Consumer Group Hammers Mercury Rate Increase Filing in California

By | December 22, 2011

  • December 22, 2011 at 1:30 pm
    Steve Brooks says:
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    Consumer Watchdog is a group that is so obvious will go after Mr. Joseph and Mercury no matter what they do! Mercury has so many loyal insured that save money. Why doesnt CW go after State Farm and Farmers for charging their clients 5-25% higher rates than Mercury? If Mercury is so bad, why is their renewal rate over 90%?

  • December 22, 2011 at 1:32 pm
    Reality Check says:
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    Once again, Californians are proving that they can’t accept personal respnsibility…or…consumer advocates just don’t think it is fair for companies to offer discounts to consumers for taking responsibility seriously. Everyone should get a trophy to further the cause of wussification.

  • December 23, 2011 at 11:37 am
    Steve says:
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    Wouldn’t it be a hoot if CW had to pay for any time and costs associated with Mercury disproving their claims? Accusers being forced to put their own skin in the game – I like it!

  • December 23, 2011 at 1:12 pm
    Joe Jimenez says:
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    Let’s be clear on this; As with Prop 103, Consumer Watchdog (CW)stands to make lots $$$ of money in “intervener fees” with their new initiative. CW also makes a regular practice of targeting corporations for political contributions and compensation. But it does not not willingly share its own compensation information, other than on its IRS filings; nor is its donor list available.

    The Consumer Watchdog IRS Form 990, currently on file with the California Attorney General, shows that Harvey Rosenfeld was paid more than $641,111 in compensation in 2009 — the last year a report was filed. The report lists an additional $100,000 in salary from the Consumer Education Foundation, a sister group Rosenfeld set up. Its purpose seems to be working as an intervenor, and making grants to Rosenfeld’s other organization, Consumer Watchdog.

    And locating the names of the donors to Consumer Watchdog has been impossible. Doing a Google search of “donors to Consumer Watchdog” only brings up stories about how Consumer Watchdog blasts political campaign donors.

    While Consumer Watchdog has made a business out of skewering big business and many politicians over financial information, Consumer Watchdog keeps the names of its donors private. And we haven’t been able to locate any membership list or donor list for Consumer Watchdog.

    The nonprofit spends a great deal of money on attorneys and lobbying, and the top watchdog officials are paid very nice salaries hawking “consumer protection.”

    A news story in the legal periodical, Los Angeles Daily Journal, reported that at a recent hearing, Judge William F. Highberger vehemently criticized Consumer Watchdog, and blocked an attempt by the group to intervene in a case. Highberger accused the group of “engaging in ‘an opportunistic piece of objecting’ designed either as a ‘public relations exercise’ or as an attempt to get paid by delaying the settlement’.”

    The Department of Insurance website reports how much compensation these “interveners” have made in since 2003, with Consumer Watchdog (CW) receiving more than $7 million in “intervenor compensation”.

    So yes, “consumer protection” is indeed a lucrative business.

  • December 26, 2011 at 2:34 am
    Sam says:
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    Guess who is going to take away business from Mercury when the customers complain about their premiums go up? (me)

    • December 26, 2011 at 7:59 pm
      Steve Brooks says:
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      Sam – who do you sell for?



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