Consumer Watchdog

By Bob Egelko, SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/unmarried-higher-car-insurance-22348775.php Auto insurance companies in California can continue to charge higher rates for unmarried drivers than for married motorists because evidence shows they’re more likely to get into accidents and file claims, a state appeals court ruled Thursday.

Divided court allows insurers to charge widows, divorcees, single parents and other unmarried Californians more for auto insurance Los Angeles, CA — A divided California Court of Appeal today upheld Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara’s decision to allow insurance companies to charge Californians more for auto insurance simply because they are unmarried.

Sacramento, CA —  Oil refiners profits data just released (opens in new tab) by the California Energy Commission (CEC) shows that California oil refiners made banner profits in May, $1.29 per gallon. The profit margin compares to 44 cents per gallon profits margin reported by refiners in January.

By Leslie Kaufman and Michelle Ma, BLOOMBERG https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-07-16/california-rivals-have-starkly-different-plans-to-remake-home-insurance?accessToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJzb3VyY2UiOiJTdWJzY3JpYmVyR2lmdGVkQXJ0aWNsZSIsImlhdCI6MTc4NDIyNTY0NywiZXhwIjoxNzg0ODMwNDQ3LCJhcnRpY2xlSWQiOiJUSTlRU0tLSUpIOFkwMCIsImJjb25uZWN0SWQiOiJGRjMyOTZDMzVFNEI0QTRBQjFFRTVDQzEzQ0YzMUNDQiJ9.6aM5RbuawQUUIVuKcrYQ0B3If5A2256oo8U3OrfKeg4&leadSource=article-gifting As high...

Expose. Confront. Change. Consumer Watchdog Home About Us Our Approach Our Team Our Books Contact Updates News Releases Consumer Alerts Video In The News Reports Our Issues Healthcare Energy Privacy Insurance Accountability In The Courtroom Get Involved Energy In The News Video PUBLISHED ON July 14, 2026  |  BY JAMIE COURT ·  1 MIN READ

As insurers flee wildfire risk, the leading candidate for insurance commissioner campaigns on “Natural Disaster Insurance for All,” but even fellow progressives are skeptical.

By  ALEX NIEVES, POLITICO https://www.politico.com/newsletters/california-currents/2026/07/10/this-meteorolo gist-is-expecting-an-el-nino-whiplash-00993783?template_id=OT5J0E7B7DD7&is_login_link=true California’s devastating wildfires are inflaming insurance politics — including the longstanding fight between Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, and advocacy group, Consumer Watchdog.

By Khari Johnson, CALMATTERS https://calmatters.org/economy/technology/2026/07/kaiser-nurses-workplace-surveillance-ai Kaiser Permanente nurses who answer advice and triage calls say their duty of care for patients is being increasingly threatened by workplace surveillance. Seven current and former nurses told CalMatters that those who spend more than 15 minutes on a call with a patient routinely face criticism from Kaiser management or get called into performance evaluation meetings.

Expose. Confront. Change. Consumer Watchdog Home About Us Our Approach Our Team Our Books Contact Updates News Releases Consumer Alerts Video In The News Reports Our Issues Healthcare Energy Privacy Insurance Accountability In The Courtroom Get Involved In The News Insurance Privacy Video Video PUBLISHED ON July 9, 2026  |  BY CARMEN BALBER ·  1 MIN READ

Consumer Watchdog is a nationally recognized public interest group that has been fighting corrupt corporations and politicians since 1985.