Blue Shield of California has had a tumultuous year when it comes to insurance rates. Earlier this year, the insurer sought steep rate hikes that drew the ire of the state’s Insurance Commissioner, Dave Jones, as well as criticisms from the public. After a lengthy battle in which the company refused to compromise on their proposed rate increases, Blue Shield finally submitted, abandoning their proposal altogether. Two weeks ago, the company came under fire again after the Department of Insurance revealed documents detailing how the insurer payed it’s top 10…
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California health insurance marketplace just got a little tougher for industry
In California’s ongoing battle over health insurance rates, legislators may have won some ground toward their goals of more affordable coverage. The state’s Assembly approved a bill late last week that would institute much stricter regulations regarding rate changes. The bill requires California insurers to seek approval from regulators regarding rate changes before they can collect premiums from new rates. The majority of the state’s insurance industry opposed the bill, but was unable to sway the minds of lawmakers. The bill expands the powers of the California’s Insurance Commissioner, Dave…
Read MoreCalifornia insurer announces rate reduction
In a time when most insurance companies are raising rates on their property coverage, USAA is lowering theirs. Policyholders in California will see their rates drop an average of 15%. The rate change has been approved by the California Department of Insurance and is being lauded as a move to ease the financial burden of individuals and families struggling with a troublesome economy. Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones was particularly elated at the news as he has spent the better part of this year battling the state’s insurers regarding proposed rate…
Read MoreCalifornia life insurer’s under investigation
Ten of California’s largest life insurance companies have come under investigation by state regulators for their handling of dormant policies. The ten are the latest in a sleuth of insurance companies nationwide that have been accused of withholding benefits from a policyholder’s family upon their death. Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones, along with State Controller John Chiang, will be leading the investigation. “The goal is to determine whether the insurance industry has engaged in unfair practices,” says Jones. The state’s probes uncovered some troubling information throughout the state, much of which…
Read MoreCalifornia insurance bill addresses health premium rate hikes
Lawmakers in California are pushing a new bill that would grant the state’s insurance regulators the authority to either reject or approve rate increases imposed on health insurance policies. The issue of rate hikes is not a new one in California. Several months ago, some of the state’s biggest insurers proposed rate increases by as much as 40%. The debate raged until the insurers withdrew their proposals, but the turbulence left many legislators wondering where the decision making power for these issues should lie. The bill caused division within the…
Read MoreDelinquent life insurance pay outs being investigated
As insurance companies from around the nation begin to crack down on fraud, some are finding themselves accused of the very thing they are trying to expunge. Such is the case with Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. The insurer is accused by the state of California of not paying life insurance benefits after finding out that the policyholder had passed away. The state is getting ready to investigate the practices of the company in an effort to determine whether these allegations are true or false. Earlier this week, Insurance Commissioner Dave…
Read MoreCalifornia Car Insurance: Sequoia offering new “Pay As You Go” insurance plan
Following the latest insurance trend sweeping the nation, Sequoia Insurance Co., one of the largest insurers in California, will begin offering a pay-as-you-drive auto insurance policy. Sequoia joins State Farm and Progressive in offering this particular policy, increasing the options available to California drivers. Progressive was the first to incorporate this concept into their coverage options after finding that fewer people were taking to the road in light of rising gas prices and other costs. Drivers interested in the coverage must first have a small device installed in their vehicles.…
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