Consumer Watchdog News

Suit Claims Blue Cross Of California Discriminates In HIV Cases

Blue Cross of California is being sued over a new program that bars AIDS patients from using local pharmacies to get their medications. The group Consumer Watchdog sued the insurer last week in San Diego on behalf of a patient, …

Californians Lump Props. 32 and 33; a Referendum on the ‘B’ Word

The “B” word may have been the most lethal weapon against an automobile insurance portable persistency initiative put to Californians, the second such initiative in the last two years to be defeated. California’s Proposition 33, the 2012 Automobile Insurance Discount Act, …

Former Southern California Auto Club Agent Sues Insurer for ‘Illegal Practice’

A former insurance agent has filed a class action lawsuit in Southern California against Auto Club over what she alleges is an “illegal commission scheme” that penalizes agents who sell policies to people who previously did not have insurance. It …

Prop. 33 Proponents: Ballot Writers Don’t Understand Insurance Industry

As proponents of California Proposition 33 await a hearing on a lawsuit they filed to change some wording in voter guide statements for the upcoming November election, they’re hoping to avoid the damage that could be done by language they …

Consumer Watchdog Failure Could Help Auto Discount Initiative

Santa Monica, Calif.-based Consumer Watchdog’s proposed ballot measure to require health insurance companies to get approval before raising their rates narrowly missed qualifying for November’s ballot by Thursday’s deadline – Consumer Watchdog got 109 percent of the signatures necessary to …

California Legislator Calls for Hearing on Intervenor Fees

State Sen. Juan Vargas, D-San Diego, has become the latest person to question intervenor fees, calling on the California Department of Insurance to review a state program that allows consumer groups to intervene in insurance rate cases. According to Vargas, …

Calif. Commissioner Jones Gets ‘D’ From Insurance Industry

The insurance industry has mixed feelings about California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones, assessing him as average or below average in a handful of categories. In a poll conducted by Insurance Journal, industry respondents gave Jones an overall grade of “D,” …

Auto Insurance Discount Initiative May be Gaining Bipartisan Endorsement

The backers of an automobile insurance persistency initiative are making steps to gain bi-partisan support for their proposition, which is slated for California’s Nov. 6 ballot and a possible showdown with what would be a competing initiative. Just days after …

Creator of Consumer Watchdog Attack Site Says More Attacks to Come

The owner of a website that launched an attack last week against a consumer group that often does battle with the insurance industry is now calling the attacks and information he put on the site “just the tip of the …

Website Attacks Consumer Watchdog

A website attacking a consumer group that often does battle with the insurance industry was launched on Friday, setting off more sparks in a roiling battle between proponents of two competing measures that Californians may see go head-to-head on the …