News Releases

Consumers Who Harden Homes to Reduce Wildfire Risk Must Have a Right to Buy  Insurance, Consumer Watchdog to Testify before Little Hoover Commission

March 28, 2024  ·  Carmen Balber

Sacramento, CA – California must require insurance companies to sell home insurance to homeowners who protect their homes from wildfire in order to restore consumers’ access...

As Drafted, Insurance Commissioner’s Proposed Rules for Insurance Catastrophe Models Preserve Secrecy of Black Box Models

March 14, 2024  ·  Carmen Balber

Los Angeles, CA – Consumer Watchdog issued the following statement about the proposed catastrophe modeling rules released by Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara today. “Black box...

Study: Public Scrutiny Has Saved Californians Over $5.5 Billion on Home, Auto Insurance Since 2002, Including $885 Million at Year-End

February 1, 2024  ·  Carmen Balber

Seeking Billions in Premium Increases, Insurance Industry Targets Law that Gives Consumers a Say in Insurance Pricing Los Angeles, CA – Consumer Watchdog, a non-profit citizen...

Consumer Watchdog Saves Policyholders $884.8 Million on Year-End Insurance Rate Increases 

January 9, 2024  ·  Pam Pressley

Allstate, State Farm Also Agree to End Restrictions on Sales of New Auto Policies Los Angeles, CA – Challenges by Consumer Watchdog to double-digit auto and...

Top Five Questions Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara Must Answer About his Wildfire Insurance Plan 

December 13, 2023  ·  Carmen Balber

Pasadena, CA – Consumer Watchdog today called on members of the Assembly Insurance Committee to make Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara answer five tough questions about the...

New Poll Shows Voters Oppose Insurance Commissioner’s Home Insurance Plan By 2 To 1; Overwhelming Support Requiring Insurers To Cover All Who Fire Proof Their Homes 

November 16, 2023  ·  Jamie Court

A new poll finds that Insurance Commissioner Lara’s plan to allow insurance companies to increase premiums for all Californians in exchange for a promise to...

32 California House Representatives Express Concerns About Insurance Commissioner Lara’s “Sustainable Insurance Strategy”

November 8, 2023  ·  Carmen Balber

35 Years Ago Today Voters Approved Insurance Reform Proposition 103 Washington, DC – Thirty-two members of California’s Democratic Congressional Delegation wrote a letter to Insurance Commissioner...

Consumer Watchdog Warns Governor, Legislative Leaders that Insurance Commissioner Lara’s Deregulation Deal with Insurers Has No Consumer Benefits 

November 2, 2023  ·  Carmen Balber

Industry and Insurance Commissioner Respond with Attack on Consumer Watchdog  Los Angeles, CA – Consumer Watchdog wrote Governor Gavin Newsom, Senate pro tem Toni Atkins and...

Records Show Insurance Commissioner’s Deal with Industry to Expand Wildfire Coverage is a Sham 

October 26, 2023  ·  Carmen Balber

Los Angeles, CA – Documents obtained under the Public Records Act and Prop 103 reveal details of the secret proposal to bail out the insurance industry...

Consumer Watchdog Challenges Recidivist Mercury Insurance for Policyholder Price-Gouging, Discrimination and Deception 

October 11, 2023  ·  Ben Powell

Los Angeles, CA — Consumer Watchdog today filed a Petition to Intervene in an enforcement action brought by the California Department of Insurance (CDI) against Mercury...

Climate Risk Modelers’ Financial Conflicts Should Disqualify Their Use for Insurance Rates in California

September 28, 2023  ·  Carmen Balber

Los Angeles, CA – The top two publicly-traded companies selling black box catastrophe models to insurance companies have financial conflicts of interest that should bar their...

Lara’s Deal with Insurance Industry Does Nothing for Consumers and Does Not Address Climate Change

September 26, 2023  ·  Carmen Balber

California Insurance Commissioner Lara’s behind-closed-doors deal will allow the insurance industry to raise home insurance premiums for 8.7 million Californians.