N.Y. Gen. Bus. Law § 902
Program liability
Redline — January 1, 2022 → current.View current text →
Current — January 1, 2023
As of January 1, 2022
* § 902. Requirements for doing business. 1. No shared vehicle shall\nbe classified as a commercial vehicle, for-hire vehicle, transportation\nnetwork company or TNC vehicle as defined in article forty-four-B of the\nvehicle and traffic law, taxi-cab, rental vehicle as defined in section\none hundred thirty-seven-a of the vehicle and traffic law, or livery\nvehicle solely because the shared vehicle owner allows such vehicle to\nbe used for peer-to-peer car sharing, or as such for the duration of the\ncar sharing period, provided that: (a) the peer-to-peer car sharing is\ncompliant with a peer-to-peer car sharing program as provided in this\narticle; (b) if the car sharing program does not prohibit shared vehicle\ndrivers from using shared vehicles for commercial uses, the insurance\nmaintained by the car sharing program does not exclude coverage for such\ncommercial uses; and (c) the car sharing program does not knowingly\nplace the shared vehicle into use as a commercial vehicle or as a\nvehicle for-hire or as a transportation network company vehicle by a\nshared vehicle driver while engaged in peer-to-peer car sharing, unless\nthe shared vehicle driver or owner, as applicable, is in compliance with\nother laws applied to the commercial use or to use as a vehicle for-hire\nor as a transportation network company vehicle.\n 2. A peer-to-peer car sharing program, during each peer-to-peer car\nsharing period for each shared vehicle that it facilitates the use of,\nshall maintain insurance that provides financial responsibility coverage\nas follows:\n (a) provide insurance coverage that satisfies the financial\nresponsibility requirements set forth in section three thousand four\nhundred twenty of the insurance law, article fifty-one of the insurance\nlaw and such other requirements, rules or regulations that may apply for\nthe purposes of satisfying the financial responsibility requirements\nwith respect to the use or operation of a motor vehicle;\n (b) maintain additional insurance against loss from the liability\nimposed by law for damages during the car sharing period, including\ndamages for care and loss of services, because of bodily injury to or\ndeath of any person and injury to or destruction of property arising out\nof the ownership, maintenance, use or operation of a specific personal\nvehicle or vehicles within the state, or elsewhere in the United States\nor Canada, subject to a limit, exclusive of interest and costs, with\nrespect to each such occurrence, of at least one million two hundred\nfifty thousand dollars because of bodily injury to or death of any\nperson, and injury to or destruction of property; and\n (c) provide coverage in accordance with subsection (f) of section\nthree thousand four hundred twenty of the insurance law, providing\nsupplementary uninsured/underinsured motorist insurance for bodily\ninjury, subject to a limit per occurrence in the amount of one million\ntwo hundred fifty thousand dollars because of bodily injury or death of\nany person.\n (d) the insurance required under this subdivision need not be\ncoterminous with the registration period of the shared vehicle insured.\n (e) For purposes of article fifty-one of the insurance law, 11 NYCRR\nPart 65 and general liability claims, notice to the shared vehicle\nowner, shared vehicle driver, peer-to-peer car sharing program or any\ninsurer of the shared vehicle owner, shared vehicle driver, or\npeer-to-peer car sharing program of any claim shall be deemed notice to\nall appropriate parties and insurers. Any shared vehicle owner, shared\nvehicle driver, peer-to-peer car sharing program or any insurer of the\nshared vehicle owner, shared vehicle driver, or peer-to-peer car sharing\nprogram receiving such notice shall provide such notice to all\nappropriate parties.\n 3. The insurance requirements provided in subdivision two of this\nsection may be satisfied by insurance provided through a group policy\nmaintained by the peer-to-peer car sharing program on the shared\nvehicle, shared vehicle owner, and shared vehicle driver pursuant to\nthis article. Provided that the peer-to-peer car sharing program's group\nliability insurance policy shall be primary during each car sharing\nperiod, pursuant to section nine hundred three of this chapter, nothing\nshall be deemed to preclude an insurer from providing excess or umbrella\ncoverage for the shared vehicle owner or shared vehicle driver if such\nshared vehicle owner or shared vehicle driver chooses to do so by\ncontract or endorsement.\n 4. A peer-to-peer car sharing program shall, during each peer-to-peer\ncar sharing period for each shared vehicle that it facilitates the use\nof, perform the following:\n (a) provide shared vehicle owners with proof of insurance coverage\nsatisfying subdivision two of this section and such shared vehicle owner\nor shared vehicle driver shall carry such proof of coverage with him or\nher at all times during his or her operation of a shared vehicle during\na peer-to-peer car sharing period. Such proof of coverage shall be in\nsuch form as the commissioner of motor vehicles shall prescribe, which\nmay be in the form of an insurance identification card as defined in\nsection three hundred eleven of the vehicle and traffic law. Any\ninsurance identification card issued pursuant to the provisions of this\narticle shall be in addition to the insurance identification card\nrequired pursuant to article six of the vehicle and traffic law, and\nnothing contained in this article shall be deemed to supersede the\nprovisions of article six of the vehicle and traffic law. Whenever the\nproduction of an insurance identification card is required by law, a\nshared vehicle owner or shared vehicle driver shall: (i) produce the\ninsurance identification card pursuant to article six of the vehicle and\ntraffic law; and (ii) if such shared vehicle owner or shared vehicle\ndriver was operating such vehicle during a peer-to-peer car sharing\nperiod, such shared vehicle owner or shared vehicle driver shall also\nproduce the insurance identification card required pursuant to this\narticle. A shared vehicle owner or shared vehicle driver who, while\noperating a shared vehicle during a peer-to-peer car sharing period, has\nin effect the insurance required pursuant to this article, shall not be\ndeemed to be in violation of insurance requirements under article six of\nthe vehicle and traffic law during such time as he or she was operating\nsuch vehicle during such period.\n (b) provide the following for each shared vehicle driver, for each\npeer-to-peer car sharing period:\n (i) an insurance identification card as defined in subdivision ten of\nsection three hundred eleven of the vehicle and traffic law, or other\ndocumentation, whether printed or electronic, which the shared vehicle\ndriver shall carry and have available in the vehicle at all times during\nthe peer-to-peer car sharing period and clearly demonstrates that the\nsecurity insurance referred to in subdivision two of this section is in\nfull force and effect; and\n (ii) a toll-free number, electronic mail, or other such form of\ncommunication by which a law enforcement police officer, representative\nof the department of motor vehicles, or other officer of this state or\nany political subdivision thereof with relevant job responsibilities may\nconfirm that the insurance provided for in subdivision two of this\nsection is in full force and effect.\n (c) collect, maintain, and make available to the shared vehicle owner,\nthe shared vehicle owner's primary motor vehicle liability insurer in\nconnection with a claimed loss, the shared vehicle driver's primary\nmotor vehicle liability insurer in connection with a claimed loss, any\nexcess or umbrella insurers in connection with a claimed loss, third\nparties directly involved in motor vehicle incidents with a shared\nvehicle in connection with a claimed loss, and any government agency as\nrequired by law, within ten business days of a request, or as reasonably\npracticable thereafter the following information pertaining to incidents\nwhich occurred during the peer-to-peer car sharing period:\n (i) available records of the peer-to-peer car sharing period for each\nshared vehicle involved, and to the extent available, verifiable\nelectronic records of the time, initial and final locations of the\nvehicle, and, to the extent mileage is collected, miles driven;\n (ii) in instances where an insurance claim has been filed with a group\ninsurer, all information relevant to the claim, to the extent such\ninformation is available, including but not limited to, payments by the\nprogram concerning accidents, damages and injuries; and\n (iii) For purposes of article fifty-one of the insurance law, 11 NYCRR\nPart 65 and general liability claims, notice to the shared vehicle\nowner, shared vehicle driver, peer-to-peer car sharing program or any\ninsurer of the shared vehicle owner, shared vehicle driver, or\npeer-to-peer car sharing program of any claim shall be deemed notice to\nall appropriate parties and insurers. Any shared vehicle owner, shared\nvehicle driver, peer-to-peer car sharing program or any insurer of the\nshared vehicle owner, shared vehicle driver, or peer-to-peer car sharing\nprogram receiving such notice shall provide such notice to all\nappropriate parties.\n (d) ensure that the shared vehicle owner and shared vehicle driver are\ngiven reasonable notice prior to the first use or operation of a shared\nvehicle pursuant to a peer-to-peer car sharing program agreement that:\n (i) during the peer-to-peer car sharing period, the shared vehicle\nowner's personal motor vehicle liability insurer may exclude any and all\ncoverage afforded under its policy, provided the shared vehicle owner's\ninsurer notified its insured that it shall have no duty to indemnify or\ndefend any person or organization for liability for any loss that occurs\nduring the peer-to-peer car sharing period; and\n (ii) any insurance or physical damage protection offered pursuant to\nparagraph (b) of subdivision two of this section or subsection (e) of\nsection three thousand four hundred fifty-eight of the insurance law,\nshall not be valid or collectible for damages or losses that occur\noutside of the peer-to-peer car sharing period.\n (e) ensure that the shared vehicle owner acknowledges upon or before\nenrollment in a peer-to-peer car sharing program, and is notified in\nplain conspicuous language before each car sharing period, that state\nlaw may impose liability for injuries to person or property resulting\nfrom the negligence in the use or operation of the shared vehicle by\nshared vehicle drivers for judgments exceeding the coverage limits of\ninsurance in effect during the car sharing period. The subsequent notice\nrequired under this subsection may be provided electronically, including\nby electronic mail and hyperlink to a website explaining insurance\ncoverages and vicarious liability or other substantially similar means\nof notice.\n 5. At the time a vehicle is enrolled in the peer-to-peer car sharing\nprogram, the peer-to-peer car sharing platform shall file with the\ncommissioner of motor vehicles, in such form and manner as such\ncommissioner may require, a statement identifying the shared vehicle and\nproof of a group policy applicable to such shared vehicle pursuant to\nsection three thousand four hundred seven of the insurance law. The\ncommissioner of motor vehicles shall identify the vehicle as enrolled in\nthe peer-to-peer car sharing program and provide proof of a group policy\napplicable to such shared vehicle pursuant to the insurance law in such\nvehicle or registration record in a manner accessible to the public.\nFailure of a peer-to-peer car sharing platform to comply with the\nprovisions of this article may result in penalties which may include\nsuspension or revocation of license as provided by law.\n 6. (a) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this subdivision, a\ngroup policy maintained by a program shall be placed with an insurer\nauthorized to write insurance in this state.\n (b) If a program is unable to purchase a group policy because such\ninsurance is unavailable from authorized insurers, the program may\nacquire such group insurance with an excess line broker pursuant to\nsection two thousand one hundred eighteen of the insurance law;\n (c) The obligation to determine whether the insurance required by this\nsection is unavailable from insurers authorized to write insurance in\nthis state shall be made prior to the initial placement and at each\nrenewal of a policy.\n (d) Compliance with the excess and surplus line statutes and\nregulations of this state shall be performed with respect to the group\nas a whole and not with respect to individual group members.\n (e) A group policy provided for in this section shall not include a\nmandatory arbitration clause in a policy issued pursuant to this\nsection. Nothing in this section supersedes the mandatory arbitration\nrequirements contained in section five thousand one hundred five of the\ninsurance law.\n 7. A peer-to-peer car sharing program shall, upon entering into a\npeer-to-peer car sharing agreement with a shared vehicle owner and prior\nto the shared vehicle owner making a shared vehicle available for\nsharing in the program, provide notice in plain conspicuous language to\nthe shared vehicle owner that he or she may need additional insurance\ncoverage including motor vehicle physical damage coverage as described\nin paragraph nineteen of subsection (a) of section one thousand one\nhundred thirteen of the insurance law if the shared vehicle is subject\nto a lease or loan. A program shall also post this notice on its website\nin a prominent place and provide contact information for the department\nof financial services.\n * NB Effective March 22, 2022\n
§ 902. Program liability. 1. Notwithstanding any other provision of\nlaw, or any provision in a shared vehicle owner's policy of motor\nvehicle liability insurance, in the event of a loss, death, or injury\nthat shall occur during the peer-to-peer car sharing period, the\npeer-to-peer car sharing program insurers providing coverages under\nsection nine hundred one of this article shall provide financial\nresponsibility for any bodily injury, death, or damage to property in\namounts not to exceed those stated in the peer-to-peer car sharing\nprogram agreement and not less than those amounts required in section\nnine hundred one of this article, and the peer-to-peer car sharing\nadministrator shall retain such liability irrespective of a lapse in the\ngroup policy or any other insurance policy or financial security\nmaintained by the administrator.\n 2. The insurer or insurers providing group liability insurance to the\npeer-to-peer car sharing program pursuant to section nine hundred one of\nthis article shall be primary during each car sharing period. Provided\nhowever, where: (a) a good faith dispute exists regarding who was in\ncontrol of the vehicle when the loss, death, or injury occurred giving\nrise to such claim or whether the loss, death, or injury occurred\noutside of the car sharing period; and (b) the peer-to-peer car sharing\nprogram administrator does not have available, did not retain, or is\notherwise unable to provide information demonstrating who was in\npossession or control at the time of the loss, death, or injury or\nwhether the loss, death, or injury occurred outside of the car sharing\nperiod, the shared vehicle owner's private motor vehicle insurer shall\nindemnify insurer or insurers providing group liability insurance, to\nthe extent of its obligation under the applicable insurance policy, if\nit is determined that the loss, death, or injury occurred outside of the\npeer-to-peer car sharing period. The peer-to-peer car sharing program\nadministrator shall notify the shared vehicle owner's insurer of any\nsuch dispute within fifteen days of becoming aware that such a dispute\nexists.\n 3. In the event that the shared vehicle owner or the shared vehicle\nowner's personal motor vehicle insurer is named as a defendant in a\ncivil action for a loss, death, or injury that occurs during any time\nwithin the peer-to-peer car sharing period, or otherwise under the\ndirect and immediate control of a peer-to-peer car sharing program, the\npeer-to-peer car sharing program administrator shall have the duty to\ndefend and indemnify the shared vehicle owner and the shared vehicle\nowner's insurer subject to the provisions of this section, section nine\nhundred one of this article and section three thousand four hundred\nfifty-eight of the insurance law.\n 4. A motor vehicle liability insurer who defends or indemnifies a\nclaim against a shared vehicle which is excluded under the terms of its\npolicy shall have the right to seek contribution against the\npeer-to-peer car sharing program administrator's insurer, if the claim\nis made against the shared vehicle owner, the shared vehicle driver or\nauthorized driver for loss, death, or injury which occurs during the car\nsharing period.\n 5. A peer-to-peer car sharing program administrator may contractually\nassume the risk of loss due to physical damage to shared vehicles during\nthe time that such shared vehicles are in the custody of the shared\nvehicle driver or peer-to-peer car sharing program, and that such\nassumption of risk:\n (a) shall not be deemed to be physical damage insurance;\n (b) that the terms of such contractual assumption may provide that the\nprogram assumes the risk of physical damage loss to the vehicle in\nexcess of a sum certain; and\n (c) if the terms of such contractual assumption include a separately\nitemized fee charged to the shared vehicle driver solely for the\ncontractual assumption of the risk of loss due to physical damage, then\nit shall be provided under the terms set forth in this article.\n 6. To the extent not otherwise prohibited by state or federal law, in\na claims coverage investigation, a peer-to-peer car sharing program\nadministrator shall cooperate to facilitate the exchange of relevant\ninformation with directly involved parties and any insurer of a shared\nvehicle owner's or shared vehicle driver's participation in a\npeer-to-peer car sharing program.\n 7. In addition to other remedies available at law, the attorney\ngeneral shall have authority to enforce this article as authorized by\nlaw, including injunctive and other legal and equitable relief for\nnon-compliance by a car sharing program administrator or any other party\nthrough civil proceedings.\n 8. Any provision in a peer-to-peer car sharing agreement designated by\nthe courts of another jurisdiction as the exclusive forum for resolving\ndisputes shall be deemed void as against public policy with respect to\nthe use of a peer-to-peer car sharing program or shared vehicle in this\nstate.\n 9. A peer-to-peer car sharing program administrator shall be deemed to\nhave received notice of injuries to or death of persons or losses of\nproperty covered under the insurance and financial security requirements\nof this article at the earlier of notice received by the peer-to-peer\ncar sharing program administrator or notice received by the shared\nvehicle owner. A shared vehicle owner shall promptly give actual notice\nto the peer-to-peer car sharing program administrator and its insurers,\nincluding notice in the form and manner as required in the peer-to-peer\ncar sharing agreement, of any injuries to or death of persons or losses\nof property potentially covered by insurance maintained by the\npeer-to-peer car sharing program administrator. A peer-to-peer car\nsharing program administrator or its insurers shall be deemed to have\nreceived actual notice when a shared vehicle owner notifies the\npeer-to-peer car sharing program administrator or its insurers when the\nshared vehicle owner provided notice in the form and manner required in\nthe peer-to-peer car sharing agreement.\n 10. For purposes of article fifty-one of the insurance law, 11 NYCRR\nPart 65 and general liability claims, notice to the shared vehicle\nowner, shared vehicle driver, peer-to-peer car sharing program\nadministrator or any insurer of the shared vehicle owner, shared vehicle\ndriver, or peer-to-peer car sharing program administrator of any claim\nshall be deemed notice to all appropriate parties and insurers. Any\nshared vehicle owner, shared vehicle driver, peer-to-peer car sharing\nprogram administrator or any insurer of the shared vehicle owner, shared\nvehicle driver, or peer-to-peer car sharing program administrator\nreceiving such notice shall provide such notice to all appropriate\nparties.\n
Official source: NYS Open Legislation (New York State Senate). Reproduced from public-domain New York statutes; confirm against the official source for the current text. Not legal advice.