Albany, New York – Assemblywoman Stacey Pheffer Amato (D-South Queens) today passed a bill, A06665, through the NYS Assembly that would establish standards for hurricane windstorm deductibles, creating uniformity in the operation of such deductibles with respect to the triggering event.

“Super Storm Sandy ravaged South Queens. Homes, local businesses, livelihoods, and schools were completely destroyed. We saw parts of our homes, boardwalk, and cars floating in the middle of the street,” Pheffer Amato said. “Our community was wiped out completely, and now nearly SIX YEARS LATER people are still trying to get their lives back together while overcoming continuous complications,”

Pheffer Amato continued, “This bill seeks to ensure basic fairness. After the storm- neighbors came to find that they were being treated differently from their insurance companies – one family being told that a windstorm had occurred and their deductible applied, while the other was told that there was no windstorm. Sandy wreaked havoc on many of our lives, people were treated unfairly and horribly by their insurance companies – even though they did nothing wrong. Our message in the NYS Assembly is clear – we must protect our consumers in this state from natural disasters and from companies in which they entrust their financial security.”

The bill has now been sent to the NYS Senate for action.