California Department of Insurance News

Groups: California Auto Repair Regs Will Increase Auto Insurance Rates

As the California Department of Insurance stages hearings on proposed regulations designed to give more money to auto body repair shops, a handful of property/casualty insurance trade associations are voicing their opposition to the proposals. The groups are: The American …

California Consumer Group Wants State Farm Homeowners Rate Reduction

State Farm has overcharged its customers roughly $78 million since at least July 2015, and should be required to refund that money, Consumer Watchdog told the California Department of Insurance last week. The group wants State Farm to cut its …

Organized Crime Ring in California Busted for Auto Collision Fraud

Juan Ortiz Velazquez, 27, of San Jose, Calif. and owner of Carlos Auto Body, was arrested with seven other suspects and charged with multiple counts of felony insurance fraud on Wednesday for allegedly filing 20 fraudulent claims to four insurance …

California Adjuster, Family and Friends Embezzled $250k from Insurer, CDI Says

Elizabeth Louise Brown, 48, of Canyon Country, a former claims adjuster with Explorer Insurance, was arrested this week and charged with multiple felonies, including insurance fraud and conspiracy for allegedly embezzling more than $276,000 from her employer. Another eight people …

Former California Agent Admits To Embezzling From Clients

Julie Diane Shinar, 44, of Long Beach, Calif., was convicted of theft by embezzlement in Long Beach Superior Court. Shinar was ordered to serve three years of formal probation and pay $29,158 in restitution to her victims. Shinar reportedly received …

California Insurance Agent Faces Felony Charges for Pocketing Auto Premiums

Anthony John Diaz, 35, was arraigned today in the Fresno County Superior Court in California to answer charges that he allegedly stole insurance premiums from policyholders. Diaz was arrested earlier this month by California Department of Insurance detectives and booked …

Southland Woman Charged in Bogus Insurance Policy Commission Scam

Teresa Marie Davis, 52, of Pomona Calif., was arrested at her home by California Department of Insurance investigators and booked on multiple counts of identity theft and grand theft in an alleged bogus life insurance scam that netted her over …

California Commissioner, Allstate Agree to Homeowner Rate Reduction

California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones has reached an agreement with Allstate Insurance Co. and Allstate Indemnity Insurance to reduce the carrier’s homeowner insurance rates statewide by an average of 12.6 percent. The average annual decrease is roughly $230. The rate …

California Department of Insurance Investigating Zenefits

Zenefits has been under investigation by the California Department of Insurance since last year, the state agency disclosed, saying the resignation of co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Parker Conrad earlier this week doesn’t resolve compliance issues at the human-resources software …

California Commissioner Explains Call for Insurer Divestment from Coal

One can say California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones has a beef with coal. Jones made a bold move on Jan. 25 when he asked all insurance companies doing business in California to voluntarily divest from their investments in thermal coal …