$312,000 a day or $114 million this year. That's how much Consumer Watchdog challenges to excessive auto and homeowners insurance rates saved California families in 2014.
Since 2003, our legal team's insurance rate challenges have put more than $3 billion in savings back in policyholders' pockets.
Our fights prevent toxic pollution in our communities, protect your privacy from data thieves online and make health insurance companies provide the benefits they promise throughout the year.
This year, we outed the Department of Toxic Substances Control for not billing or collecting $194 million from polluters for oversight of toxic cleanups, a failure later confirmed by a State audit.
Three years ago Consumer Watchdog challenged the US Environmental Protection Agency to audit Hyundai over the "40 Miles Per Gallon" MPG claims on the window sticker of its Elantra. Last month the automakers received a $300 million penalty for violations of the Clean Air Act.
On the privacy front, just last week the European Parliament answered Consumer Watchdog's call and voted that Google should be broken up on antitrust grounds. The movement to dismantle Google's information-opoly is gaining steam.
And we filed twin lawsuits against Blue Shield and Blue Cross, for dramatically misrepresenting the number of doctors available to consumers under new health plans.
We fight the biggest industries with the deepest pocketbooks, but we couldn't do it without the support of people like you. If you can give back on this national day of giving, please add Consumer Watchdog to your list.
Thank you for your generous support this #Giving Tuesday and throughout the year.
Carmen Balber
Executive Director
