News from New York State Insurance Department

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Insurance Department Unveils Improved Website

NEW YORK, NY (04/15/2008; 1107)(readMedia)-- The Insurance Department today debuted a redesigned website at www.ins.state.ny.us, offering visitors a clean new look, enhanced navigational tools and accessibility for people with disabilities, Superintendent Eric Dinallo announced.

“The website’s attractive new design will help make information more easily available to the public,” said Superintendent Dinallo. “As with most organizations, our website has become a primary point of contact, and we felt it was time to improve an already excellent resource. Industry, consumers – including seniors – and anyone with insurance questions will find a wealth of resources conveniently at hand.”

The website breaks out information for the three primary groups that visit the Department site: agents and brokers, consumers, and insurers. It includes a portal for seniors that features items of special interest such as Medicare, Medicaid and long term care, all in easy-to-read large type. In order to increase accessibility to the visually impaired, the site allows screen reading programs to scan and translate the text and describe images. Text can be enlarged for easier reading.

“Our goal is to make sure all New Yorkers, regardless of disability or age-related challenges, can freely access the information on the site because educating consumers about insurance is vitally important,” Dinallo said.

The new website incorporates numerous functional and visual improvements. Screen contrast has been improved in order to enhance readability. Navigation is easier with new home page columns and a site map. Google search has been added to all primary pages.

Joel Obuchowski of the Department’s Systems Bureau spearheaded the project, with assistance from staffers including Geoff Morse, JoAnn Bomeisl, Jai Echols, Mina Ma and William Pow.

The website was the 2002 winner of the “Best of the Web” award from the Rockefeller Institute of Government.

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