Insurance chief says legally married same-sex couples get coverage

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) -- State Insurance Superintendent Eric Dinallo tells insurance companies that they must treat same-sex couples that were legally married outside the state the same as any other validly married couples.

A Circular Letter sent by Dinallo to insurers is based on an opinion issued by the agency's general counsel after a legal review that began last spring. The review followed a New York Civil Liberties Union victory in the case Martinez versus Monroe County.  An appeals court ruled unanimously that New York state must recognize valid out-of-state same-sex marriages.

After the court ruling, Governor Paterson asked state agencies to follow the Martinez decision and revise their policies and regulations accordingly.  Friday's announcement by Dinallo is in response to Paterson's request.