Consumer Watchdog

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Consumer Watchdog

Insurance

Insurance news, investigations, and reform — auto, home, and health insurance rates, claims denials, and industry accountability.
Perata’s income is under inquiry

Perata’s income is under inquiry

<p class="source">Contra Costa Times (California)</p> <p>"The appearance of this scheme goes beyond an ethical violation and may be an illegal laundering mechanism that has been used to enrich an elected official," wrote Douglas Heller, FTCR's senior consumer advocate.</p>
Consumer lawsuits targeted;

Consumer lawsuits targeted;

<h3>Watchdogs say Correa bill, business-backed initiative would weaken ability to sue.</h3><p class="source">The Orange County Register (California)</p> <p>"This is an assault -- not on (consumer) attorneys, as it's being presented -- but on public-interest groups' ability to stop pollution, deception, predatory lending and discrimination and an assault on keeping society safe," said Jamie Court</p>
Pattern of Perata’s donations scrutinized;

Pattern of Perata’s donations scrutinized;

<h3>Finance watchdog suspects senator's aid, income linked</h3><p class="source">The San Francisco Chronicle</p> <p>A developer and longtime ally of state Sen. Don Perata opened a political committee last year to raise money for Democrats across the state. The fund quickly collected $135,000 from four corporations -- all of which have donated generously to Perata.</p>
Big Insurance & Big Oil Recovery Team

Big Insurance & Big Oil Recovery Team

<font face="verdana,sans-serif" size="2">Campaign reports filed late tonight show that Arnold has transferred another $1 million from his "Recovery Team" to the committee to pass his $15 billion bond measure. That makes a...</font>
Redfern pushes for insurance commissioner

Redfern pushes for insurance commissioner

<p class="source">News Herald (Port Clinton, OH)</p> <p>California residents voted in 1988 to begin electing an insurance commissioner. Since then, according to the California-based Foundation for Taxpayer & Consumer Rights, automobile liability premiums declined by more than 22 percent.</p>
Woman, Denied Representation, Lives Life of Constant Pain

Woman, Denied Representation, Lives Life of Constant Pain

<h2>Cynthia Smith - Concord, California</h2> <p>Cynthia Smith always had been active, despite having multiple sclerosis most of her life. She grew up in Vermont, where she ice skated and joined in all the other outdoor activities that people do in cold climes. As an adult, she remained vigorous, training horses among other things. Now, at 58, Cynthia sits in a wheelchair in northern California, in constant pain from steel rods in her leg. One leg is shorter than the other. She is angry and depressed.<br /> <br />
15 Years of Physicians’ Lies Uncovered

15 Years of Physicians’ Lies Uncovered

<h2> Janet Mitchell - Orange, CA</h2> <p> <img class=" size-full wp-image-1944" alt="" class="left" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2004/02/images_004911.jpg" style="width: 150px; height: 220px; " width="150" height="220" />One day in the early 1990s, Janet Mitchell's doctor took her aside and told her that the doctor who had operated on her leg 15 years earlier had botched the job, and that mistake was responsible for the years of suffering that followed. The doctor who spilled the beans knew what he was talking about; he had been assisting in the original surgery.<br /> <br />
Fantastic Consumer Protection Week

Fantastic Consumer Protection Week

<font face="verdana,sans-serif" size="2">Arnold Schwarzenegger's declaration of this week as "California Consumer Protection Week" is like George W. Bush declaring February "Give Peace A Chance" month. Since taking...</font>