Insurance

Insurers lose lawsuit aimed at blocking challenges to excessive rates

March 12, 2008  ·  Pam Pressley

<p> A Los Angeles Superior Court ruled against the insurance industry last Friday in a lawsuit insurers filed against the California Department of Insurance.  Consumer Watchdog's litigation director Pam Pressley, working with the...</p>

Bill would outlaw insurer discrimination by race, age and background

March 11, 2008  ·  Carmen Balber

The state Senate <a href="http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20080311/news_1b11workers.html">passed legislation yesterday</a> - SB 1115 - to roll back one of the more odious limits.

Calif. Court Upholds Rules on Insurers Repaying Advocates

March 10, 2008  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p> LOS ANGELES, CA -- California insurance companies must comply with state regulations requiring them to pay the legal and expert fees of consumers or groups that challenge a proposed rate change if the challenge impacts the end result,...</p>

Judge Upholds Insurance Commissioner’s Awarding of Fees to Advocacy Groups

March 7, 2008  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<div class="postDetail"> LOS ANGELES, CA -- Rejecting a challenge by insurance groups, a Los Angeles judge ruled today that the state insurance commissioner can continue awarding compensation to members of consumer groups who take part...</div>

Not Always As Green As They Claim

March 6, 2008  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<strong>Companies, Governments Accused of Exaggerating Eco-friendliness</strong> <p> As interest in green issues reaches a white-hot pitch, government and industry are jumping on the sustainability bandwagon, touting "natural,"...</p>

California’s Low Cost Auto Insurance Program

March 5, 2008  ·  Doug Heller

<!-- excerpt --> <p> The Low-Cost Auto Insurance program makes a low-cost auto insurance policy available to qualifying, low-income drivers in California. </p>

Ethics board strikes again

March 4, 2008  ·  Carmen Balber

<p> The <a href="http://www.fppc.ca.gov/">Fair Political Practices Commission</a> is on a roll. The California ethics board took another aggressive step to <a href="http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_8440573">curtail abuse of gift-giving and travel</a> in Sacramento this week... </p>

Warren Buffett on insurance profits: Dude, we’re out of beer.

March 1, 2008  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p> Warren Buffett, owner of Geico Insurance  and major reinsurance companies, has begun to <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601087&sid=a0IeFre4cwXQ&refer=home">sound the alarms</a> that I'm thinking will soon... </p>

UW Group’s Stem Cell Patent Upheld: Federal Ruling Helps in Commercialization of Work

February 29, 2008  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<div class="postDetail"> Wisconsin's role in the commercialization of embryonic stem cell research has received a boost from the U.S. patent office, which rejected a challenge to a key patent held by the Wisconsin Alumni Research...</div>

Good drivers to subsidize the bad in Massachusetts

February 29, 2008  ·  Consumer Watchdog

There’s a <a href="http://masspirg.org/news-releases/auto-insurance/auto-insurance-news/rates-to-increase-for-many-good-drivers-and-to-decrease-substantially">great new study</a> out this week from our friends at ...

Who wins if everyone has to buy health insurance?

February 28, 2008  ·  Carmen Balber

The health care debate in the national media (thanks to sniping on the presidential campaign trail) has boiled down to one question: should we require Americans to purchase insurance in order to get everyone insured? One side says yes, otherwise...

Quackenbush under fire again, this time in Florida for firing on suspect

February 28, 2008  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p> Chuck Quackenbush, the disgraced former California insurance commissioner who resigned in 2000 after accusations of misusing public funds, has been of late, a deputy sheriff in Florida. ...</p>