Press Releases
Consumer Watchdog Also Warns Against Insurer-favored 'Cost Solution': Selling Policies That Amount To 'A Cardboard Box to Replace Our Apartment'
Washington, DC -- Blue Cross has opened an opportunity for lawmakers and regulators with its premium hikes of up to 39% in California, said Consumer Watchdog. In the face of questions from the White House and an investigation by California’s insurance commissioner, federal and state lawmakers should act to regulate health insurance premiums and force insurers to defend every increase.Mercury Insurance Initiative – Prop 17 – Will Legalize Unlawful Surcharges Uncovered by State Investigators
Santa Monica, CA -- Newly released internal government reports show that Mercury Insurance Company, the sponsor of Proposition 17 on California's June ballot, has a history of discrimination against members of the U.S. military, the unemployed, the disabled, small businesspeople and unmarried adults living together. Consumer Watchdog pointed out that these and other Californians are now targeted for massive surcharges by Mercury’s ballot measure.
Calls on Sen. Dodd To Re-Affirm Commitment to Independent Consumer Financial Protection Agency
Washington, DC -- Consumer Watchdog called on Senate Banking
Committee Chairman Christopher Dodd to re-affirm his commitment to an
independent consumer financial regulator today after the nation’s
largest bank announced it would not oppose the agency.
Consumer Watchdog Calls on Commissioner Poizner to Protect 230,000 California Homeowners from Safeco's Greed
Santa Monica, CA – Consumer Watchdog has asked the California
Department of Insurance to reject the proposed 6.9%, or $13.3 million,
homeowners insurance rate hike proposed by Safeco Insurance Company.
Safeco, which is owned by California's fifth largest homeowners
insurer Liberty Mutual, already raised its rates by 4.1% last July. If
Safeco's proposed increase is approved, then the homeowners’ insurance
rates charged to its 230,000 California customers will have increased
by an average of 11% in less than a year.
Washington, D.C. -- Consumer Watchdog issued a warning today in a letter to President Obama and Congressional leaders against the health reform fallback proposals of some Congressional moderates, including deregulated national insurance plans and malpractice restrictions, calling them "the wish list of the insurance and medical industries."
Brief Argues Books Settlement Continues Steal From Absent Class Members, Remains Anti-Competitive
WASHINGTON, DC -- Consumer Watchdog today filed a brief urging a
federal court to reject the revised Google Books settlement because it
is remains anticompetitive and violates both U.S. and international
law.
Washington, D.C. -- Consumer Watchdog urged President Obama to watch Sunday’s Dateline NBC documentary on patients who have insurance but not adequate coverage, then pledge in his State of the Union address tomorrow to deal with the lack of legal accountability for insurers and lack of adequate representation for consumers in the federal government.
WASHINGTON, DC -- Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s condemnation of
cyber attacks and censorship is an important endorsement of a free
global Internet, but just as important to ensuring the Internet’s
contribution to democracy and economic growth is a commitment to
consumer privacy, Consumer Watchdog said today.
Washington, DC – A report released today by Consumer Watchdog on the financial industry’s efforts to neuter the financial reform bill in Congress, and the Senate Banking committee in particular, finds the sector gave $41 million to committee members since 2005 and spent $336 million lobbying Congress in the first three quarters of 2009.
