Sixteen New Yorkers statewide who committed auto insurance fraud have been arrested as part of a “crackdown.’’
According to Governor Kathy Hochul, the suspects would purposely crash into other drivers or motorcyclists—and then file insurance claims blaming the victim in hopes of receiving a payout.
“Over the last five years, we’ve seen a triple-digit increase in staged crashes related to fraud,” Hochul told reporters at a press conference Oct. 20.
There have been two cases highlighted by the governor’s office.
On Dec. 2, 2025, a man later identified as 28-year-old DuSean Barnet purposely cut off a car at an intersection, causing a crash. Barnet filed an insurance claim alleging the other driver actually ran a stop sign, and he was granted more than $16,000.
Detectives investigated the case and found surveillance footage of Barnet driving in front of the victim, prompting the accident. The 28-year-old was arrested and charged with insurance fraud, falsifying business records, criminal mischief, and staging a car accident—all of which are felonies.
Staged Bronx Collision & Medical Fraud
In March 2026, multiple drivers intentionally caused an accident in the Bronx. After the crash, the suspects claimed they were injured, so they sought medical treatment, which cost $70,000.
The suspects faced felony charges of insurance fraud, falsifying business records, and attempted grand larceny.
“Why are we cracking down? Because auto insurance is one of the glaring examples where New York is an outlier compared to the rest of the nation,” Hochul told reporters.
Why New York Auto Insurance Rates Are Sky-High
The governor said New Yorkers pay $4,000 for car insurance annually, approximately $1,500 more than the U.S. average.
According to the U.S. News & World Report, the average American pays $2,508 for car insurance each year.
Several factors explain why New York costs so much more. As Hochul stated, the state has among the highest rates of staged fraud—more specifically, the second-highest nationwide. In 2023 alone, 38,270 cases of suspected fraud were reported to the New York State Department of Financial Services Insurance Fraud Bureau.
Per Insurify, New York has no-fault insurance laws, meaning no matter who causes an accident, each driver files a claim with their own insurance. This also means drivers need Personal Injury Protection, which pays the medical bills for both parties after a crash.
Additionally, the state has higher minimum coverage thresholds — drivers must carry more insurance in New York than in some other states.
The state also sees the most (non-staged) vehicle accidents nationwide annually, and has the third-highest auto repair prices.
Tips to Lower Your Car Insurance
Yet even as a New Yorker, you can still lower your insurance costs.
If you’re looking to pay less, get quotes from multiple insurance companies instead of settling for the first one that sounds legit. You can also remove some coverage — depending on your state, you may have more than required.
Additionally, you could apply for a usage-based insurance plan, where what you pay matches closer with how often and safely you drive.