News Releases Archives

Insurance Industry, U.S. House GOP, Exploit California Wildfire Disaster to Promote Deregulation in Congress

Carmen Balber - February 6, 2025

Proven Consumer Protections, Investments in Disaster Resilience, and Eliminating Industry Subsidy of Fossil Fuels Are How to Keep American Homeowners Insured Los Angeles, CA – Consumer...

Trying to Cash in On Wildfire Tragedy, State Farm Demands Immediate $740 Million Bailout

Carmen Balber - February 3, 2025

Los Angeles, CA -- State Farm this morning asked Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara to authorize an immediate 22% increase in State Farm’s home insurance rates,...

Lara Reinsurance Regulation To Pump Up Homeowners Rates By 40% Without Guarantees of New Wildfire Coverage, No Opportunity For Public Input

Jamie Court - December 30, 2024

The new draft regulation proposed by Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara would allow insurance companies to drive up home insurance rates by 40% to 50%

Consumer Watchdog Saves California Policyholders $47 Million in United Financial Auto Insurance Rate Hikes

Ben Powell - December 17, 2024

Los Angeles, CA -- Consumer Watchdog reached a settlement with United Financial Casualty Company and the California Department of Insurance last week, resolving the company’s application...

Secret Algorithms to Raise Home Insurance Rates, No Requirement for New Coverage, Under Lara Regulations Issued Today

Carmen Balber - December 13, 2024

Consumers should expect large rate hikes but not more insurance policies sold under new rules issued by Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara

Consumer Watchdog Saves Policyholders Over $325 Million from State Farm Auto Rate Hike; Dispute Erupts Between Commissioner Lara and Chief Administrative Law Judge Who...

Ryan Mellino - December 11, 2024

As a result of Consumer Watchdog’s intervention, State Farm agreed to a lower rate increase of 17.7% compared to its initial 23.4% request

Little Hoover Commission Calls for Greater Transparency and Accountability in Home Insurance Market

Carmen Balber - November 21, 2024

Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara Refused to Testify or Meet with Commission Sacramento, CA – Consumer Watchdog endorsed many of the recommendations released today by the Little...

State Farm, Allstate and Insurance Lobbyists Ask Lara to Override Judge’s Decision

Harvey Rosenfield - November 15, 2024

Chief Judge Says CA Insurance Regulators Flouted Consumer Protections Los Angeles, CA - The Chief Administrative Law Judge of the California Department of Insurance has...

Insurance Commissioner Finalizes Plan Allowing Secret Algorithms to Raise Home Insurance Rates; Lies About Making Insurers Sell More Coverage in Return

Carmen Balber - November 14, 2024

Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara is not being honest with Californians about making insurance companies using secret algorithms to hike rates.

Insurance Industry Spokesman Maviglio Caught Vandalizing Car On Video; Consumer Watchdog Writes To Inform Head of Trade Group

Jamie Court - October 7, 2024

Los Angeles, CA – Consumer Watchdog has written the head of the American Property Casualty Insurance Association with a video showing its Sacramento spokesperson, Steve Maviglio,...

Lara’s New Draft Regulation Not Improved: Loopholes Still Free Insurers From Promises to Sell More Coverage; Public Calls for Model Transparency, Accountability Go Unanswered

Carmen Balber - October 2, 2024

Los Angeles, CA -- Consumer Watchdog said today’s amendments to Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara’s regulations that let insurance companies hike rates based on secret algorithms...

Homeowners Dropped by Insurers And Facing Massive Rate Hikes Speak Out; Consumer Watchdogs Say Lara Lied About Expanding Wildfire Coverage In Exchange For Higher Rates

Carmen Balber - September 17, 2024

Los Angeles, CA -- Homeowners who were dropped by their insurance company and confronted with massive rate hikes spoke out at an Assembly Insurance...

Consumer Participation In Insurance Rate Review, Billions In Consumer Savings, At Risk From Commissioner Lara’s Actions

Carmen Balber - August 9, 2024

Los Angeles, CA -- Consumer Watchdog issued the following statement about Commissioner Lara’s action today threatening consumers’ voice in insurance rate review. “For the past two...

Consumer Watchdog Calls for Public Hearing on State Farm’s Unprecedented Request for 4-Year, $5.2 Billion Policyholder Bailout

Carmen Balber - July 29, 2024

Los Angeles, CA -- Consumer Watchdog is asking Insurance Commissioner Lara to hold a public hearing on State Farm’s new request for a 30% increase...

Bailout: Insurance Commissioner Would Force Homeowners to Pay for FAIR Plan Losses

Carmen Balber - July 26, 2024

Los Angeles, CA -- Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara today proposed a multi-billion dollar policyholder bailout of the insurance industry for its exposure to wildfire losses at...

Consumer Watchdog Responds To Industry Attack On Its Right To Challenge Unjustified Rate Hikes; Calls On Insurance Commissioner Lara To Follow Law & Confirm Its...

Carmen Balber - July 15, 2024

Los Angeles, CA -- Consumer Watchdog called on the Department of Insurance to stop erecting roadblocks to public oversight and confirm the organization’s eligibility to...

Governor’s Proposal Targets Prop 103’s Public Rate Review that has Saved Homeowners, Drivers, Doctors $6 Billion on Insurance

Carmen Balber - May 29, 2024

A proposal by Gov Newsom would undercut independent public scrutiny of insurance rate increases and jeopardize Californians

The Coast News Group – Elias: Lara does insurance companies’ bidding

Los Angeles Times – The L.A. wildfires exposed a broken insurance market. Why wasn’t it fixed?

Los Angeles Times – International travel. Fancy meals. Missing receipts. Who paid the tab for this top official?

Spectrum News 1: Palisades Fire Rebuild Insurance Concerns

Smoke & Mirrors Podcast Exposes Troubling Tactics of Insurance Subcontractors in Wildfire Recovery

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