Senator Bill Larkin (R-C, Cornwall-on-Hudson) today announced the State Senate has passed legislation he sponsored that would automatically suspend the driver’s license of anyone convicted of committing auto insurance fraud.

The bill (S.4040) states that anyone convicted of committing auto insurance fraud will have his or her driver’s license automatically suspended from between one month and ten months depending on the severity of the crime.

"Auto insurance fraud is more prevalent in New York State than anywhere in the nation and is affecting every driver in the state," said Senator Larkin. "It is estimated that as many as one-third of all auto insurance claims contain some element of fraud. This is the major reason why auto rates in New York are the fourth highest in the country. This bill, if enacted, would add another layer of penalty to a very serious and costly crime."