Insurance

Nation’s Biggest Personal Lines Insurers Fight For Huge Rate Increases

April 19, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

<p>Across the country, the largest and best-known personal lines insurance carriers are doing battle with regulators to gain approval for large premium jumps in auto and home insurance.<br /> <br /> Most recently, consumer groups in California have urged the Department of Insurance to reduce its rates by at least 9.26%. According to Consumer Watchdog, the homeowners insurer – the largest in the state – has overcharged its customers by roughly $78 million, or $285,000 per day, since at least July 2015.<br /> <br />

Fixes For Takata Air Bags Can Take Months. What To Drive In The Meantime?

April 19, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

<p>The Takata Corp. air bag recall has become so massive that vehicle owners might wait months for repairs, which leaves many struggling to figure out how to get around in the meantime.</p> <p>Dealerships are paying for rental cars, but some need to be pushed into offering them, customers complain. And drivers under age 25 or with weak insurance coverage or credit say they are encountering snags when they get to the rental counter.</p>

High Time For Voters To Make PUC Accountable

April 11, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

<div> <p>Travel back in time to the mid-1980s, when California’s insurance rates for both cars and property were nearly the highest in America and climbing fast. Back then, the state insurance commissioner, who could have stopped much of the price acceleration, was appointed by the governor.</p>

Proposed Anthem-Cigna Merger Under Fire from CA Consumers

April 5, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

<div class="field field-name-body"> <h2>The merger "would create the nation's largest insurer, which could have a significant impact on California's consumers, businesses, and the healthcare marketplace," says on consumer advocate. But few studies show "higher insurer market concentration leads to lower health insurance premiums," according to health economist.</h2>

California Insurance Commissioner Probes Anthem-Cigna Merger

March 29, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

<p style=""><span class="dateline">SAN FRANCISCO</span>, CA -- California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones says he has "some significant skepticism" about the benefits of Anthem Inc.'s proposed acquisition of rival insurer Cigna Corp.</p> <div class="clearfix" id="story-target"> <div id="content-body-16194260-68891477"> <p style="">Jones spoke at a public hearing on the proposed $54 billion merger Tuesday in San Francisco.</p>

Obama Headlining Summit To Fight Rx & Heroin Abuse Epidemic

March 28, 2016  ·  Carmen Balber

<p><img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-20753" alt="" class="right" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/images_drugs.jpg" style="width: 200px; height: 170px; margin-left: 7px; margin-right: 7px; float: right;" width="200" height="170" />Santa Monica, CA – President Obama will give the keynote address at the National Rx Drug Abuse & Heroin Summit tomorrow where prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) are being highlighted as essential tools to reduce prescription abuse.</p>

Rising Life Insurance Premiums Challenged In Court

March 23, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

<p>Insurance companies have the same problem everyone else does -- poor return on their investments. With their investment portfolios lagging, insurers are jacking up premiums, a tactic that is not going down well with consumers.</p>

NHTSA’s Voluntary Automatic Emergency Braking Deal Undercuts Auto Safety

March 22, 2016  ·  John M. Simpson

<p><img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-2920" alt="" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/nhtsa-logo-large.png" style="width: 250px; height: 156px; float: right;" width="1200" height="750" />The  <a href="http://www.nhtsa.gov/About+NHTSA/Press+Releases/nhtsa-iihs-commitment-on-aeb-03172016">unprecedented deal between the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration </a>(NHTSA), the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and 20 automakers to voluntarily make automatic emergency braking systems standard on their cars by 2022 actually undercuts auto safety.</p>

Brown Aide Accused Of Influencing PUC Appointments To Bolster PG&E Stock

March 15, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

<p>SAN BRUNO, CA -- Gov. Jerry Brown's top aide - a former PG&E executive - influenced the governor's decisions for appointments to the powerful and tarnished state Public Utilities Commission to prop up PG&E's stock, a consumer group claimed on Monday.</p> <p><br /> "The governor needs to take this seriously," said Jamie Court, president of Consumer Watchdog. "This is all about corruption on his doorstep."</p>

NHTSA Announces New Safety Initiatives, Including a Push for Driverless Cars

March 3, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

<div class="entry entry-content"> <p>At the January 12, 2016 World Congress meeting in Detroit, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) Administrator, Mark Rosekind, indicated that “history making” announcements would be forthcoming regarding future steps the administration and the auto industry plan to take to increase <a href="http://www.chaffinluhana.com/" target="_blank" title="vehicle safety" rel="noopener">vehicle safety</a>.</p>

Santa Monica Consumers’ Group Claims Win For Allstate Customers

February 23, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

<p>Following challenges Consumer Watchdog filed under a California's voter-approved insurance reform law, Allstate customers with homeowners' insurance policies will get an overall 12.6 percent rate reduction, effective this month, the Santa Monica-based nonprofit announced.</p> <p>As a result of the group's challenges to the insurer's “excessive” rates, policy holders will save nearly $72.5 million, amounting to an average annual savings estimated at $230 per policy, said Carmen Balber, Consumer Watchdog executive director.</p>

Watchdog Groups Call Out Ky. Insurance Commissioner’s Approval Of Aetna-Humana Merger

February 15, 2016  ·  Mark Reback

<p>Watchdog groups are speaking out after Kentucky Insurance Commissioner Brian Maynard <a href="http://www.beckershospitalreview.com/payer-issues/ky-insurance-commissioner-grants-humana-aetna-approval-without-public-hearing.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">approved</a> the Aetna-Humana merger without a formal public hearing, according to <em><a href="http://insiderlouisville.com/business/watchdog-groups-criticize-state-official-over-aetna-humana-decision/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Insider Louisville</a></em>.</p>