New law protects domestic abuse victims

Harrisburg - Legislation to further protect victims of domestic abuse has been signed into law. Act 78 of 2006, authored by Rep. George Kenney (R-Philadelphia/Montgomery), will protect victims of abuse from certain unfair insurance practices. The law aims to prevent abuse victims from being victimized a second time by insurance companies that refuse to pay their claims simply because their abuser intentionally causes the damage to property they may share. Under the new law, an insurance company cannot refuse to pay losses specifically under an owner-occupied private residential or personal property, private passenger automobile policy or contract. An insurer may not refuse to pay losses to a victim of abuse because the loss is caused by an intentional act of an insured person, or for other limitations on coverage that the Insurance Commissioner determines unreasonably restrict a victim’s ability to recoup losses.