Insurance

Pay first, ask questions later

March 12, 2008  ·  Carmen Balber

<p> My doctor’s office made a new, and pretty scary, request this morning. It was a routine visit, and when I paid my co-pay (and an odd 55 cent balance left over from last time) they gave me another form to sign. It informed me that,...</p>

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...