Insurance

Insuring Success for Team Arnold

January 6, 2004  ·  Doug Heller

<font face="verdana,sans-serif" size="2">Just before Christmas Arnold created a new fundraising committee that can receive above-the-limit contributions from big corporations, despite the state's campaign finance limits. The committee,...</font>

Shades of Gray in No-Limits Contribution

December 30, 2003  ·  Jamie Court

<font face="verdana,sans-serif" size="2">After unseating Gray Davis for his pay-to-play politics, Arnold has accepted an above-the-limits contribution from a company that is the capitol's foremost practitioner of pay-to-play: Mercury...</font>

More homeowners dump quake insurance each year than buy it

December 24, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Contra Costa Times (California)</p> <p>Uninsured or underinsured homeowners face substantial financial risks: foreclosure, even bankruptcy. California taxpayers also would shoulder a massive burden, said Doug Heller, senior consumer advocate for the Foundation for Taxpayer & Consumer Rights.</p>

City Gets C Grade In Curbing Power Of Big Corporations

December 24, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Los Angeles Daily News</p> <p>Corporations in Los Angeles have too much power to promote their brands on public facilities, pollute the environment and control what people see and hear in the media, according to a report card released Tuesday by a group critical of corporate excesses.</p>

A Dimension with No Contribution Limits

December 23, 2003  ·  Carmen Balber

<font face="verdana,sans-serif" size="2">Recently ArnoldWatch called on the Governor to divest his $1 million-plus holdings in Dimensional Fund Advisors - a private mutual fund company that has a contract to manage $636 million for...</font>

Telemortgaging;

December 21, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Be careful where you click! Too-good-to-be-true loan offers on the Web can lead to a barage of phone calls.</h3><p class="source">The San Francisco Chronicle</p> <p>"This is a deceptive practice, and it may be a violation of state unfair business practice laws" because these e-mailers are competing in the marketplace essentially by lying, said Jamie Court, president of the Foundation for Taxpayer & Consumer Rights</p>

Insurance carriers curb risk;

December 19, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>More home policies canceled, rates hiked</h3><p class="source">Bangor Daily News (Maine)</p> <p>"Jacking up the rates has a double function," said Douglas Heller, senior consumer advocate for the California-based FTCR. "Those people that are buying the product are paying a much higher premium for their coverage. But it also serves as a deterrent:</p>

SCPIE WITHDRAWS CALIFORNIA RATE INCREASE REQUEST

December 18, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">BestWire</p>

Governor finally holds capital fund-raiser

December 18, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>600 contributors pay at least $500 to attend twice-canceled event.</h3><p class="source">The Sacramento Bee</p> <p>"He hasn't met with a single consumer group since taking office," protester Jerry Flanagan said. "And the policies he's been rolling out reflect the interests of the insurance industry executives he's in there wining and dining with."</p>

Access Denied

December 18, 2003  ·  Jerry Flanagan

<font face="verdana,sans-serif" size="2">"People here tonight are paying more for dinner with Arnold Schwarzenegger than I make in an entire year as a disabled worker on workers compensation," Jodi Greggs of Sacramento said...</font>

Sky-Boxing with Arnold

December 16, 2003  ·  Jamie Court

<font face="verdana,sans-serif" size="2">ArnoldWatch was understandably disappointed when the Lakers refused us a jumbo-tron advertisement at Staples Center for last Friday's basketball game -- where donors paid at least $10,000 per...</font>

Insurer may stay on legal hot seat

December 14, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Copley News Service</p> <p>"State insurance regulators don't consistently hear about these kinds of cases, but when we start seeing lawsuits and settlements, it indicates there is a deeper problem and regulators should investigate," said Doug Heller, a spokesman for FTCR.</p>