Insurance

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>

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>

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>

Assembly vote avoidance helps kill consumer-protection bills

July 19, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">San Francisco Chronicle</p> <p>Consumer-protection bills are dying in the Assembly, not from votes against them but because many members in key committees aren't voting at all. Because an abstention is the same as a no vote, the bill is defeated without legislators having to take a sta</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>

Insurance discount bill sent to Davis

July 18, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>The firm backing the plan is a big donor to state leaders.</h3><p class="source">Sacramento Bee</p> <p>"This is the juice bill of the year, the most blatant cash-for-influence legislation," said Jamie Court, executive director of the Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights.</p>

California dreamin’;

July 18, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Proponents of malpractice caps ignore another state's experience</h3><p class="source">Sarasota Herald-Tribune (Florida)</p> <p>What the California experience really proves, though, is that insurance regulation is the key to lowering premiums.</p>

AUTO INSURANCE DISCOUNT BILL GOES TO GOVERNOR IN CALIFORNIA

July 18, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">BestWire</p> <p>"You can't counter a proposition passed by the people of the state with legislation passed by the Legislature. That's part of California constitution - if you want to counter a proposition, you have to do it by passing another proposition." said Doug Hel</p>

Assembly passes bill to give loyal insurance customers discounts

July 17, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Associated Press</p> <p>The Assembly approved auto insurance legislation Thursday that would let insurers offer discounts for longtime customers, despite arguments that it would hurt many low-income drivers and invite a lawsuit.</p>

INSURER: NO NEED FOR RATE REFORM

July 15, 2003  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>DURING A DAY OF TESTY TALK ON MALPRACTICE INSURANCE, AN EXECUTIVE SAID HIS FIRM STILL WOULD MAKE MONEY.</h3><p class="source">Orlando Sentinel</p> <p>The head of the state's largest insurer for physicians defended sharp increases in medical-malpractice insurance rates and told a Senate committee Monday that his company doesn't need legislative reforms to remain profitable.</p>

A For-the-People Activist

July 12, 2003  ·  Jamie Court

<p class="source">Los Angeles Times</p> <p>Re: "Lobbyist's Guerrilla Tactics Get Attention," July 7: Isn't it time that consumers got as angry as Jamie Court? Isn't it time that we citizens held our politicians accountable for selling out our interests to corporate high bidders?</p>