Consumer advocates are urging Gov. Gavin Newsom to sign a bill now on his desk that would raise the amount auto insurance companies must cover in the event of a crash.
The “Protect California Drivers Act” would raise the mandatory minimum amount of liability insurance to $30,000 for a single injury or death, $60,000 if more than one person is injured or killed, and $15,000 to cover property damage.
Craig Peters, president of Consumer Attorneys of California, said the bill would double the current rates, which only require coverage of $15,000, $30,000 and $5,000 respectively.
“Fifteen-thousand today will barely cover the cost of an ambulance ride to the hospital,” he said, “and $5,000 will barely fix a minor dent in a car.”
He noted that when the current rates were set, back in 1967, they were intended to cover the cost of a two-week hospital stay or the replacement of the vehicle. Since every California driver is required to have insurance that meets state standards, the law would protect victims of car crashes from incurring massive debt.
The bill’s few opponents, including some insurers, said it’s the wrong time to be raising the cost of coverage. However, Peters said the bill was the result of negotiations between consumer groups and insurance industry representatives, and called the changes long overdue.
“California has lagged behind every other state in the union,” he said. “This will actually put us back into the middle of the pack.”
Senate Bill 1107 already has passed both houses of the California Legislature. If it becomes law, the new limits would take effect in 2025. They’d also increase ten years later – to $50,000 or $100,000 for injuries or deaths, and $25,000 for property damage.
get more stories like this via email
August is National Make-a-Will Month, and experts have some tips on saving you and your heirs time and money.
According to Caring.com, only one-third of Americans have a will or living trust.
Renee Conrad, an estate planning and probate attorney in Palo Alto, said a will helps your heirs avoid expensive litigation.
“A court is not the best setting for deciding who should handle your assets,” Conrad asserted. “The court doesn’t know your family and friends. And it’s better not to leave that up to the judge, but for you to actually advocate for yourself by saying who you want to manage your assets in the will.”
Conrad noted the probate process can be expensive and can take up to a year, during which time the assets are frozen. She cautioned people to spell out your assets and name a beneficiary and a backup, especially for retirement accounts, in case you outlive the first beneficiary. She added a trust allows you to name a trustee to act on your behalf if you become incapacitated, and it avoids probate.
Sam Young, senior director of legacy and planned giving for Compassion & Choices, said people need to have the conversation about mortality, even if it’s uncomfortable, even if you do not have a lot of assets.
“People don’t think they need a will because they only think it’s for the wealthy,” Young explained. “It’s absolutely not true. There are a lot of situations where you may want to leave specific assets to specific people.”
The website FreeWill.com will help you list your assets and final wishes, with a survey which takes about 20 minutes to complete. The document can then be printed, signed and notarized.
Disclosure: Compassion & Choices contributes to our fund for reporting on Civic Engagement, Health Issues, Senior Issues, and Social Justice. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.
get more stories like this via email
Sweeping legislation approved by Congress is designed to address a range of issues, including climate change and deficit reductions. Other components tackle skyrocketing medication costs, and Wisconsin advocates say older residents will see benefits.
The Inflation Reduction Act, which cleared its final Congressional hurdle last week, allows Medicare to negotiate for prescription drug prices, while capping out-of-pocket costs for beneficiaries at two-thousand dollars each year.
Lisa Lamkins, advocacy director for AARP Wisconsin, said it will bring relief to individuals around the state.
“We hear everyday stories from our members about the measures that they are taking to try to stay alive when they cannot afford the cost of their drugs,” said Lamkins, “folks who skipped doses or cut their pills in half.”
She said it’s important to know this can help with drugs seniors take on a long-term basis to address chronic health conditions.
The provisions saw heavy resistance from the pharmaceutical industry groups, who argue it will result in unintended consequences, such as a decline in drug innovation.
But Lamkins contended the industry is focused on maintaining the status-quo, while noting the concerns about innovation are overblown.
“The Congressional Budget Office, and they’re the sort of nonpartisan scorekeeper of legislation,” said Lamkins, “has estimated that only two fewer drugs out of an estimated 400 drugs that would come out over the market in the next 10 years. There would only be two less drugs.”
Some elements will take effect next year, including caps on insulin co-pays for Medicare recipients, as well as no-cost vaccines for certain diseases. Other provisions will be phased in or need to be sorted out in the next few years.
Either way, Lamkins said she feels like advocates have taken a major step.
“For the first time we are actually on the cusp of delivering real relief to people,” said Lamkins.
Disclosure: AARP Wisconsin contributes to our fund for reporting on Budget Policy & Priorities, Consumer Issues, Health Issues, Senior Issues. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.
get more stories like this via email
Last year, Americans reported losing a record-breaking $5.8 billion to scams, and now, the State of California and AARP are teaming up to try to bring the number down.
A four-part web series on consumer fraud protection debuts today at noon and runs every Wednesday through the end of the month.
Sally Westlake, targeted outreach specialist for the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation, pointed out so-called romance scams affect thousands of people.
“The most recent report by the FBI said last year, over 3,000 Californians fell victim to online romance scams, losing a total of nearly $184 million,” Westlake reported. “The most vulnerable to fall victim to romance scams are people over the age of 60.”
The first Scam Chat webinar will cover the most prevalent types of fraud in California right now. The other three in the series will cover home improvement and solar schemes, investment fraud, and financial empowerment.
Jackie Wiley, also a targeted outreach specialist for the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation, said people should be suspicious when a person calls or emails, claiming to work with a financial institution, or a law enforcement or government agency.
“It could be a utility company, telling you that your bill is delinquent. It could be ‘the IRS.’ It could be someone saying you missed jury duty,” Wiley outlined.
Wiley added it is always a big red flag if a caller or email asks for payment via cryptocurrency or gift card. You can report scams to the Federal Trade Commission or to the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation call center.
Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.
Disclosure: AARP California contributes to our fund for reporting on Health Issues, Senior Issues. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.
get more stories like this via email
