By: Christine Hines (NACA) and Erin Witte (Consumer Federation of America) For the first time in over a decade, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has proposed a rule directly addressing unfair and deceptive financing practices by auto dealers. The proposal contains a host of prohibited misrepresentations, required disclosures, and specific…

Over the last few years, policymakers and advocates have become increasingly aware of the role that housing discrimination plays in systemic racism and unfair discrimination, denying people stable homes and economic opportunity. But one area of housing discrimination has remained extremely understudied: homeowners insurance. …

By: Michael DeLong, Research and Advocacy Associate Yesterday consumer advocates held a press conference on the steps of the New Jersey statehouse to draw attention to a major problem: auto insurers’ use of unfair factors to discriminate against drivers and charge them higher premiums. …

By: Michael DeLong, Research and Advocacy Associate Over the past several decades, income inequality has greatly increased as consumers struggle and corporate executives make massive profits. During the COVID-19 pandemic this trend continued and one industry saw especially large gains-auto insurance companies. …

By: Michael DeLong, Research and Advocacy Associate At this point, anyone who watches TV or streams shows is almost certainly familiar with insurance giant GEICO’s gregarious gecko. The affable mascot promises affordable insurance in a matter of minutes. But what the rogue reptile doesn’t tell you is that the company has a nasty habit of charging female…

By: Michael DeLong, Research and Advocacy Associate — Telematics programs, where auto insurance companies rely on in-car tracking devices to gather information about your driving habits and use that information to calculate premiums, hold promise but also dangers for consumers. Therefore, regulators need to implement safeguards and exercise adequate oversight to ensure that consumers aren’t exploited. …

By: Michael DeLong, Research and Advocacy Associate and Eric Holl, Real Reform Louisiana — It’s no secret that auto insurance is expensive in Louisiana, to the point that it is very expensive for many families. The average auto insurance premium is $2,225 per year — 56% more than the national average. And so far, auto insurance premiums have climbed 2% this year. Since Louisiana…

Since the 1990s, major auto insurers have established telematics programs, which use consumer-generated driving data to calculate auto insurance premiums. These companies use information gathered from plug-in devices and mobile apps to track a variety of information. While these programs show some promise for promoting safe driving and more accurately…

Consumer Federation of America has joined a broad coalition of consumer, privacy, civil rights, and anti-monopoly groups in a campaign to ban “surveillance advertising.” This is the practice of tracking and profiling individuals and groups, and then targeting them for ads based on their behavior, relationships, and other personal information…