Insurance

California Health Rates Initiative Qualifies for 2014 Ballot

August 24, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p>The California Secretary of State announced on Thursday that a ballot initiative to require health insurance companies to publicly justify and get approval for rate increases before they take effect has qualified for the 2014 ballot.</p> <p>Santa Monica, Calif.-based-Consumer Watchdog’s Insurance Rate Public Justification and Accountability Act made the ballot after county registrars of voters certified that more than 549,380 valid signatures from California voters were submitted by the campaign.</p>

Health insurance rate regulation gains support in Congress

August 21, 2012  ·  Carmen Balber

<p><img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-2215" alt="" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/images_carmenbdrawingname.gif" style="width: 133px; height: 200px; float: right; margin-left: 7px; margin-right: 7px;" width="133" height="200" />Senator Jon Tester <a href="http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/senate/244499-tester-promotes-bill-allowing-states-to-block-increased-health-insurance-rates">announced his support</a> for legislation to give state insurance commissioners the authority to say no when insurance companies propose excessive and unjustified premium increases.</p>

Calif. Prop. 33 Language Stands

August 13, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p>The language for an automobile persistency initiative will stand after the California Third District Court of Appeal on Monday denied an appeal filed by the backers of the Proposition 33 campaign seeking to strike part of the ballot language, including the label and title and summary.</p> <p>The label and summary were prepared by California’s Attorney General, and opposing langue was drafted by Santa Monica, Calif.-based Consumer Watchdog.</p>

Judge Upholds Ballot Title, Summary for Calif. Insurance Initiative

August 13, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p>A California Superior Court judge rejected a bid to dismiss the official ballot label for a statewide automobile insurance initiative, handing a defeat to backers of Proposition 33.<br /> <br /> Proponents of the measure to allow insured drivers to take continuous coverage discounts with them from when they change insurance companies had filed a lawsuit against state Attorney General Kamala Harris, Secretary of State Debra Bowen and leaders of Consumer Watchdog, the lead opponent of the proposition.</p>

You Really Can’t Trust Mercury

August 11, 2012  ·  Harvey Rosenfield

<p><img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-2476" alt="" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/images_harveydrawingname_1.gif" style="width: 133px; height: 200px; float: right;" width="133" height="200" />The Mercury Insurance initiative’s lawsuit to stop the Attorney General and us opponents from telling the truth about Proposition 33 – how it will raise auto insurance rates – got tossed out of Sacramento Superior Court last Thursday.

Auto Insurance Initiative Ballot Statements Are Upheld By Judge

August 10, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p>An attempt by backers of an automobile insurance initiative to rewrite the title, summary and opponents' arguments on the November ballot has failed.</p> <p>Late Thursday, a Sacramento Superior Court judge denied a request from the campaign for Proposition 33, alleging the description of the measure for the ballot pamphlet written by the attorney general's office is "prejudicial."</p>

Foes Win Ruling Over Prop. 33 Ballot Words

August 10, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

<p>Opponents of Proposition 33, which would rewrite California law on auto insurance rates, won a preliminary court skirmish Thursday over ballot language.</p> <p>A Sacramento judge refused to tinker with ballot language filed by state officials and voter-pamphlet arguments submitted by the proposition's opponents, advocacy group Consumer Watchdog.</p> <p>The proposition's supporters had sued to remove language they said would "prejudice voters" against the proposal.</p>

Tax-Dodger CEOS Race to Cheat Californians–Watch It Now!

August 8, 2012  ·  Judy Dugan

<p><img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-2206" alt="" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/images_judydrawingname.gif" style="margin-left: 10px; margin-right: 10px; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; float: right; width: 133px; height: 200px; " width="133" height="200" />Consumer Watchdog has been growling for a while about global corporations that <a href="http://www.consumerwatchdog.org/newsrelease/out-state-corporations-fighting-keep-tax-loophole-are-top-us-tax-dodgers-says-consumer-w">use a tax loophole</a> to pay less in California corporate taxes than in-state companies.

Revenge of the Insurance Deregulators

August 7, 2012  ·  Jamie Court

<p><img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-2470" alt="" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/georgevemavigliseph-2.jpg" style="width: 248px; height: 300px; float: right;" width="248" height="300" />Sacramento loves to hate Consumer Watchdog, because we expose the dirty deeds politicians do for corporations, confront regulators who are asleep at the switch, and don’t believe you have to go along with big corporations to get along.  We also take on the rich and powerful in the initiative process on behalf of consumers, which the legislature and lobbyists consider a slap in the face.<br /> <br />

Revenge of the Insurance Deregulators

August 6, 2012  ·  Mark Reback

Sacramento loves to hate Consumer Watchdog, because we expose the dirty deeds politicians do for corporations, confront regulators who are asleep at the switch, and don’t believe you have to go along with big corporations to get along. We also take on the rich and powerful in the initiative process on behalf of consumers, which the legislature and lobbyists consider a slap in the face.

California Parks are Suffering but Corporate Tax Dodgers Keep Dodging

August 3, 2012  ·  Liza Tucker

<p> We all know that California’s budget is in bad shape. It ended the year with a cash deficit of $9.6 billion dollars, papered over with internal borrowing and accounting sleight-of- hand. And we know that Governor <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-07-10/california-deficit-1-billion-smaller-controller-says.html">Jerry Brown is counting on voters</a> approving a tax hike come November.</p>

Insurance Deregulators Attack – Fight Back

August 3, 2012  ·  Consumer Watchdog

<p> <img class=" alignright size-full wp-image-2466" alt="" src="https://consumerwatchdog.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/jamiepic-new1.jpg" style="width: 133px; height: 200px; float: right;" width="133" height="200" />We’ve been sued by an insurance company billionaire.  He wants to stop the public from knowing how deceptive insurance-backed Proposition 33 really is.<br /> <br /> <a href="https://salsa.wiredforchange.com/o/6563/p/salsa/donation/common/public/?donate_page_KEY=7545"><strong>Help us fight back - donate to our legal defense today!</strong></a><br /> <br />