New York Insurance Law Section 2612 prohibits an insurer supervised by the Department of Financial Services from the following actions based solely because a person is or has been a victim of domestic violence: (1) refuse to issue or renew, deny or cancel any insurance policy or contract; (2) demand or require a greater premium or payment from any person; (3) designate domestic violence as a preexisting condition, for which coverage will be denied or reduced; (4) fix any lower rate or discriminate in the fees or commissions of agents or brokers for writing or renewing such a policy; or (5) use as an underwriting criterion the fact that a person is or has been a victim of domestic violence.
The law further provides that if any person covered by an insurance policy issued to another person as the policyholder delivers to the insurer that issued the policy, at its home office, a valid order of protection against the policyholder, issued by a court of competent jurisdiction in New York, the insurer shall be prohibited for the duration of the order from disclosing to the policyholder the address and telephone number of the insured, or of any person or entity providing covered services to the insured. If a child is the covered person, then these rights may be asserted by the child’s parent or guardian.
Procedure to Make a Request for Confidentiality:
To submit a valid court order of protection, please use the home office address or the email address listed below.
Home Office Address: Utica Mutual Insurance Company, 180 Genesee Street, New Hartford, New York 13413 Attention: Compliance Officer
Please include the following information with your request:
- A written explanation of your request;
- policy and/or claim information if available;
- any alternative address, telephone number or other method of contact; and
- a copy of a valid court order of protection issued by a New York State Court.
Please be advised that Utica National has up to three business days to implement the necessary protocol to secure your contact information and other personally identifying information.
Once implemented Utica National will not share your name, address, social security number or any other information from which there is a reasonable basis to believe the foregoing could be obtained, with the policyholder or other insured covered under the same policy against whom you have a valid order of protection, without your express consent.
Please note that a requestor may only revoke a prior confidentiality request by submitting to Utica National at the addresses identified above a written sworn statement revoking the request.
New York State Domestic and Sexual Violence Hotline
For further information on domestic violence services, contact the New York State Domestic and Sexual Violence Hotline at:
English: 1-800-942-6906
Spanish: 1-800-942-6908
In New York City: 1-800-621-HOPE (4673) or dial 311
TTY (deaf, hard of hearing, or speech-impaired): 1-866-604-5350
Or, by accessing the website for the NY State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence at the following link: http://www.opdv.ny.gov/help/dvhotlines.html.
