Consumer Watchdog

CalMatters – Big homeowner rate hike from State Farm shot down by California regulator

By Levi Sumagaysay, CALMATTERS California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara today rejected State Farm’s request for “emergency” rate increases, setting up what could…

Mercury News – California Regulators Reject For Now State Farms Emergency Rate Hike Request

By Ethan Varian, MERCURY NEWS California insurance regulators are demanding that State Farm answer “critical questions about its financial condition” in response…

KNTV-SF (NBC) – San Francisco, CA: Rate Hike From State Farm Shot Down By CA Regulator

Consumer Watchdog supports the commissioner's decision, but wants the meeting with State Farm to be a public hearing, not a private one.

KCBS-LA (CBS) – Los Angeles, CA: State Farm Rate Hike Questions

Consumer Watchdog brought up why isn't its parent company stepping in; why is it on the backs of California taxpayers?

KOVR-SAC (CBS) – Sacramento, CA: State Farm Rate Hike Request Denied

Consumer Watchdog says they are glad the commissioner is asking for more information on this before moving forward with the request, but…

LAist – Nearly 9 years after a Black mother’s death at Cedars-Sinai, advocates say they haven’t seen enough change

By Libby Rainey, LAist https://laist.com/news/health/nearly-9-years-after-a-black-mothers-death-at-cedars-sinai-advocates-say-they-havent-seen-enough-change Just hours after the birth of their second child, Charles Johnson lost his wife Kira at Cedars-Sinai Medical…

Los Angeles Times – L.A. wildfires up the pressure on California’s insurance commissioner over industry ties

By Laurence Darmiento, LOS ANGELES TIMES https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2025-02-18/californias-insurance-commissioner-ricardo-lara-on-the-hot-seat-after-l-a-fires It has been more than a month since the harrowing wildfire swept through Pacific Palisades,…

Los Angeles Times – Insurance commissioner rejects State Farm’s request for 22% emergency rate hike

By Lawrence Darmiento, LOS ANGELES TIMES https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2025-02-14/insurance-commissioner-rejects-state-farms-request-for-22-emergency-rate-hike? State Farm General’s request for an emergency 22% hike of its home insurance rates due…

Los Angeles Daily News – California will pay part of FAIR plan’s $1 billion assessment

By Pat Maio, LOS ANGELES DAILY NEWS The state’s insurance of last resort is charging a $1 billion special assessment to private…

Associated Press – California’s insurer for people without private coverage needs $1 billion more for LA fires claims

By Tran Nguyen, ASSOCIATED PRESS https://apnews.com/article/california-wildfires-insurance-fair-plan-dfb7cda506560ec50edee8ad72cbcda8 California’s plan that provides insurance to homeowners who can’t get private coverage needs $1 billion more…

Cal Matters – California homeowners will have to fund half of high-risk insurer’s $1 billion ‘bailout’

By Levi Sumagaysay, CALMATTERS After saying it would run out of funds by March, California’s last-resort fire insurance provider will impose a…

Los Angeles Times – FAIR Plan to assess insurers $1 billion for L.A. fires; consumers may be on the hook for nearly half

By Laurence Darmiento, LOS ANGELES TIMES https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2025-02-11/fair-plan-to-assess-insurers-1-billion-for-l-a-fires-with-consumers-on-hook-for-nearly-half The California FAIR Plan received approval Tuesday from the state’s insurance commissioner to assess its…

KTLA-LA (CW) – Los Angeles, CA: CA “Fair” Plan Short $1B In Wildfire Payouts

Consumer Watchdog says affected customers should not have to pay and it will fight what it calls a bailout.

KMPH-FRES (FOX) – Fresno, CA: CA Needs Additional $1 Billion For Wildfire Claims

Consumer Watchdog warns that this will likely drive up insurance costs for all other homeowners across the state, as insurers pass on…

The Sacramento Bee – California bill would end ‘surveillance pricing’

By Andrew Sheeler, SACRAMENTO BEE https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article299929444.html Should businesses be allowed to charge you more for the price of goods and services based…

KMPH-FRES (FOX) – Fresno, CA: State Farm Rate Increase Request

New York Times – Power Lines Suspected In Eaton Fire

By Ivan Penn, THE NEW YORK TIMES Southern California Edison said video evidence had led it to look more broadly at whether…

The Center Square – Newsom weakens financial disclosure requirements for LA officials as relief pours in

By Kenneth Schrupp, THE CENTER SQUARE https://www.thecentersquare.com/california/article_3d184398-e34a-11ef-8404-af4bae061b9b.html (The Center Square) – California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s executive order for Los Angeles fire “relief”…