Insurance

No definitive answers; GAO report weakens some of docs’ arguments

August 4, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Modern Healthcare</p> <p>"The report undermines the argument that there is any silver-bullet solution in tort reforms and caps on damages,"' said Doug Heller, senior consumer advocate for the nonpartisan Foundation for Taxpayer & Consumer Rights in Santa Monica, Calif.</p>

Davis signs bill giving discount to insured drivers

August 4, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Associated Press</p> <p>Consumer activists were fuming Monday after Gov. Gray Davis signed a bill allowing discounts to drivers who maintain auto insurance coverage, saying it benefited a major campaign contributor and penalized first-time insurance buyers.</p>

Book warns about the dangers of ‘corporateering’

August 4, 2003  ·  Jamie Court

<p class="source">Associated Press</p> <p>Corporateering means the act of putting commercial gain over individual, social or cultural gain. A corporateer is one who makes commerce a priority over culture.</p>

Everybody at Risk Uninsured in W.Va. Insurance:

August 3, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>With & Without In West Virginia: 'We wanted to be different'</h3><p class="source">Charleston Gazette (West Virginia)</p> <p>"The system that depends on health insurance that comes through the workplace is breaking down," said Jerry Flanagan, consumer advocate at FTCR. "A lot of small business owners genuinely want to offer insurance, but basically, the only thing they have</p>

Kaiser sees rise in net income; HMO says premiums could rise next year

August 2, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Alameda Times-Star (Alameda, CA)</p> <p>"It's the height of hypocrisy that Kaiser is a nonprofit but recording record revenue while premiums to consumers increase 20 to 30 percent.", said Jerry Flanagan, spokesman for FTCR</p>

GAO FINDS NO SINGLE CAUSE FOR HIGHER MEDICAL-LIABILITY PREMIUMS

July 29, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">BestWire</p> <p>The California-based Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, however, said the GAO report called for no such cap and called on the insurance industry to open up its books to public scrutiny.</p>

Safeco Seeks Nearly 20% Rate Hike to Resume Selling Home Insurance;

July 26, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>The request for a fourth increase in three years comes just days after the company said it would halt sales because of a new state regulation.</h3><p class="source">The Los Angeles Times</p> <p>"This is exactly what Enron did during the energy crisis, when power companies refused to make electricity available if we refused to pay exorbitant prices," said Doug Heller, a spokesman for FTCR.</p>

Car-insurance bill called unfair to poor;

July 25, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>PROPOSAL FAVORS 'LOYALTY DISCOUNT'</h3><p class="source">San Jose Mercury News (California)</p> <p>Critics say the law would result in a surcharge for customers who have not had insurance before, or whose car-insurance policies are discontinued for 90 days or more. And such customers tend to be lower-income or those who've had recent financial hardship</p>

ASSEMBLY: Lack of experience worsens impasse

July 25, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The San Francisco Chronicle</p> <p>"They don't have much experience; all they have are political futures," consumer activist Heller said. "Donors are more important than constituents."</p>

US homeowners’ cover confusion in two states

July 25, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Insurance Day</p> <p>Safeco had tried to push rates up by an average of $132 a year, but its plans were foiled by the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights, which appealed to the California Department of Insurance under Proposition 103,</p>

Corporate Profit vs. City Freedom

July 21, 2003  ·  Jamie Court

<p class="source">ABC-TV7 - San Francisco Bay Area</p> <p>FTCR announced this week that San Francisco tops the list of the six cities it examined in its "Corporateering Quotient" for curbing corporate cultural power.</p>

You Revealed; CLUE reports give insurance companies insight into your claim history

July 19, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Wisconsin)</p> <p>"ChoicePoint is basically becoming the private version of Big Brother. The information they keep on you is very personal and detailed -- about your credit history, auto claims and accidents, homeowner claims, including thefts." said Doug Heller, consumer</p>