What's happening
This bill requires insurance companies to offer premium reductions for boat owners who complete approved boating safety or advanced courses.
Why it matters
Incentivizes boating safety. By requiring insurers to offer premium reductions to boaters who complete approved safety or advanced courses, the bill encourages more boat owners to pursue formal safety training, potentially reducing boating accidents and injuries.
Defines eligibility and safeguards. The bill ensures that only courses approved by the state commissioner of parks, recreation and historic preservation qualify for the discount, and explicitly excludes those who take courses as a result of a boating infraction, focusing the benefit on proactive safety measures.
Potential to lower insurance costs. Boat owners who invest in safety education stand to save money on their insurance premiums, creating a financial incentive tied directly to responsible boating behavior.
Regulatory clarity and oversight. The measure authorizes the Insurance Superintendent to set standards for the premium reductions, ensuring consistency, actuarial fairness, and effective oversight in how the discounts are implemented across the industry.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Lower Boat Insurance for Safety Courses
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
3 Co-sponsors
History
- Approval memo.41
- Signed chap.335
- Delivered to governor
- Returned to senate
- Passed assembly
- Ordered to third reading cal.205
- Substituted for A5415A
- Referred to codes
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 59–1
- Ordered to third reading cal.769
- Reported and committed to rules
Show 5 earlier actions
- Print number 3688a
- Amend and recommit to insurance
- Referred to insurance
- Committee discharged and committed to insurance
- Referred to cultural affairs, tourism, parks and recreation
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.
Lower Boat Insurance for Safety
Assembly Floor Calendar · Sponsor Fred Thiele
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3688--A
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
February 12, 2019
Introduced by Sens. LAVALLE, GALLIVAN -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Cultural Affairs, Tourism, Parks and Recreation -- recommitted to the Committee on Insurance in accordance with Senate Rule 6, sec. 8 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the navigation law and the insurance law, in relation to insurance rate reductions upon completion of a boating safety course or an advanced boating safety course
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 78-a of the navigation law, as added by chapter 160 of the laws of 1990 and as further amended by section 104 of part A of chapter 62 of the laws of 2011, is amended to read as follows:
§ 78-a. Insurance rate reduction. Any insurance carrier licensed to issue yacht or boating liability insurance in this state is authorized to grant rate reductions with the approval of the department of financial services to any owner of a yacht or boat who has successfully completed a boating safety course or an advanced boating safety course or holds a valid United States Coast Guard operators license.
§ 2. The insurance law is amended by adding a new section 2336-b to read as follows:
§ 2336-b. Boat liability insurance rates; premium reductions in certain cases. (a) Any schedule of rates or rating plan for boat liability insurance submitted to the superintendent shall provide for an appropriate reduction in premium charges, as described in section seventy-eight-a of the navigation law, for any insured who has successfully completed a boating safety course or an advanced boating safety course which meets the requirements of part five of article four of the navigation law and has been approved by the commissioner of parks, recreation and historic preservation. The provisions of this section shall not
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03183-03-0
S. 3688--A 2
apply to attendance at a course pursuant to sections forty-five or forty-nine of the navigation law as a result of any boating infraction.
(b) For the purposes of this section:
(1) the term "boat" shall mean any residential or pleasure vessel that is not a crew racing shell as defined in section two of the navigation law.
(2) the term "boating safety course" or "advanced boating safety course" shall mean a course of instruction or advanced course of instruction that has been approved by the commissioner of parks, recreation and historic preservation pursuant to section seventy-nine of the navigation law.
(3) the term "boating safety certificate" shall mean a document which cannot be altered and which is provided to a person who successfully completes a boating safety course or advanced boating safety course pursuant to section seventy-eight of the navigation law.
(c) An insurer, upon approval of the superintendent, shall upon submission of a completion certificate by an insured, provide an actuarially appropriate reduction of the premium for such insured's yacht or boating liability insurance.
(d) The superintendent may establish, by rule or otherwise, standards or guidelines to be used to accomplish the provisions of this section.
§ 3. This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the navigation law and the insurance law, in relation to insurance rate reductions upon completion of a boating safety course or an advanced boating safety course
Purpose
To provide for boating liability insurance reductions for those who take boater safety courses.
Summary of provisions
Section 1. Amends section 78-a of the Navigation Law by providing the authority for insurance carriers to grant rate reductions with the approval of the Department of Financial Services for boat owners who complete a boating safety course or an advanced boating safety course.
Section 2. Amends the Insurance Law by adding a new section 2336-b providing that rate schedules submitted to the Commissioner for boat liability insurance shall provide for an appropriate reduction in premi- um charges, as described in section 78-a of the navigation law, for insured owners who successfully complete a boating safety course or an advanced boating course. This legislation would not apply to those cases in which mandatory courses are taken in response to boating infractions.
Defines the following terms for the purpose of this section: (1) "boat"; (2) "boating safety course" or "advanced boating safety course" and (3) "boating safety certificate".
Once approved by the Superintendent, an insurer shall upon submission of a completion certificate by an insured, provide an actuarially appropri- ate reduction of the premium for such insured's yacht or boating liabil- ity insurance. The Superintendent may establish, by rule or otherwise, standards or guidelines to be used to accomplish the provisions of this act.
Section 3. Effective date.
Justification
Owning and operating a pleasure boat can provide many hours of enjoyment and summertime pleasure. However, there are many perils and responsibil- ities which arise when a boat leaves the dock not only from the elements but also from other water craft. There are rules and basic procedures which boat operators should know and observe. This bill would provide an incentive to learn and follow those safety rules and procedures by giving owners who complete basic or advanced boating safety courses a reduction in boating liability insurance.
Legislative history
2017-18 5.2985/A.2336;
2015-16 S.789A/A.584A;
2013-14 S.2022/A.1930;
2012 S.7855
Fiscal implications
None to the State.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.