The insurance industry is applauding the introduction of a bill that could corral costs related to fraud and abuse of New York's no-fault automobile insurance system.

The measure, Senate bill 2816, was introduced by state Senator James Seward, R-Oneonta. It would implement tougher penalties on cheaters of the system, modify rules to allow insurers to investigate claims, prevent excessive and unnecessary medical costs, and mandate the use of an arbitrator for disputed claims.

The proposed legislation would "finally close the loopholes that criminals and unscrupulous medical providers routinely slip through, causing insurance premiums to skyrocket and unnecessarily costing New Yorkers hundreds of millions of dollars annually," said Kristina Baldwin, assistant vice president for the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI).

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