Independent Agent Victories Cap Historic Legislative Session
The 2026 legislative session is one that insurance industry stakeholders will study, discuss, and remember for decades to come. A state budget that arrived nearly two months late, the passage of some of the most significant auto insurance reforms in decades, and key victories for insurance agents and brokers combined to make this a landmark year for grassroots advocacy and meaningful policymaking.
Auto Insurance Reform
Governor Hochul’s property and casualty insurance reform package became one of the most debated issues of the state budget process. Through meetings with lawmakers, grassroots advocacy, and public engagement, Big I New York members helped secure passage of reforms aimed at curbing fraud, reducing litigation costs, and stabilizing auto insurance premiums. The result was one of the most consequential insurance reform packages enacted in decades.
A summary of the state budget reforms is available here along with consumer messaging to help communicate what the reforms mean for the driving public. Big I New York members can learn more about the reforms by attending a free New York Legislative Session Recap webinar on June 16 at 1:00 PM.
Producer Advertising Modernization
Another major victory came with the passage of Big I New York’s producer advertising bill in both the Assembly and Senate. The legislation stemmed from a member’s experience receiving a $2,000 DFS fine for violating an outdated advertising requirement that offered little consumer benefit while creating unnecessary compliance burdens for independent agents. After identifying the broader impact of the issue, Big I New York secured legislative sponsors and successfully advanced a targeted fix through both houses. The bill now awaits the Governor’s approval, demonstrating the power of member engagement and effective grassroots advocacy.
Continuing Education Credit Carryover
The State Legislature also passed legislation permitting licensed insurance agents, brokers, adjusters, consultants, and intermediaries to carry over up to five hours of continuing education credit into the following licensing period. Big I New York supported the measure because it provides greater flexibility in how agents and brokers manage their continuing education requirements and creates more opportunities to pursue relevant, high-quality professional development without being constrained by a rigid licensing cycle.
The Best Defense is a Strong Offense
That sports analogy certainly rang true during the 2026 legislative session. While much attention was rightly focused on the industry’s proactive agenda, it is equally important to recognize the harmful proposals that were stopped along the way. Measures that would have dramatically expanded litigation exposure, imposed market-chilling homeowners loss ratio benchmarks, and arbitrarily mandated extensive insurance discounts, among others, gained traction during the session. Thanks to sustained advocacy efforts, however, those proposals were ultimately held in committee and are expected to die with the adjournment of the 2026 session.
A handful of noteworthy insurance industry bills passed both houses and will be sent to the Governor for approval. They include:
- Pet Insurance: Establishes a comprehensive regulatory framework for pet insurance by creating uniform definitions, standardized disclosures, and consumer protections. A.11164 (Hunter)/S.10225 (Bailey)
- Marital Status: Prohibits insurance discrimination on the basis of an insured’s marital status following the death of an insured’s spouse. A.10279-A (Weprin)/S.9179-A (Skoufis)
- Volunteer Drivers: Prohibits insurers from refusing to issue or renew a private passenger auto policy solely on the grounds that the insured is performing volunteer driving services. A.5710-A (Solages)/S.9941 (Bailey)
- Surveillance Pricing: Prohibits surveillance pricing, defined as the use of algorithms that analyze consumers’ personal data to set different prices for the same goods or services. The prohibition does not apply to entities regulated under state insurance laws or regulations. A.9349-B (Torres)/S.8623-B (May)
Big I New York thanks members who engaged in grassroots advocacy and built legislative relationships to help move historic reforms and other insurance modernization proposals through the legislative process.
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