Latest News Releases

Homeowner Surcharge to Bailout Insurers for FAIR Plan Losses Unfair and Illegal, Says Consumer Watchdog

Los Angeles, CA – Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara announced today he would let home insurance companies charge every homeowner in the state for losses by the FAIR Plan in the Los Angeles fires. “The FAIR Plan is in trouble...

Consumer Watchdog Calls on Insurance Commissioner to Reject State Farm’s Unjustified Emergency Rate Hike Request

Los Angeles, CA – Consumer Watchdog has submitted two letters to Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara objecting to State Farm’s request for an emergency interim rate increase, citing a lack of justification and an attempt to bypass California’s strong consumer...

Insurance Industry, U.S. House GOP, Exploit California Wildfire Disaster to Promote Deregulation in Congress

Proven Consumer Protections, Investments in Disaster Resilience, and Eliminating Industry Subsidy of Fossil Fuels Are How to Keep American Homeowners Insured Los Angeles, CA – Consumer Watchdog released data today showing that California’s nation-leading insurance regulation law, voter-enacted Proposition 103,...

New 2024 CA Oil Drilling Permits Drop to 73 As Groups Reveal Oil Regulators Halved Bonding for State’s Now Biggest Onshore Oil Well Operator

Los Angeles, CA—While approvals for new oil well drilling permits in California dwindled to 73 in 2024–from 2,664 in 2019 when Governor Newsom took office, 2024 ended with oil regulators dropping the ball on requiring adequate amounts of...

Trying to Cash in On Wildfire Tragedy, State Farm Demands Immediate $740 Million Bailout

Los Angeles, CA -- State Farm this morning asked Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara to authorize an immediate 22% increase in State Farm’s home insurance rates, amounting to $740 million a year, but has not provided the financial data it...

Lara Reinsurance Regulation To Pump Up Homeowners Rates By 40% Without Guarantees of New Wildfire Coverage, No Opportunity For Public Input

The new draft regulation proposed by Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara would allow insurance companies to drive up home insurance rates by 40% to 50%

Consumer Watchdog Saves California Policyholders $47 Million in United Financial Auto Insurance Rate Hikes

Los Angeles, CA --  Consumer Watchdog reached a settlement with United Financial Casualty Company and the California Department of Insurance last week, resolving the company’s application with the Department for a rate increase of 11.24% to its private passenger automobile...

New Report Details How Companies Use Surveillance to Charge Different Prices for the Same Item

Corporations use surveillance to charge individualized prices based on a person’s data and assumptions on their eagerness to pay for an item.

Secret Algorithms to Raise Home Insurance Rates, No Requirement for New Coverage, Under Lara Regulations Issued Today 

Consumers should expect large rate hikes but not more insurance policies sold under new rules issued by Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara

Insurance Commissioner Seeks to Avoid State Review of Regulation Permitting Insurers to Use Secret Black-Box Models to Set Rates

On December 5, 2024, Consumer Watchdog sent a letter to California’s Office of Administrative Law (“OAL”) objecting to the Department of Insurance’s (“the Department”) use of the Administrative Procedure Act’s “ratemaking” exemption in connection with its “catastrophe modeling”...

Consumer Watchdog Saves Policyholders Over $325 Million from State Farm Auto Rate Hike; Dispute Erupts Between Commissioner Lara and Chief Administrative Law Judge Who...

As a result of Consumer Watchdog’s intervention, State Farm agreed to a lower rate increase of 17.7% compared to its initial 23.4% request

Oil Driller Sues to Invalidate Landmark Law Closing Down Dangerous LA Oil Field

Los Angeles, CA— The operator of the Inglewood Oil Field has sued to invalidate a new law authored by Assemblymember Isaac Bryan, AB 2716, which calls for the closing of the 800 wells in the LA-based oil field...

Groups Petition CalRecyle To Stop Overpaying Haulers For Contaminated Material

Sacramento, CA -- Consumer Watchdog and the Container Recycling Institute have petitioned the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) to take regulatory action to address the significant overpayment to curbside programs for a “commingled rate.”  “The overpayment results...

California Medical Board Proposes Legislation to Recreate Failed Program that Kept Doctor Substance Abuse Secret from Regulators and Public 

Los Angeles, CA – The Medical Board of California will vote on a controversial legislative proposal that would significantly decrease accountability and transparency for doctors in substance abuse treatment at its Quarterly Board meeting in Los Angeles on Friday. This...

Little Hoover Commission Calls for Greater Transparency and Accountability in Home Insurance Market

Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara Refused to Testify or Meet with Commission Sacramento, CA – Consumer Watchdog endorsed many of the recommendations released today by the Little Hoover Commission, including those for greater public oversight of the secret algorithms insurance companies...

State Farm, Allstate and Insurance Lobbyists Ask Lara to Override Judge’s Decision

Chief Judge Says CA Insurance Regulators Flouted Consumer Protections Los Angeles, CA - The Chief Administrative Law Judge of the California Department of Insurance has concluded that the agency is flouting laws designed to protect Californians against insurance overcharges...

Insurance Commissioner Finalizes Plan Allowing Secret Algorithms to Raise Home Insurance Rates; Lies About Making Insurers Sell More Coverage in Return

Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara is not being honest with Californians about making insurance companies using secret algorithms to hike rates.

Consumer Watchdog Litigation Director Jerry Flanagan Moves On, Is Succeeded By Experienced Consumer Protection Attorney Will Pletcher

Los Angeles, CA – Jerry Flanagan, a 22-year veteran of Consumer Watchdog, has stepped aside as Litigation Director to join the firm of Shernoff Bidart Echeverria LLP.  Flanagan will be succeeded by long time consumer protection attorney Will Pletcher...

HIV-Positive Individuals Seek to Certify a Class Action in Discrimination Case Against CVS

Internal Documents Show CVS Adopted an HIV Prescription Drug Mail-Order Program to Increase Revenue Despite Health Risks Los Angeles, CA - CVS was aware of the threat its prescription drug mail-order program posed to individuals living with HIV yet still...

Consumer Watchdog Saves Policyholders More Than $53 million with 21st Century, USAA, and Liberty Insurance Rate Hike Challenges

Los Angeles, CA -- Consumer Watchdog recently reached settlement in three challenges to double-digit rate hikes requested by 21st Century Insurance Company for its auto policies, United Services Automobile Association (“USAA”) for its homeowners, renters and condo policies, and...

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