Hired Actors, Paid Media: Big Tech Has Already Dumped $8M Into Hochul's Car Insurance Ploy - Streetsblog New York City

"It's clear that this is a massive national push by Uber and also industries associated with app-hire vehicles, and that's where by far the bulk of the money is coming from. The cascade of cash coincides with a near-daily onslaught of sponsored content in news outlets across the state, and video ads with professional actors giving testimonials boosting Hochul's efforts."

"Hochul has tried to argue that insurance prices will go down by eroding the rights of crash victims to sue for damages, including by narrowing the definition of serious injury, which entitles victims to more compensation, barring people from recovering any damages if they're mostly at fault, and capping payouts for the uninsured, those committing felonies or driving impaired."

Citizens for Affordable Rates, a political action committee backed by rideshare giant Uber, invested $8 million in February and March to support Governor Hochul's agenda to lower auto insurance rates. The spending includes nearly $6 million in television advertising and sponsored content across state news outlets, featuring professional actors giving testimonials. Hochul's proposal would reduce crash victims' compensation rights by narrowing serious injury definitions, barring recovery for those mostly at fault, and capping payouts for uninsured drivers and those committing felonies. State lawmakers rejected the insurance legislation from budget proposals, siding with crash victims, street safety advocates, and the New York Trial Lawyers Association, though the proposal remains alive in ongoing budget negotiations.

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