Faith Leaders Say Soaring Premiums Have Become An “Unjust Burden” On Working Families And Urge Immediate Legislative Action
ALBANY – Following the recent endorsement from the Reverend Al Sharpton, Citizens for Affordable Rates today announced strong and growing support from more than 50 faith leaders across New York State for Governor Kathy Hochul’s plan to reform New York’s auto insurance system and lower costs for drivers.
In a joint letter sent to members of the New York State Senate and the New York State Assembly, clergy and faith leaders representing congregations from Buffalo to Brooklyn urged lawmakers to take action to address this “unjust burden” on working families.
With average full-coverage auto insurance premiums in New York now exceeding $4,000 annually – nearly double the national average – faith leaders say the crisis is harming the very communities they serve.
“Every day, we witness the moral consequences of an affordability crisis that forces families to make impossible choices,” the letter states. “When premiums soar, they take money away from rent, groceries, childcare, and healthcare. Transportation is not a luxury for working New Yorkers, but a necessity for employment, caregiving, and community life,” the leaders wrote.
The faith coalition voiced strong support for Governor Hochul’s plan to crack down on organized auto insurance fraud, including staged crashes and other schemes that inflate costs for honest drivers.
“Staged accidents put innocent drivers at risk, clog our courts, and inflate costs for everyone who plays by the rules,” the leaders wrote. “The financial burden of this fraud is ultimately borne by working families who can least afford it.”
The letter also highlights the disproportionate impact of high premiums on Black communities, immigrant neighborhoods, and low-income households – particularly in areas of Brooklyn, where some drivers pay up to $7,000 for car insurance.
“New Yorkers cannot afford inaction,” the letter concludes. “We urge the Legislature to stand with Governor Hochul and the millions of New Yorkers who need relief now.”
Below is the full text of the letter:
March 5, 2026
Members of the New York State Senate
Legislative Office Building
188 State Street
Albany, NY 12247
Members of the New York State Assembly
Legislative Office Building
198 State Street
Albany, NY 12248
Dear Senators and Assemblymembers,
As faith leaders serving congregations and communities across New York State, we write with a clear and urgent message: the cost of auto insurance has become an unjust burden on the people we serve, and meaningful reform can no longer wait.
Every day, we witness the moral consequences of an affordability crisis that forces families to make impossible choices. With New York’s average full-coverage auto insurance premiums now exceeding $4,000 annually – nearly $1,500 above the national average – these costs are no longer a mere inconvenience; they are a barrier to survival.
When premiums soar, they take money away from rent, groceries, childcare, and healthcare. Transportation is not a luxury for working New Yorkers, but a necessity for employment, caregiving, and community life.
Governor Kathy Hochul’s current proposal to reform New York’s broken auto insurance system represents a long-overdue step toward justice and fairness. By cracking down on the tens of thousands of suspected fraud incidents reported each year – including staged car crashes and other schemes orchestrated by organized criminal rings – and by closing legal loopholes that allow these abuses to flourish, the Governor’s plan addresses the root causes that have driven premiums out of control.
Staged accidents put innocent drivers at risk, clog our courts, and inflate costs for everyone who plays by the rules. The financial burden of this fraud is ultimately borne by working families who can least afford it.
We support the push to target organized fraud, modernize legal standards, and restore accountability so that insurance costs can finally come down for drivers and passengers alike.
This crisis does not fall evenly. We see its impact most acutely in Black communities, immigrant neighborhoods, and low-income households, where families in some parts of Brooklyn, for example, can pay up to four times the national average. For many of our parishioners and community members, these costs function as a “hidden tax” on opportunity, limiting economic mobility and trapping families in cycles of debt.
Scripture and our shared moral traditions call us to stand with those being harmed by unjust systems and to speak out. An insurance system that allows fraud and abuse to prosper at the expense of honest, hardworking families violates the core principle of caring for our neighbors.
We urge the New York State Legislature to stand with Governor Hochul and the millions of New Yorkers who need relief now.
New Yorkers cannot afford inaction. We call on you to support car insurance reform and help deliver the relief our communities desperately need.
Sincerely,
Faith Leaders in Support of Legislative Action