Insurance

California Homeowners Facing Insurance Rate Hikes

September 1, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<strong>In a state parched by a three-year drought, wildfires are at least partly to blame for the price increases, industry officials and even some consumer advocates agree. </strong> <p> The dramatic images of firestorms now sweeping through the San Gabriel Mountains produce fear and dread "but don't make for any actuarial implication," said Douglas Heller, executive director of Consumer Watchdog, a Santa Monica group. "We're talking about not even 1% of homes." </p>

Retailers Sense New Thriftiness In Aisles — Year-Over-Year Sales At Stores Show Frugality Of Consumers

August 31, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p> Consumer advocate Harvey Rosenfield, founder of the California-based group Consumer Watchdog, puts much of the blame for the current economic situation on credit-card companies that offered easy access to credit, then raised fees, interest rates and, in some cases, minimum payments when the economy soured. </p>

Clarity peeks out in health reform

August 27, 2009  ·  Judy Dugan

<p> The media slam against Congress and President Obama has been that supporters of health reform don't make a clear, simple argument for what it is and why we need it. Opponents' smear-and-fear campaign grabs the headlines. I've had the same complaint about the mainstream media itself--too much dwelling on politics and little substance. A guy named <a href="http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/patients/articles/?storyId=28627">Wendell Potter</a> is helping change that, most recently in <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/27/opinion/27kristof.html?_r=1&ref=opinion">Nicholas Kristof's column</a> in the New York Times. </p>

Auto Body Repair Plan Touches Capitol Nerve

August 27, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

Consumer Watchdog, which opposes the bill, said the language of the legislation doesn’t do what insurers contend. “It’s anti-steering bill that would permit steering,” said Consumer watchdog attorney Todd Foreman. “It specifically states that an insurer can provide information about services. That’s what steering is. It essentially guts the consumer protections in Speier’s bill regarding steering and when a company can’t steer.”  The collision repair industry agrees, and believes the bill hurts the consumer by allowing insurers to selectively push customers to shops that have dubious, cost-cutting contracts with some carriers.

Watchdog: Auto Insurance Law May Up Rates

August 25, 2009  ·  Harvey Rosenfield

<strong>Insurance Company Sponsors Initiative </strong><br /> <br /> The Continuous Coverage Auto Insurance Discount Act may sound appealing, but the consumer advocacy group Consumer Watchdog told 10 News that potential voters should not be fooled, calling the measure a thinly veiled attempt to raise insurance rates. “It’s a fraud. It’s full of deception. It will lead to higher insurance premiums,” said Harvey Rosenfield, founder of Consumer Watchdog and author of Proposition 103, which overhauled the insurance market in 1988.

Mercury Insurance’s History of Legislative Attacks on Consumer Protections in California

August 24, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p> Ever since California voters enacted the landmark insurance reform initiative Proposition 103 in 1988, Mercury Insurance has led a series of efforts to remove its consumer protections. </p>

News Truth: Insurers sing ‘Hallelujah’ for weak health reform

August 24, 2009  ·  Judy Dugan

<p> It turns out that all the health reform fear and fury about pulling the plug on Grandma and creeping socialism (or is it Nazism?) will benefit one very elite group: health insurance companies. If the so-called public option stays dead, and government requires Americans to buy insurance, 'reform' will be a huge profit machine. As <a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/healthcare/la-na-healthcare-insurers24-2009aug24,0,6925890.story">a great LA Times story</a> reports today: </p>

Co-Opting Public Plans

August 20, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

Consumer Watchdog calls the co-ops "pseudo-reform" that could do far more harm than good if they create loopholes that could gut state consumer protection laws. The consumer advocacy group notes that Sen. Mike Enzi, R-WY, came up with a similar plan in 2006, which would have exempted the co-opts from state consumer protection laws.

New Credit Card Rules Start Thursday

August 20, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

A recent survey of more than 400 credit cards found rates have gone up an average of two percent since last December. ConsumerWatchdog.org, which is tracking all of this, says about one-third of card holders are now paying 20 percent interest. "They're taking advantage of people at a tough point in their lives, when they can't afford to give up their credit cards," said Judy Dugan from ConsumerWatchdog.org. "And saying, 'Well, you can't pay off your balance, you're going to pay a lot more, you're going to pay 17 percent, 22 percent, 28 percent.' And this bill does nothing to change that."

Will Your Health Plan Fully Cover You?

August 20, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

LOS ANGELES, CA -- (KABC) -- You may have health insurance, but it may not cover your when you really need it.  At least one in five people in America are in the same insurance shape as Susan. They don't have adequate insurance and may not know it until it's too late.  According to Jerry Flanagan of Consumer Watchdog, it may not be all the consumer's fault.

Mercury Insurance takes aim at California drivers

August 19, 2009  ·  Doug Heller

<p> In the worst economy in generations, California's 3rd largest auto insurer hopes to fool voters into allowing higher auto premiums. </p>

Healthcare Reform Doesn’t Hinge On Public Insurance Plan

August 19, 2009  ·  Consumer Watchdog

"The public plan was the last hope for keeping private insurers honest," said Jamie Court, president of Consumer Watchdog in Santa Monica. "If I was the White House, I would hope that healthcare reform doesn't pass right now, because it's going to be a disaster."   I can relate to his frustration. I too think that something like a Medicare-for-all program is the most sensible solution for the country's healthcare woes. It may not be a perfect system, but it would be fairer and more effective than what we have now.