California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara News

California Commissioner Lowers Workers’ Comp Benchmark

California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara lowered the workers’ compensation insurance benchmark rate by 5 cents to $1.41 per $100 of payroll effective Sept. 1. Lara’s decision results in an average advisory pure premium rate that is below the $1.50 average …

Judge Upholds California Insurance Commissioner’s Order to Expand FAIR Plan Coverage

A Superior Court judge has upheld the California Insurance Commissioner’s authority to order the California FAIR Plan to offer broader coverage options to consumers. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mary Strobel has upheld California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara’s authority to …

Consumer Report Claims Insurers Overcharged California Motorists $5.5B During First Year of Pandemic

Most California insurance companies continued to charge pre-pandemic auto insurance rates despite a vast majority of Californians driving far less last year, according to an analysis by Consumer Watchdog on Tuesday. The report shows auto insurers reaped “a windfall of …

Washington, California Urge Insurers to Adopt Task Force Climate Reporting Guidelines

Washington Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler and California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara are askikng all insurers that are currently required to report to them annually on climate change to start reporting their climate risks in alignment with the Task Force on …

California Commissioner Calls on Insurers to Do More to Boost Wildfire Prep

California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara called for property insurers in the state to step up and do more to help residents and businesses deal with wildfires. Lara on Thursday gave an update on the actions and communities in the state …

Commissioner Makes Appointments to California Workers’ Governing Committee

California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara today announced two reappointments to the California Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau’s Governing Committee. Lara appointed Mitch Steiger and Diana Rich to the WCIRB Governing Committee for another two-year term. The committee sets policy, oversees …

California High Court Affirms Consumer Rights to Dispute Insurance Rates

A California Supreme Court decision has reaffirmed California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara’s assertion that consumers have a right to dispute insurance rates that have not been properly filed and approved. The court’s decision involved title insurance, but has implications for …

Groups Pushing Auto Insurance Reform to ‘End Discrimination Against Lower-Wage Californians’

Millions of California drivers will see auto insurance savings with the adoption of regulations presented at a California Department of Insurance workshop on Tuesday that would “end discrimination against lower-wage Californians,” according to the Consumer Federation of America and the …

State Farm Returning $400M to California Auto Customers

State Farm is returning $400 million to California mutual auto insurance customers due to better than anticipated claim results, the company announced this week. The announcement comes as the California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara on Thursday said insurers in California …

California Commissioner Says Insurers Overcharged Drivers During Pandemic

Insurers in California continued to overcharge drivers despite reduced risk of accidents during the pandemic, according to a report released today by Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara. Lara ordered auto insurance companies to return a percentage of paid premiums in April, …