After Tort Claims Payout Of $220M, NY Bill Proposes Mandatory Police Liability Insurance

Doctors are required to have insurance if they want to practice medicine. Some states require attorneys have malpractice insurance if they want to practice law.

If New York State Legislature passes new legislation, cops will also have to take out insurance if they plan to wear a badge.

State Sen. Alessandra Biaggi introduced a bill last week that would mandate all officers in New York obtain liability insurance throughout their career. The local city and police agency would determine the base rate of the policy.

Biaggi said this policy would act as a deterrent to police misconduct as an officer’s insurance premiums would rise if they were involved in a civil suit by a civilian that ended with any payout.

"While taxpayers bail out law enforcement who engage in misconduct, those same officers too often evade meaningful accountability," she said in a statement.