City & State’s New York Car Insurance Affordability Crisis, presented in partnership with Citizens for Affordable Rates at Lower Manhattan’s Museum of Jewish Heritage, convened policymakers, consumer advocates, industry experts, and community leaders seeking roads towards fixing the state’s car insurance system. 

City & State’s editor in chief Ralph R. Ortega opened the Oct. 29 event, which was dedicated to ensuring that insurance should be, what he called, “fair, transparent, and affordable.”

Skoufis centered his remarks on affordability and equity, listing car insurance as the top concern for drivers, particularly those that feel overburdened by city rates compared to those just outside of the city, and those subject to higher rates due to some form of demographic background check. 

Commenting on the role of public transportation in alleviating car dependency and ways to generate revenue for those projects, congestion pricing being a major initiative mentioned, Skoufis pointed out the major “transit deserts” that exist outside of the city proper, how the MTA missed the mark, and how the initiative could’ve been more effective.