Tag: consumer protection

Allstate’s $4 Billion Acquisition Comes with a Cybersecurity Crisis

Angela Linders
Allstate Cybersecurity Crisis

New York Sues Allstate over Data Breach Failures A new lawsuit filed by New York Attorney General Letitia James has sparked renewed attention on the importance of cybersecurity, particularly in industries holding sensitive personal information. The case targets National General, a subsidiary of Allstate, accusing the company of failing to report a data breach and neglecting to implement reasonable safeguards to protect customer data. Here’s what we know so far and what it means for you. The Breach That Sparked the Lawsuit According to a recently published article on Reuters,…

Read More

Insurance News – NYDFS Cracks Down on Insurers with $20.4M in Fines for Reporting Failures

Nordstrom
NYDFS Cracks Down on Insurers

NYDFS Cracks Down on Insurers with $20.4M in Fines for Reporting Failures The New York State Department of Financial Services (NYDFS) has taken significant action against car insurance providers, resulting in $20.4 million in fines due to widespread compliance failures. After a lengthy investigation, regulators called out several major insurers for not submitting vehicle coverage reports to the DMV within the required timeframes, a critical process for maintaining consumer protection and state records. This enforcement sends a clear signal to the industry about the importance of following regulations and highlights…

Read More

State Farm Wants Higher Premiums, Consumer Watchdog Says ‘Prove It!

Logan B.
State Farm rate increase request

Consumer Watchdog Challenges State Farm’s Emergency Rate Hike Request Consumer advocacy group Consumer Watchdog has raised objections to an emergency interim rate increase requested by State Farm, arguing the insurance giant has not provided sufficient justification for its demands. Calling attention to strong consumer protection laws in California, the organization filed two letters with Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara to challenge the proposed rate hikes. These increases, Consumer Watchdog asserts, could unfairly burden individuals already coping with the rising costs of recovery from natural disasters. What State Farm Is Requesting State…

Read More

How a Single Bill Could Reshape Insurance Regulation in America

G. Turner
Insurance Regulation

Congressman Troy Downing Introduces Legislation to Abolish the Federal Insurance Office Congressman Troy Downing, representing Montana’s 2nd district, has introduced a new bill, H.R. 643, in the U.S. House of Representatives aimed at abolishing the Federal Insurance Office (FIO). The proposed legislation seeks to return full regulatory authority over the insurance industry to state governments, eliminating what supporters consider an unnecessary and duplicative federal entity. “The law is clear. Regulation of the insurance industry rests with the states, not big government,” Downing stated in a press release. This reflects his…

Read More

Texas Files Lawsuit Against Allstate Over Alleged Illegal Data Collection Practices

G. Turner
Allstate data collection

Allegations of Unauthorized Tracking The state of Texas has launched a lawsuit targeting Allstate, one of the nation’s major insurers, accusing the company of illegally collecting and utilizing driver data without consent. This lawsuit, filed by Attorney General Ken Paxton, asserts that Allstate created an extensive “driving behavior database” using data obtained from over 45 million Americans. This database, reportedly developed by Allstate’s data analytics subsidiary, Arity, allegedly relied on tracking technology embedded into mobile applications without users’ knowledge. The complaint further claims that Allstate profited by leveraging this data…

Read More

California Health Insurance Law SB 1120 Takes a Stand Against AI-Driven Health Insurance Denials

Angela Linders
California Health Insurance Law

California Enacts SB 1120 to Rein in AI-Powered Health Insurance Decisions California has taken a groundbreaking step in regulating the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in health insurance decision-making. Senate Bill 1120 (SB 1120), also known as the “Physicians Make Decisions Act,” prohibits health insurers from denying, delaying, or altering claims solely based on AI algorithms. Signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom, this legislation ensures human oversight in healthcare coverage decisions, addressing mounting public concerns about fairness and accuracy in the use of AI technologies. Effective as of January…

Read More

Massachusetts Court Orders UnitedHealthcare Affiliates to Refund Millions to Victims

Logan B.
Massachusetts Court orders Unitedhealthcare refund

UnitedHealthcare-Affiliated Insurers Ordered to Pay $165 Million for Misleading Consumers Historic Ruling Against Deceptive Sales Practices A Massachusetts Superior Court has ordered HealthMarkets Inc. and its subsidiaries, The Chesapeake Life Insurance Company and HealthMarkets Insurance Agency, to pay $165 million for engaging in what the court described as “egregious” and widespread deceptive practices. These companies, owned by UnitedHealth Group, have been found guilty of misleading thousands of Massachusetts consumers into purchasing supplemental health insurance policies they did not need or fully understand they were buying. This judgment—comprising $50 million in…

Read More