News Releases

CA Supreme Court Puts an End to Mercury Insurance Company’s 20-Year Battle to Escape Accountability for Unlawful Fees 

August 15, 2019  ·  Harvey Rosenfield

Los Angeles, CA — Mercury Insurance Company will pay at least $27.6 million in civil penalties for overcharging hundreds of thousands of California motorists in violation...

Vote Cancelled on Commissioner Lara’s “Creative” Wildfire Insurance Bill

August 14, 2019  ·  Carmen Balber

Sacramento, CA – A wildfire insurance bill sponsored by Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara stalled in the state Assembly today in the face of objections raised by...

Advocates Call for Withdrawal of Insurance Commissioner Lara’s Bill to Give Insurers & Wall Street Blank Check From CA Taxpayers

August 13, 2019  ·  Carmen Balber

Los Angeles, CA — Consumer Watchdog said legislation sponsored by Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara and scheduled for a vote Wednesday would needlessly expose California taxpayers to...

Insurance Commissioner Promises Hearings – But Sets No Timeline To Stop Auto Insurance Discrimination

March 26, 2019  ·  Carmen Balber

Statement of Consumer Watchdog: “Thirty days ago, Consumer Watchdog and ten other organizations petitioned Insurance Commissioner Riccardo Lara to stop insurance companies’ discrimination against low-income...

Consumer Watchdog Petitions Commissioner to Stop Travelers from Overcharging Small Business Owners

June 21, 2017  ·  Carmen Balber

Santa Monica, CA – Consumer Watchdog has filed a petition challenging the insurance rates that two companies in the Travelers Group want to charge small...

Consumers Win $246 Million in Savings From Prop 103 Rate Challenges in 2016

January 19, 2017  ·  Carmen Balber

<p>Santa Monica, CA – California consumers and small business owners saved $246 million dollars on their insurance in 2016 thanks to public rate challenges brought by Consumer Watchdog under insurance reform initiative Proposition 103.</p> <p><img class=" size-full wp-image-21175" alt="" height="296" src="http://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/images_2016prop103savings.png" width="569" /></p>

Consumer Watchdog Opposes Delay in $256 Million in Refunds and Rate Savings for State Farm Customers

December 15, 2016  ·  Harvey Rosenfield

<p><img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-21092" alt="" class="right" src="http://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/images_statefarmlogo-1_0.png" style="width: 200px; height: 155px; margin-left: 7px; margin-right: 7px; float: right;" width="1200" height="927" />Santa Monica, CA – Consumer Watchdog will be in court tomorrow to oppose a request by State Farm, California’s largest insurance company, to postpone refunds of more than $100 million in overcharges on home, condo and renters insurance, and delay a 7% rate cut that would save customers $156 million per year (including the savings from denying the 6.9% rate increase sought by State Farm).

Consumer Watchdog Challenges $210 Million Excessive State Farm Rate Hike on 1.7 Million California Renters and Homeowners

October 20, 2015  ·  Carmen Balber

Santa Monica, CA — Consumer Watchdog has challenged a rate increase proposed by State Farm, the state’s largest homeowners insurance company, that would overcharge consumers...

Top 10 Reasons You Can’t Trust Mercury Insurance

August 4, 2010  ·  Consumer Watchdog

For years, Mercury Insurance illegally overcharged hundreds of thousands of California drivers hundreds of dollars per year, until they were forced to stop in the wake of a Court of Appeal decision in 2005.

Insurance Industry Files Ballot Initiatives to Repeal Prop. 103, Raise Auto, Home and Business Rates by Hundreds of Dollars Per Year

January 5, 2006  ·  Harvey Rosenfield

Consumer Advocates See Rematch of $80 Million 1988 Battle