What if we could save billions on insurance?

Dear Editor:

We’ve all seen the ads promising to save us hundreds of dollars on our car insurance, but what if we could save a billion dollars?

It’s not as farfetched as you might think. New Yorkers pay 50% more for their auto insurance than drivers in other states and a driving force behind these higher premiums is fraud. It costs New Yorkers over $1 billion a year, but it doesn’t have to. That’s because the State Senate has passed 3 pieces of legislation to fight these unwarranted costs.

Unfortunately however, a hurdle remains before they can be fully implemented into law and for the savings to begin. That hurdle is the State Assembly. Despite having the bills on their desks for months, they have refused to act.

Each year, auto insurance fraud costs New Yorkers more than $1 billion. Sophisticated crime rings of doctors, lawyers, patients and others, stage accidents and fake injuries to rip off insurance companies and stick you with the bill. It’s not just a financial toll though. Take for example Alice Ross, a 71 year old wife and grandmother. She was tragically killed by one of these staged accidents.

That’s why these bills the Senate passed are so important. They increase penalties and cut bureaucratic red tape to help law enforcement and insurance companies fight back against these criminals. They not only save money, they save lives; and it’s time for the Assembly to join the fight.

I urge all of you to contact your representative in the State Assembly and tell them to pass these powerful tools to combat insurance fraud. They put money in our pockets and provide protection for our families. Two things the Assembly shouldn’t keep us waiting for.

Senator Bill Larkin
New York’s 39th District