New York State’s top insurance regulator issued a November 2008 statement declaring that same-sex couples, who have legally wed outside New York State, must be treated by insurers in the state the same way as opposite-sex married couples. Superintendent Eric Dinallo says, "We expect insurance companies to provide the same rights and benefits to all legally married couples, regardless of the sex of the spouses."

The decision follows a May 2008 announcement by Governor David Paterson, requiring state agencies to honor same-sex marriages if they were obtained in a jurisdiction where same-sex marriage is legally permitted.

The insurance department’s decision covers virtually all types of insurance, including life, health, disability and long-term care coverage. An insurer’s refusal to extend coverage equally to all couples may prompt disciplinary action from the regulator. "This applies to all licensees of the department; that’s going to be insurance companies, agents and brokers," said Martha Lees, deputy general counsel at the New York State Department of Insurance.

Social science has clearly demonstrated that communities function best when they are comprised of mothers and fathers and their children who create family life together. Traditional marriage is directly correlated to every positive socio-economic indicator: the health of the individual, the health of the family, the health of its economy, and the health of its government.

The data is clear: the easiest and wisest pathway for any society to flourish is to support and nurture traditional marriage. Its benefits are far-reaching, they are measurable, and they predispose our children and grandchildren to the success in life they deserve. We know that from history. Peace and prosperity for any state—or for any nation—minus the cultural stabilizer of traditional marriage is, quite simply, an impossible dream.