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Who cares
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Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Print number 6359a
- Amend (t) and recommit to insurance
- Referred to insurance
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Makes comprehensive motor vehicle insurance reparations (no-fault insurance) applicable to motorcycles
In Assembly Committee · Insurance · Sponsor Felix Ortiz
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
BILL NUMBER:S6359A
Title of bill
An act to amend the insurance law, in relation to making comprehensive motor vehicle insurance reparations applicable to motorcycles
Purpose
Makes comprehensive motor vehicle insurance reparations (no-fault insurance) applicable to motorcycles
Summary of provisions
Section one amends subsection (f) of section 5102 of the insurance law.
Section two amends subsections (a) and (f) of section 5103 of the insurance law, of subsection (f) as amended by chapter 402 of the laws of 1986.
Section three amends subsections (a) and (b) of section 5104 of the insurance law.
Section four is the effective date.
Justification
The motorcyclist exclusion from comprehensive motor vehicle insurance, (No Fault), unfairly excludes one class of road user from an otherwise universal benefit. Motorcyclists are required to purchase and carry comprehensive motor vehicle insurance, but are excluded from all No Fault benefits, including medical coverage for injuries suffered as a result of an accident, and payment of lost wages. Like other road users, motorcyclists may be temporarily unable to work as a result of an accident. No Fault insurance covers medical bills up to $50,000, as well as lost wages up to $2,000 a week, for all road users except motorcyclists, including pedestrians and bicyclists. An injured motorcyclist who cannot work, whose lost wages are not being reimbursed as they are for every other road user, may also face large medical bills as a result of the injury. This is a financial hardship to which only motorcyclists are exposed as a result of their exclusion from No Fault benefits.
Because of the motorcyclist exclusion from No Fault benefits, a motorcyclist injured in an accident is forced to seek redress in court, which may take years to resolve. This subjects motorcyclists to court costs and lawyer's fees not incurred by other motorists, while overburdening the court system.
Furthermore, the motorcyclist exclusion is not well known or understood by health care or medical insurance providers. Many injured motorcyclists have been unfairly billed when their medical insurance companies reject claims in the mistaken belief that the bill for the motor vehicle accident should have been paid by the rider's comprehensive motor vehicle insurance.
Legislative history
New bill.
Fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect January 1, 2014.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.