: (1) SPECIFIC
CRITERIA TO BE APPLIED IN EVALUATING THE REQUESTS FOR PROPOSAL; AND (2)
UNIFORM COURSE AND COST STANDARDS.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.