Skip Ribbon Commands
Skip to main content
Mar 27
Assembly Passes Big I NY Priority Anti-Arson and Supplemental Spousal Liability Bills

Scott Hobson BW Blog Headshot_80x103.jpgWe are excited to report that on Monday, March 25th, the New York State Assembly unanimously passed two of our high priority bills. The first bill will eliminate the anti arson application in New York City​, which is the only jurisdiction which still requires it. The second bill makes common-sense changes to the recent supplemental spousal liability opt-out law. The changes will exempt unmarried policyholders from automatic enrollment in the coverage, and will not apply automatic enrollment to commercial auto policies. ​

Big I New York has lobbied strongly in support of both bills and recently met with committee chairman David Weprin (D, Queens), to express our support for their passage. Both bills must now be passed by the NYS Senate and signed by the Governor before becoming law.


Contact SHobson@BigINY.org with any questions.


Mar 20
Sad News
Jim Keidel

"Hey" Brian, (or Lisa, or Kathy, or Tim, or...insert your name here).


That's the way Jim Keidel always greeted our work family, including the agents he proudly served.

​A big smile, an immediate approach with a hug or a handshake, and a warm "Hey" with your name. He would then ask you a question about your life. "How are the kids," "How's your mom doing," "How are things going?" Jim's care was sincere.

It is with profound sadness we share that our dear friend, Jim Keidel, has passed away. His memory will live on through so many.

For more than 30 years, Jim stood up for and by member agencies as an E&O legal mind, helping them minimize exposures and strongly advocating for their interests. He shined in our annual E&O seminars and published nearly 300 E&O Reports. Jim poured his heart into our industry and made friends wherever he went. To say he will be missed is an understatement.

A memorial service for Jim will be held at 2:00 PM this Saturday, March 23rd, at Saint Stephen's Church, 353 Main Street, Ridgefield, CT 06877. His obituary can be found here.

We are collecting remembrances of Jim to share with his family. If you would like to share a thought, picture, or story about Jim, please share it here or email it to Ryan St. Windsor at rstwindsor@biginy.org​ by April 19th. 

Our thoughts and gratitude go out to the entire team at Keidel & Cunningham, who have remained committed to supporting members while grieving this loss themselves.

Above everything, Jim adored his family. Please lift his wife, Kit, and beloved daughters, Kloe and Phoebe, up in thoughts or prayers and consider a random act of kindness in his memory.


Mar 11
Photo Inspection FAQ: When and How Will Carriers Start Waiving Inspections?

​In November 2023, Big I NY celebrated the signature of our top priority bill, which will allow carriers to waive CARCO photo for any or all vehicles in NY. Here is all you need to know about how this will work!

When can carriers begin waiving photo inspections?

The new law will become effective on May 15th, 2024. We anticipate that many carriers will begin waiving photo inspections on or shortly after this date.

How long will carriers be allowed to waive photo inspections?

Until October 1, 2027 if the law is not extended or made permanent. Big I NY is committed to making these changes permanent.

Do carriers have to waive all photo inspections?

No. The law allows them to waive all or some inspections based on their underwriting guidelines.

Will all carriers eliminate or reduce their photo inspection requirements?

This is up to each individual carrier. According to CARCO's own data, states that have made photo inspections optional was 80%-90% reduction in inspections across the board. We anticipate similar effects in NY.

Which vehicles will carriers still require photo inspections for?

This is up to each carrier. The regulations implementing the law are still being finalized, but we believe carriers will be permitted to waive inspections for any vehicles they wish, provided it is not unfairly discriminatory and consistent with the company's underwriting guidelines. Inspections will likely be waived by vehicle, not by individual insured. Companies may still opt to require inspections for vehicles that have a high incidence of insurance fraud.

I haven't heard anything from my carriers about this yet. Why not?

DFS still needs to adopt changes to the insurance regulations to provide specific guidance on how carriers may waive inspections. We know these changes are in progress but not exactly when they will be finalized, other than by May 15th of this year. We do not expect carriers will make formal decisions about waiving photo inspections until these regulations are in place.


Other questions? Contact Scott Hobson at SHobson@BigINY.org


Mar 01
What's Up With NextGen?

Ashley.jpgBy Ashley Engl​


nextgenlogo_blue.jpg


Thank you to everyone who joined us on the NextGen Coffee and Connect call the other day. It was great to see and hear from the local NextGen chapters across the state. I'm looking forward to seeing this community grow and support one another as we all continue to progress in our careers in insurance.

As a quick recap of the call, I wanted to highlight some of the upcoming NextGen events that are planned this spring:

March 14th:


March 21st:


April 10-12 (Washington, DC):

  • National Big “I" Legislative Conference – 1st Time Attendee Scholarships available!! Not only is this a fulfilling way to get involved with advocating for our industry, but it will also include programming with the National Young Agents Committee (YAC), an opportunity to meet and connect with other young agents from across the country
  • Please reach out to me if interested in learning more!

May 13-14 (Verona, NY):

  • Go Big! (Statewide NY Conference) – Looking forward to seeing everyone at Turning Stone Resort Casino in May! On Monday, we'll be having a fun Speed Networking event – a great chance to meet fellow NextGen-ers in person from across the state! Tuesday will be filled with additional networking and learning opportunities as well.
  • More information on the event and to register: Connect | Go Big (biginy.org)

I also wanted to encourage you all to like/follow all the State and Local Chapter Social Media pages. If you have coworkers or other friends in the industry that are interested in getting involved, please share this information with them as well.

NextGen NY Social Media Pages:

NY NG LinkedIn:
@nextgennewyork

Buffalo NextGen Instagram:
@nextgenbuffalo

CNY NextGen Instagram:
@bigi_nextgen_cny

Suffolk Instagram:
@bigisuffolk

Lastly, I wanted to remind everyone that Carrie and I are always willing to help brainstorm and support initiatives to bring young agents together and get them more involved in Big “I". If you are not yet already connected with us on LinkedIn, please reach out – we'd love to connect!

Carrie Shaw:
Looking forward to seeing you all again soon!

 ‭(Hidden)‬ Blog Tools