Consumer Watchdog
Coverage of Consumer Watchdog in the Nexus archive.
- LA fire survivors say Newsom is trying to help utilities reduce their wildfire costs again
LA fire survivors and the insurance industry criticize Governor Gavin Newsom for allegedly supporting last-minute legislative efforts to shift wildfire costs from utilities to policyholders. Proposed measures include limiting victim compensation, blocking insurance companies from recovering costs, and capping attorneys' fees, which critics claim favor utility companies through opaque 'gut-and-amend' tactics.
- Judge poised to reject challenge to insurer bid to recoup wildfire losses
A California judge indicated she would likely reject a petition by Consumer Watchdog challenging California's directive allowing insurers to recoup wildfire losses via customer fees. The directive, led by Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, requires property and casualty insurance holders to pay assessments to cover costs from the January 2025 wildfires, which the nonprofit argues are illegal under the insurance code.
- Uber passed an insurance law in California. It did not disclose key info, a lawmaker says
Uber's California insurance law reduced its liability for uninsured motorists from $1 million to $60,000 per person. A consumer advocacy group and a lawmaker allege Uber failed to disclose it largely self-insures through its subsidiary, Aleka Insurance, while amassing $12.46 billion in tax-free reserves.