Insurance

Support for quake fund in dispute;

August 3, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Companies want to cut their obligations to the state authority that provides coverage for 755,000 homeowners.</h3><p class="source">Los Angeles Times</p> <p>Consumer activists are irate. "The industry should not be allowed to turn its back on California by walking away from the ever-impending calamity that is the next big earthquake," said Douglas Heller, executive director of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights in Santa Monica. Consumer advocates note that insurance companies have gotten close to a free ride over the last 11, relatively earthquake-free years because none of the $2.2 billon they put up was needed to pay claims. The CEA reported that it paid out only $3.5 million in losses for 130 claims since 1996.</p>

The Secret Ingredient:

August 1, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Your credit usage may be to blame for high home and auto premiums</h3><p class="source">Money Magazine August 2007 Issue</p> <p>In concurrent cases against GEICO and SAFECO, the Justices unanimously agreed that the companies were not wrong in charging certain poor-credit customers more without notifying them. The impact of the decision: "You are not going to know if your credit score is costing you," says Harvey Rosenfield, founder of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights.</p>

Letter to Massachusetts Insurance Commissioner 8-1-07 RE: Banning the Use of Socioeconomic Factors by Auto Insurance Companies in Private Passenger Automobile Insurance

August 1, 2007  ·  Carmen Balber

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Appointee Won’t Protect Consumers

July 31, 2007  ·  Doug Heller

<font face="verdana,sans-serif" size="2">The week of Arnold Schwarzenegger's 60th birthday his advisors seem to be living in a 6-year-old's fairytale. The governor's spokesman told the LA Times today: "Michael Kelley has been a...</font>

When California Assembly member’s car is damaged, taxpayers pay to fix it

July 27, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">San Jose Mercury News (California)</p> <p>"That's the sort of thing that happens when you have absolutely no skin in the game, none of your own money at risk," said Judy Dugan, research director with the Foundation for Taxpayer & Consumer Rights. "Most people when they get a door ding, they don't go out and get it fixed."</p>

The Green Haze is Lifting

July 26, 2007  ·  Carmen Balber

<font face="verdana,sans-serif" size="2">Californians are beginning to see through the haze of the <a href="http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_6467055?IADID">governor's green smoke machine</a>. <br/> <br/> A statewide poll by the Public...</font>

Stem cell patent skeptics also filed: Pair made claims like those under scrutiny

July 26, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Wisconsin)</p> <p>The scientists' past patent applications are not relevant to whether WARF's patents are valid, said John M. Simpson, stem cell project director at the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, a consumer watchdog group in Santa Monica, Calif. Simpson's group a year ago requested re-examination of WARF's patents with the Public Patent Foundation, a New York group that targets the patent system. "There's a consensus view among scientists that this was an obvious development. I think that's why, without particularly much trouble, we got stem cell scientists to file affidavits to that effect," Simpson said.</p>

Stem cell board aims for speed;

July 20, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Backers say 'enemies' are hoping for missteps</h3><p class="source">San Francisco Business Times</p> <p>CIRM's citizen boards are pressing forward on grant awards quickly and yet, they say, transparently and cautiously. "They're talking here really about the major shot they're going to get at building things," said John Simpson, stem cell project director with the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, a watchdog group based in Santa Monica. "It's a big amount of money, and they're trying to come up with the rules so they're fair."</p>

Lawmaker wants documents behind “flex-fuel” program;

July 20, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>CONTRACTS BENEFITED GOVERNOR'S ALLY GM</h3><p class="source">San Jose Mercury News, (California)</p> <p>The Foundation for Taxpayers and Consumers Rights, a Santa Monica-based watchdog group, asked for an audit Thursday morning, saying they believed it was needed to determine why the contract requirements and policy changes took place. "I hope that the governor's office does respond in full to the senator's public records act request," said Carmen Balber, of the foundation. "I'm not necessarily hopeful that the governor's office is going to be completely open since it deals with governor's connections with the donor and the contracts awarded to the donor. I think the option of an audit has to remain on the table depending on the response."</p>

Low-Cost Auto Insurance Coming?

July 17, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

Yuba-Sutter residents who struggle to pay for car insurance may soon find it more affordable, state officials said. Local drivers may soon be able to enroll in the state's Low Cost Automobile Insurance Program, which provides low-cost insurance for less than $400 per year, provided people meet certain income guidelines. The state insurance department has proposed adding 11 counties, including Yuba and Sutter, to the program.

Did insurer money kill bill?

July 13, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Capitol Alert (Sacramento Bee)</p> <p>The Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights contends that a compilation of campaign contributions from the firms "helps explain why the Senate Health Committee supported a proposal requiring employees to pay for private coverage but refused to pass a bill to regulate what insurers can charge for the policies."</p>

Coventry Health Care to Buy Florida Health Plan

July 9, 2007  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Washington Post</p> <p>Coventry Health Care, a Bethesda-based managed-care provider, has agreed to acquire privately held Florida Health Plan Administrators for about $685 million in cash, according to a Coventry statement.</p>