By Donna Horowitz, THE DEAL PIPELINE
June 11, 2019
The California insurance regulator defended the state's new cost-of-insurance law after two market members said they viewed it as a weak response to often massive rate increases.
The legislation at issue, AB 2634, was signed by former Gov. Jerry Brown in September.
Op-Ed Commentary by Thomas Elias, OROVILLE MERCURY-REGISTER
May 28, 2019
https://www.orovillemr.com/2019/05/28/gas-gouging-returned-in-spring-an…
The days when oil companies could credibly deny they gouge California drivers in fairly regular cycles should now be over.
By Chris Reed, CALWATCHDOG.COM
May 27, 2019
Recyclable goods are much more likely to be thrown out in California now than at any time in the last 30 years. California has long considered itself to be a global beacon on environmentalism. But the state is now going on four straight years with a poor record on one of the core environmental practices: recycling.
By David Lazarus, LOS ANGELES TIMES
May 23, 2019
https://www.latimes.com/business/lazarus/la-fi-lazarus-cable-bills-2019…
The most-hated businesses in the country, according to the American Customer Satisfaction Index, are pay-TV companies and internet service providers, which frequently are one and the same.
Op-Ed Commentary to the SACRAMENTO BEE by Jamie Court - President, Consumer Watchdog
May 21, 2019
https://www.sacbee.com/opinion/op-ed/article230618564.html
Californians now pay an extra $1.17 per gallon at the gas pump more than other Americans. Three to four dimes per gallon may be attributed to higher taxes, carbon credits and environmental issues.
By Timothy Darragh, BESTWIRE
May 21, 2019
http://news.ambest.com/newscontent.aspx?altsrc=108&refnum=217240
Farmers Insurance Exchange and an affiliate will face a public hearing next month to answer allegations they systematically overcharged their long-time California automobile insurance customers.
By Mark Huffman, CONSUMER AFFAIRS
May 20, 2019
https://www.consumeraffairs.com/news/california-to-probe-possible-marke…
Hawaii historically has had the highest gasoline prices in the nation. In addition to high state taxes, there’s the costly issue of transporting the fuel across an ocean.
Annette Ramirez inducted into the Consumer Advocate Hall of Fame; Ricardo Echeverria received the Lifetime Legal Achievement Award; Alastair Mactaggart honored as Citizen Activist of the Year. The Rage For Justice Awards were held on May 18, 2019 at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel.
By Jeremy Siegel, KQED PBS San Francisco, CA
May 17, 2019
https://www.kqed.org/news/11747960/state-officials-high-gas-prices-coul…
Refinery outages and potential market manipulation could be to blame for California's high gas prices, according to the California Energy Commission.
By Don Jergler, INSURANCE JOURNAL
May 16, 2019
https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/national/2019/05/16/526698.htm
Michael Peterson has had about five months to come in and tackle what promises to be unique job.
By Staff Reporters, INSURANCE JOURNAL
May 14, 2019
https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/west/2019/05/14/526374.htm
California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara plans to hold an investigatory hearing into how insurers’ use of occupational, educational, and other groups for setting automobile insurance rates affects insurance premiums for lower-income Californians.
The hearing is set for Sept. 17 at the Ronald Reagan State Building in Los Angeles.
By John P. Mello, Jr., TECHNEWSWORLD
May 14, 2019
https://www.technewsworld.com/story/86015.html
The United States Supreme Court on Monday gave thumbs up for a class action antitrust lawsuit to proceed against Apple for alleged monopolistic practices at its App Store.
By Kevin Smith, THE RIVERSIDE PRESS-ENTERPRISE
May 10, 2019
https://www.pe.com/2019/05/10/california-insurance-commissioner-to-inve…
If some California motorists pay reduced auto insurance premiums because they’re part of a group plan, does that hike rates for other low-income drivers?
By Lyle Adriano, INSURANCE BUSINESS
May 8, 2019
https://www.insurancebusinessmag.com/us/news/breaking-news/insurer-hit-…
Mercury Insurance is facing $27.5 million in California state penalties for charging customers for illegal broker fees.
By Bob Egelko, THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE
May 7, 2019
https://www.sfchronicle.com/business/article/Mercury-Insurance-must-pay…
A state appeals court reinstated $27.5 million in state penalties against Mercury Insurance Co. on Tuesday for charging illegal broker fees in more than 180,000 transactions with auto insurance customers from 1999 to 2004.
By Staff Reports, MYNEWSLA.COM
May 7, 2019
https://mynewsla.com/crime/2019/05/07/appellate-court-upholds-27m-penal…
Fourth District Court of Appeal justices Tuesday overturned an Orange County Superior Court judge’s ruling striking down $27 million in penalties imposed by former Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones against Mercury Insurance for broker fees he found were improperly added to rates.
By Wire Reports, ASSOCIATED PRESS
May 7, 2019
https://ktla.com/2019/05/07/mercury-insurance-must-pay-27-5m-to-califor…
A state appeals court says Mercury Insurance Co. must pay $27.5 million to California for charging its customers illegal fees.
By Debra Kahn, POLITICO PRO
May 2, 2019
Several oil groups are ramping up their spending this year in California, including a $1 million ad campaign aimed at state and local restrictions on the industry, according to new state filings.
The heavy political spending comes as Gov. Gavin Newsom begins to flesh out his energy policies and local governments pass measures to curtail oil and gas drilling.
By Ivan Penn, THE NEW YORK TIMES
May 2, 2019
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/02/business/energy-environment/pge-sec-…
LOS ANGELES — The Securities and Exchange Commission has opened an investigation into Pacific Gas and Electric’s accounting for its losses related to three years of wildfires in Northern California, the utility reported to shareholders Thursday.
By Kevin Koeninger, COURTHOUSE NEWS SERVICE
May 1, 2019
https://www.courthousenews.com/specialty-status-of-hiv-medications-deba…
CINCINNATI (CN) – An attorney representing a class of HIV-positive patients insured by BlueCross BlueShield argued before a Sixth Circuit panel Wednesday that the insurer’s designation of their prescriptions as specialty medications violates federal disability laws.
By Sharon McNary, KPCC 89.3 FM SOCAL PUBLIC RADIO
April 26, 2019
Click here to listen to the audio of this radio broadcast segment: https://www.scpr.org/news/2019/04/26/89251/the-environmental-disaster-t…
By Lyle Adriano, INSURANCE BUSINESS AMERICA
April 25, 2019
https://www.insurancebusinessmag.com/us/news/breaking-news/ca-insurance…
California insurance commissioner Ricardo Lara recently rejected a petition from over 60 public interest groups to have insurance companies operating in the state to disclose their fossil fuel business.
By Jamie Yuccas, CBS EVENING NEWS
April 23, 2019
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/gas-prices-continue-climbing-across-us-201…
Los Angeles — For eight straight weeks, gas prices are climbing across the country, up more than 20 cents a gallon in a month. No one has been hit harder than California drivers, who are seeing their highest prices in nearly five years.
By Staff Reporters, CLIMATEWIRE
April 17, 2019
Massive wildfires in California are triggering insurance rate hikes and policy cancellations, according to a report from the fire "strike team" convened by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom.
By Dan Morain, CALMATTERS
April 15, 2019
Gov. Gavin Newsom is getting pushback by lawmakers on some proposals.
Let the wildfire negotiations begin: PG&E stock popped, but lawmakers are balking at provocative proposals put forward by Gov. Gavin Newsom's "strike force" for recovering the increasingly staggering costs of climate-driven wildfires.
Especially hot: A suggestion that California reduce utilities' liability when they aren't at fault by overhauling inverse condemnation law.
By Vicki Gonzalez, KCRA NBC TV-3, SACRAMENTO, CA
April 15, 2019
https://www.kcra.com/article/cars-operated-from-100-miles-away-drive-on…
SACRAMENTO, CALIF. (KCRA) —
Sacramento is taking another step toward the world of autonomous vehicles.
By Mark Chediak, Romy Varghese & Michael B. Marois, BLOOMBERG
April 12, 2019
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-04-12/california-s-newsom-…
Utility giant PG&E Corp. capped its best day since going bankrupt in January thanks to California’s governor.
By J.D. Morris and Alexei Koseff, THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE
April 12, 2019
https://www.sfchronicle.com/business/article/Wildfires-climate-change-a…
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Friday challenged the Legislature to revise state laws on utilities’ wildfire liabilities, presenting lawmakers with a series of potentially controversial strategies to shield electric companies from growing costs fueled by climate change.
By Peter Eavis, THE NEW YORK TIMES
April 12, 2019
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/12/business/energy-environment/gavin-ne…
With another wildfire season looming, Gov. Gavin Newsom of California on Friday urged the state Legislature to help Pacific Gas & Electric and other utilities bear the cost of fires started by their equipment.
EDITORIAL - By THE MERCURY NEWS & EAST BAY TIMES EDITORIAL BOARDS
April 12, 2019
https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/04/12/editorial-fix-californias-broken…
Californians and their political leaders pride themselves on being environmental leaders. But when it comes to reusing materials from beverage containers, the state is stuck in the 1980s — and even at that we’re failing.
