The New York legislative session came to a close last week with no action taken on S.B. 2144, which would have prohibited insurers from recommending auto glass shops unless requested.
The bill, introduced in January, was referred to the state’s insurance committee and never voted on.
The bill would have "prohibit[ed] an insurer from recommending a particular repair facility for replacement of auto glass unless expressly requested by the insured person to do so."
Currently, state law allows insurers to recommend glass shops, but prohibits them from recommending a general automotive repair shop, unless the insured requests a recommendation.
"There is no reason that the repair of auto glass, an essential safety component of a vehicle, should be treated differently than the repair of other safety mechanisms such as brakes," wrote state Sen. John Bonacic in the January 2011 memo filed with the bill. "Consumer choice and safety should be the premier concerns when it comes to auto glass installation."
