Tag: consumer advocacy groups

State Farm Proposes 39% Rate Hike for California Umbrella Policies, Sparking Debate

G. Turner
State Farm's Proposed Rate Hike

State Farm General Insurance Company has proposed a 39% rate increase for its California Personal Liability Umbrella Program, a move that could impact over 430,000 policyholders statewide. If approved by the California Department of Insurance (CDI), the hike would take effect in August 2025, marking the second major increase in just six months. This development has raised concerns among consumers and advocacy groups, as California’s insurance market continues to deal with rising costs and regulatory challenges. Understanding State Farm’s Rate Hike Proposal The proposed rate hike is part of State…

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North Carolina lawmakers to assess whether state’s auto insurance rate system needs to be improved

S.Vagus

North Carolina legislators have begun examining the state’s rate-setting system and its effects on the auto insurance industry. Lawmakers have been assessing whether changes need to be made to the system since early 2011, when proposals for fixes to the system made their way to the state’s General Assembly. Some legislators claim that changes to the state’s auto insurance system need to be changed to be more consumer friendly, while others say that the current system is not effective in handling the risk of those with poor driving skills or…

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Chicago state employees may see their health insurance contracts extended as legislators battle over authority

Public employees and retirees in Chicago may have their temporary health insurance plans extended a full year, pending the results of a legislative panel. Lawmakers will convene on August 16 to determine whether insurance coverage for state employees should be extended. The plans were initially issued by the state government to provide state employees with health care while legislative disputes raged on, threatening to leave them without any coverage. As the political disputes erupted, public employers were told that their insurance plans would continue for another 90 days while lawmakers…

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Health insurance exchanges may be tilted in favor of insurance companies, thanks to new rules provided by the HHS

On Monday, Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, unveiled a sleuth of federal rules that are to be used in governing health insurance exchanges. The rules, which will be in effect regardless of whether states choose to set up and exchanges themselves or pass that burden to the federal government, have a particular leaning in favor of insurers. This has drawn sharp criticism from legislators and the public, as the exchange programs have always been lauded as being consumer friendly. Now, there are concerns that…

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