Life Insurance Consumer Advocacy Center

A flexible premium life insurance policy, like most universal life policies, can offer significant benefits to consumers. However, it can also lead to false expectations among those who do not understand what a flexible premium means.  Many consumers, unaware of how flexible premiums work, are surprised when, after paying premiums faithfully for many years, they…

Policy sustainability and transparency are necessary for consumer wellbeing. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE PLEASANT HILL, CA –The Life Insurance Consumer Advocacy Center (LICAC) is calling on life insurance companies and agents to improve communication and transparency practices regarding flexible premium policies. Current practices are damaging, taking advantage of consumers by giving them a false sense of security…

Do California’s lapse statutes apply to policies originally issued in another state but later renewed in California? We won’t find out anytime soon. This important question was raised by Susan Pitt v. Metropolitan Tower Life Insurance Co., Case No. S289376. The California Supreme Court was set to decide the issue, having accepted a request to…

Is a life insurance policy an asset? Can it be sold? More than 100 years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court confirmed that life insurance is property. This ruling had lasting effects on how insurance policies are held, traded, or sold. As a result, policyholders have the right to sell their policies to third parties, often…

California Supreme Court to Decide Whether California’s Lapse Statutes Apply to Policies Originally Issued in Another State but Later Renewed in California   On April 16, 2025, the California Supreme Court granted a request from the federal 9th Circuit Court of Appeals for the California Supreme Court to decide an important issue of California law…

The Life Insurance Consumer Advocacy Center (LICAC) has filed a lawsuit against the California Department of Insurance (CDI) for violations of the California Public Records Act (CPRA). Despite multiple requests for available data, including LICAC’s having to demonstrate that the data exists. CDI has refused. The lawsuit, which was filed on March 13, 2025, states…

The Life Insurance Consumer Advocacy Center has repeatedly been denied available data FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE PLEASANT HILL, CA –The California Department of Insurance (CDI) has repeatedly denied lawful and proper Public Records Act requests by the Life Insurance Consumer Advocacy Center (LICAC) for statistics in CDI’s possession on complaints by California consumers concerning life insurance and…

The California Department of Insurance (CDI) has repeatedly denied LICAC’s lawful and proper Public Records Act requests for statistics in CDI’s possession on complaints by California consumers concerning life insurance and annuities. The requested information concerns the number and types of such complaints as well as reports and data that were used in the preparation…

SB 263 Harms Consumers and Undermines Vital Regulations   CONTACT Brian Brosnahan:  brian@lifeinsuranceconsumeradvocacycenter.org Robert Herrell: herrell@consumercal.org (916) 270-3404   SACRAMENTO, CA – A coalition of consumer and senior groups has sent a letter urging Governor Gavin Newsom to veto SB 263. Senator Bill Dodd’s (D – Napa) Senate Bill 263, sponsored by the California Department of…