Insurance

Another Kick Back for Car Dealers?

January 31, 2004  ·  Jamie Court

<font face="verdana,sans-serif" size="2">A report released this week by the Consumer Federation of America found that car dealers routinely mark-up car prices through a common bait-and-switch scheme. Car manufacturer financing...</font>

Oklahoma Senator calls for reform of insurance industry

January 29, 2004  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Journal Record Legislative Report (Oklahoma)</p> <p>"Insurance premiums and profits are what need to be capped, not payments to people who are truly injured," said Sen. Frank Shurden, D-Henryetta.</p>

Garamendi claims bias in auto insurance pricing

January 28, 2004  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The San Diego Union-Tribune</p> <p>State Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi said yesterday that auto insurance pricing guidelines used in California are discriminatory and can cause a wide discrepancy in the cost of insurance from one neighborhood to the next.</p>

Insurers Still Favor ZIP Code Over Driving Record;

January 27, 2004  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Garamendi considers changing rules that he says are unfair to urban drivers. He faces the opposition of industry, rural lawmakers.</h3><p class="source">The Los Angeles Times</p> <p>Garamendi does not need the support of the Legislature to change the regulations, but he is seeking legislative support on other issues and has responded to Wolk and other lawmakers who have expressed concern. He has promised to hold hearings in rural are</p>

Debt Due

January 27, 2004  ·  Jamie Court

<font face="verdana,sans-serif" size="2">It turns out California's knight in shining armor was riding a stolen horse. A Sacramento Court ruled late this afternoon that Arnold violated campaign finance laws in the days just before the...</font>

BOARD CHANGE COULD SHAPE WORKERS’ COMP REFORM

January 25, 2004  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The Daily News of Los Angeles</p> <p>"The key tool that is currently missing from the market is regulation of the industry," said Doug Heller, a senior consumer advocate at The Foundation For Taxpayer & Consumer Rights in Santa Monica.</p>

Judge nixes Perata’s insurance law;

January 24, 2004  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Measure aimed at fining drivers who allowed policies to lapse</h3><p class="source">Alameda Times-Star (Alameda, CA)</p> <p>A judge has thrown out a car-insurance law written by state Sen. Don Perata, D-Oakland, that consumer and civil rights groups said unfairly targeted low-income drivers.</p>

The Other Sexual Harassment Problem

January 24, 2004  ·  Doug Heller

<font face="verdana,sans-serif" size="2">In November, the governor issued Executive Order No. 2, which requires the review of all pending regulations, forces state agencies to do their job twice and gives big companies a reprieve on...</font>

Auto Insurance Premiums Higher on the ‘Wrong Side’ of ZIP Code, Groups Say

January 23, 2004  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">City News Service</p> <p>Harvey Rosenfield is author of Prop 103. "The voters (who passed Prop. 103) are looking to Insurance Commissioner Garamendi to correct this injustice, so that drivers who have a good safety record don't end up paying higher premiums</p>

CAPS AREN’T THE CURE;

January 22, 2004  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>THESE STEPS ARE NEEDED TO END THE MALPRACTICE INSURANCE CRISIS</h3><p class="source">Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Pennsylvania)</p> <p>"Caps themselves had no effect other than to further line the pockets of insurance companies," said Carmen Balber, a consumer advocate with the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights in California.</p>

What’s ‘special’ to Arnold?

January 17, 2004  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The Los Angeles Daily News</p> <p>Which rules stay and which don't will say a lot about whether Schwarzenegger really is different or just another pay-to-play politician of the sort Californians rebelled against in last fall's recall election.</p>

Governor stretches his donation rules;

January 16, 2004  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>SPECIAL INTERESTS CIRCUMVENT STANDARD, REFORMERS COMPLAIN</h3><p class="source">San Jose Mercury News (California)</p> <p>"By his own definition, this breaks the promise of taking money from specific special interests," said Jamie Court, president of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights.</p>