Insurance

Surprise! Insurance Industry Hands Revealed Behind Prop 103 Attack

January 18, 2017 · Carmen Balber

<img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-2960" alt="" class="right" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/images_hoinsurance_6.jpg" style="width: 139px; height: 139px; float: right;" width="120" height="120" />California consumers and small business owners saved $246 million dollars on their insurance in 2016 thanks to public rate challenges brought by Consumer Watchdog under insurance reform initiative Proposition 103.

State Farm Could Be Fined Billions; The Firm Isn’t Cutting Rates Fast Enough, California Insurance Regulator Says

January 17, 2017 · Mark Reback

The California Department of Insurance says State Farm is not moving fast enough to lower its rates for homeowners and renters and it could face billions of dollars in fines if it doesn't speed up the process. The threat of hefty fines, sent Friday to State Farm, escalates an increasingly bitter fight between the department and the Bloomington, Ill., insurance giant. Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones ordered a rate cut as of Dec. 8, but State Farm has challenged that order in court and does not plan on cutting rates until Feb. 13.

Letter To The Editor – Sacramento Bee: Prop. 103 Has Saved Consumers

January 16, 2017 · Mark Reback

<h3>Prop. 103 has saved consumers </h3> Re “<a href="http://www.sacbee.com/news/investigations/the-public-eye/article126279069.html" target="_blank" title="" rel="noopener">Are insurance rates better under Prop. 103?</a>” (Insight, Jan. 13): The article about consumer rate challenges under Proposition 103 misleads the public about where its critique comes from.

Healthcare Insurance Hell: If At First Your Claim Is Denied, Try, Try Again

January 13, 2017 · Mark Reback

One focus of the planned repeal of Obamacare is maintaining coverage for people with preexisting conditions. Republican lawmakers say the current law’s safeguards won’t change, but they have yet to explain how they’ll accomplish this without also keeping the mandate that everyone buy insurance.

DWP Bill of Rights Fit for Russian Gulag, Says Consumer Advocate

January 5, 2017 · Mark Reback

Notwithstanding the fact that DWP kept the lights on in Los Angeles while Enron left the rest of the state in the dark back in 2000, there are a number of people who believe the city-owned utility sucks big time and is in dire need of a major overhaul. Among them is Consumer Watchdog President Jamie Court, who says Angelenos are no better off that Soviet-era political prisoners once were when it comes to getting straight answers about a bill.

2016 In Review: Wells Fargo, PG&E, Exploding Phones Draw Ire Of Consumers

December 29, 2016 · Mark Reback

A banking scandal, exploding phones and the ongoing roller coaster of PG&E rate changes were among the top stories raising the ire of consumers this years.

Judge Orders State Farm To Cut Rates

December 20, 2016 · Mark Reback

State Farm customers in California could soon be paying lower premiums for homeowner, condo and renter insurance but will have to wait for the outcome of a lawsuit to know whether they will also get refunds from the company. A judge ruled late Friday that State Farm must abide by a state order to cut its premiums but can hold off on repaying customers, allegedly for overcharging, as it challenges Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones' authority to demand refunds under landmark insurance law Proposition 103.

State Farm Ordered To Cut Homeowners Insurance Rates In California

December 19, 2016 · Mark Reback

State Farm Insurance must reduce rates by an average of 7 percent for 1.7 million homeowners and renters in California while it challenges Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones' findings that its rates were excessive, a judge ruled Monday.

Google The ‘Serial Abuser’ Faces Federal Complaint Over User ‘Super Profiles’

December 19, 2016 · Mark Reback

Two consumer groups have filed a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission alleging that Google broke the law by deceptively forcing a privacy-policy change onto users that allows the firm to build much more comprehensive files on individuals. Consumer Watchdog, a prominent Google <a href="http://www.mercurynews.com/2016/03/15/google-asks-senate-committee-for-fast-tracked-rules-on-self-driving-cars/">adversary </a>on self-driving cars, joined Privacy Rights Clearinghouse in filing the FTC complaint on Monday.

Aggressive Sales Goals Pressure T-Mobile Workers To Sell Unwanted Services, Labor Group Alleges

December 16, 2016 · Mark Reback

T-Mobile employees under pressure to meet sales goals are sometimes driven to mislead customers or to enroll them in services they didn’t ask for, alleges <a href="http://callingouttmobile.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Under.Pressure_Dec2016.pdf">a report from a labor coalition</a>. In a complaint that Change to Win said they filed with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on Friday, the labor group claimed that T-Mobile sets “unrealistic sales targets” that encourage workers to act in ways that may not benefit consumers.

Consumer Watchdog Opposes Delay in $256 Million in Refunds and Rate Savings for State Farm Customers

December 15, 2016 · Harvey Rosenfield

<img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-21092" alt="" class="right" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/images_statefarmlogo-1_0.png" style="width: 200px; height: 155px; margin-left: 7px; margin-right: 7px; float: right;" width="1200" height="927" />Santa Monica, CA – Consumer Watchdog will be in court tomorrow to oppose a request by State Farm, California’s largest insurance company, to postpone refunds of more than $100 million in overcharges on home, condo and renters insurance, and delay a 7% rate cut that would save customers $156 million per year (including the savings from denying the 6.9% rate increase sought by State Farm).

Judge To Weigh In On Insurer Refunds

December 9, 2016 · Mark Reback

A request by State Farm to block an order requiring it to issue more than $100 million in premium refunds will be considered next week in San Diego County Superior Court. California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones, citing authority of the state's landmark Proposition 103, ordered the Bloomington, Ill., insurer in November to issue the refunds and lower its homeowner and rental insurance rates.

Prop 103 California Insurance Reform

New Bill Requires Insurance Companies to Offer and Renew Insurance Coverage for Fire-Safe Homes

Homeowners Dropped by Insurers