Al Sharpton, founder and president of National Action Network, said on Feb. 26 that Governor Kathy Hochul’s insurance reform plan would protect legitimately injured people while targeting practices that raise costs.
The issue is significant for many New Yorkers who face high auto insurance premiums. According to Sharpton, “Working families shouldn’t have to choose between putting food on the table, paying rent, or keeping their car on the road. Sky-high insurance premiums are a tax on survival and opportunity. Governor Hochul’s plan ensures that those who are genuinely harmed are protected, while cracking down on the practices that drive up costs for everyone else. This is a step toward justice and real economic relief for everyday New Yorkers facing an affordability crisis,” according to Sharpton as reported by National Action Network.
Sharpton’s statement comes amid a broader affordability push around Gov. Hochul’s proposed auto-insurance changes. The administration framed the reforms as a consumer-protection measure designed to lower premiums while preserving coverage for people with legitimate injuries. The plan targets fraudulent or inflated claims, legal and medical system abuses, and outdated processes that increase costs for drivers statewide, according to information from the governor’s office.
New Yorkers pay an average of just over $4,000 a year for car insurance, nearly $1,500 above the national average. Hochul has presented this figure as part of her broader affordability agenda, arguing that reducing fraud and unnecessary payouts can ease financial pressure on drivers, families, and employers, according to data from the governor’s office.
New York regulators have identified no-fault and related healthcare fraud as a significant cost driver in the insurance system. The Department of Financial Services reports that fraud affects accident and health, private disability, and no-fault auto insurance lines. Tighter enforcement is intended to protect honest claimants and lower costs for policyholders according to a report from the Department of Financial Services.
Sharpton is the founder and president of National Action Network, the civil-rights organization he launched in 1991 and has led ever since. NAN describes itself as one of the nation’s leading civil-rights organizations with chapters across the United States and a mission rooted in equal justice, civic engagement, and economic opportunity.
