Insurance

Individual Actions You Can Take to Limit Corporate Control Over Your Life

January 1, 2002  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<!-- excerpt --><p>Individuals' rights should be honored by businesses and corporations. Citizens can take action to ensure that corporations do not take advantage of them in their personal life. The following are some simple ways you can protect yourself with the substa</p>

Allstate seeks homeowners hike

January 1, 2002  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>A 22.3% raise, the firm's first since 1994, is considered by regulators.</h3><p class="source">Orange County Register</p> <p>More than 50,000 Orange County customers of Allstate Insurance will see the premiums they pay for homeowners insurance jump 22.3 percent next year if state regulators approve the insurer's request for a rate hike.</p>

WellPoint Makes a Strong Recovery

December 9, 2001  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>Six years ago its prognosis was poor. Today its expansion is being cheered by investors and challenged by consumer advocates.</h3><p class="source">Los Angeles Times</p> <p>If its recent flurry of acquisitions survives regulatory scrutiny and emerges intact, WellPoint Health Networks Inc. will have the nation's third-largest enrollment among publicly traded managed-care companies, moving ahead of rival Cigna Corp.</p>

Stop Allowing Insurance Rate Hikes, State Urged

November 30, 2001  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">Los Angeles Times</p> <p>A consumer group asked state Insurance Commissioner Harry Low to stop approving insurance rate hikes, saying a moratorium is needed to prevent insurers from taking advantage of market turmoil in the wake of Sept. 11.</p>

BACKGROUND ON PRIOR APPROVAL OF INSURANCE RATE CHANGES

November 29, 2001  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<!-- excerpt --><p>One of the major reforms implemented by California voters with the passage of Proposition 103 in 1988 was the creation of a "prior approval" process for rate increases. This process requires insurers to apply for and obtain approval for rate changes from</p>

A watchdog, not lapdog

November 23, 2001  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>SF Chronicle Editorial</h3><p class="source">San Francisco Chronicle</p> <p>What will it take to restore respect to the scandal-tainted office of state insurance commissioner? One starting point would be curbing industry contributions that threaten to skew the race for a new insurance watchdog.</p>

INSURE FOR LESS

November 19, 2001  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>SMART SHOPPERS CAN GET BREAKS ON AUTO POLICIES, EVEN AS RATES RISE</h3><p class="source">The Daily News of Los Angeles</p> <p>With auto insurance companies in the midst of a rate increase binge, drivers renewing coverage or buying it for the first time can save some money by implementing a simple strategy: Shop around.</p>

Insurance commissioner candidate drawing big donations from industry

November 18, 2001  ·  Harvey Rosenfield

<p class="source">The Associated Press</p> <p>Assemblyman Tom Calderon says he will be a consumer advocate if elected insurance commissioner, but that hasn't stopped the insurance industry from giving him $800,000 in campaign contributions.</p>

Bailout Watch #86 — Commentary by Harvey Rosenfield – Oct 29, 2001

October 29, 2001  ·  Harvey Rosenfield

<strong>BAILOUT WATCH: Keeping an eye on the energy industry and the politicians<br/> <br/> Bailout Watch #86 -- Commentary by Harvey Rosenfield - Oct 29, 2001<br/> <br/> Taxation Without Representation</strong><br/> <br/> Not one state...

Bailout Watch #84 – Oct 15, 2001

October 15, 2001  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<strong>BAILOUT WATCH: Keeping an eye on the energy industry and the politicians<br/> <br/> Bailout Watch #84 - Oct 15, 2001</strong><br/> <br/> <strong>Riding the bailout escalator. </strong>First it was $2.5 billion, then it rose to $3...

EDITORIAL – On Corporate Influence

October 14, 2001  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<h3>An unbalanced justice</h3><p class="source">San Francisco Chronicle</p> <p>What began as a noble concept -- using arbitration instead of the courts to settle many disputes -- has developed into a grossly unfair commercial justice system.</p>

FOES FIGHT ON AS JUDGE OKS EDISON DEAL

October 8, 2001  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p class="source">The Recorder</p> <p>A Los Angeles federal judge signed off on a $3.3 billion settlement between the California Public Utilities Commission and Southern California Edison Friday, angering consumer groups who called the ruling a "travesty of justice."</p>