The Foundation For Taxpayer & Consumer Rights (FTCR)

The Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights

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You buy insurance with the hope that you'll never use it. But when you do need it, insurance companies often delay and fight to pay you less than you are owed. Then they charge you more for using the product that you've bought from them. And whether you're a motorist, a homeowner or a doctor you have to buy it.

Insurance is not like any other product and it needs special attention. FTCR specializes in protecting consumers from insurance company rip-offs.

Recently, FTCR has focused attention on the unfair practice of basing auto insurance premiums on ZIP Code rather than driving safety record. Read more about California's protections for good drivers.

FTCR & Prop. 103 Savings:
See how much money FTCR and Prop. 103 have saved people in recent years >>

Stop Insurance Industry Rip-Offs:
The Proposition 103 Resource Page
California's 1988 citizen intiative, Proposition 103, ordered insurance companies to roll back rates and imposed stringent regulation of the insurance industry. It has saved Californians tens of billions of dollars and is a model for the nation.(more)

The Phony Insurance Crisis
Insurance companies are raising automobile, homeowner and business liability premiums by 20% to 100% or more. The insurance companies blame mold, terrorism, fires, drought, too many lawsuits, etc. They say they are losing money from paying claims.

The insurance industry is trying to deceive you. There has been no sudden increase in claims. The insurance companies are cooking their books to create a "crisis" as a smokescreen to cover for their own mismanagement, even for losses in the stock market including investments in Enron, WorldCom and other scandal plagued companies. (more)

Were you overcharged by Safeco for auto insurance?

FTCR has sued Safeco Insurance Company for illegally overcharging many California motorists on their auto insurance. People who were overcharged include those who were previously uninsured when they applied for auto insurance from Safeco, or who had a lapse in auto insurance coverage. The overcharges continued through 2004, and could amount to hundreds of dollars each year. Safeco did not disclose these overcharges to consumers.

Learn more and take action here >>

Types of Insurance

Auto Insurance: This page provides you with more information about auto insurance, and legislation that FTCR has sponsored to address the problems of uninsured motorists. This page also links to an extensive analysis of insurance industry sponsored no-fault insurance proposals.

You can also learn about the effort to end ZIP Code-based auto insurance premiums and take action on this issue.

Homeowners Insurance: Read about the issues affecting homeowners - rate hikes, "use it and lose it" and credit scoring. Also get information about earthquake insurance and how to make a Disaster Checklist

Medical Malpractice:Link to our section on the causes of high medical malpractice rates and what can be done.

Health Care:Link to the Health Care section of consumerwatchdog.org.