Credit: Citizens for Affordable Rates
ALBANY – The Trucking Association of New York (TANY) is ramping up pressure on state lawmakers to address a worsening auto insurance affordability crisis, as drivers and industry leaders gather in the capital this week to push for reforms proposed by Governor Kathy Hochul in her executive budget.
Representing an industry that has been the backbone of the state’s commerce since 1932, TANY has evolved from a local trade group into a statewide advocacy organization. With nearly 550 member companies, the association serves as the primary voice for the thousands of trucks that stock New York’s grocery shelves and haul its construction materials.
Now, TANY leaders warn that the very economic engine they support is under threat.
“New York’s automotive insurance market has entered a prolonged affordability crisis, with soaring premiums, shrinking coverage options, and insurers exiting the state,” said Zach Miller, the association’s vice president of government affairs, in a memo circulated to lawmakers ahead of this week’s Lobby Day.
Industry leaders say the cost burden has escalated dramatically in recent years, particularly for trucking companies operating in and around New York City. The trend mirrors broader concerns that New Yorkers pay far more for auto insurance than drivers in other states – often nearly double the national average.
“Commercial auto liability costs have effectively doubled over the past five years,” Miller said. “Policies that previously cost $5,000–$6,000 per power unit now commonly range from $10,000–$12,000 per unit, even for strong-performing fleets.”
The strain is even more acute downstate, where motor carriers are reporting quotes as high as $50,000 per truck.
Alongside rising premiums, trucking operators are facing a tightening insurance market that has made it harder to secure comprehensive coverage. TANY argues that this isn’t just a big-business problem – their membership includes hundreds of small, family-owned fleets that are being priced out of the market.
“Market capacity has tightened significantly, with insurers limiting excess coverage and forcing operators to assemble layered policies across multiple carriers,” Miller said.
The association argues that a combination of systemic issues is driving the surge in costs, including fraud, abuse of the legal system, and regulatory shortcomings – concerns that appear to resonate with voters statewide.
“Governor Hochul’s 2026 auto insurance reform proposal directly addresses the key drivers of escalating premiums: fraud, staged accidents, litigation abuse, legal loopholes, and enforcement gaps,” Miller said.
Polling released recently shows broad public support for the reforms, with 86% of New York voters backing the governor’s plan. Most voters surveyed identified fraud – including staged car crashes and exaggerated claims – as a major driver of rising premiums.
The trucking association is making the issue a central focus of its Albany advocacy this week, emphasizing that the stakes extend beyond the industry to every consumer in the state. As budget negotiations intensify, TANY is mobilizing its members to press lawmakers on the message that without these reforms, the cost of moving goods across New York will continue to climb.
