Appeals court rejects California home insurance refund order

By DON THOMPSON
Associated Press

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Consumer advocates will ask the California Supreme Court to overturn an appeals court ruling they said undermines the state’s ability to order billions of dollars in insurance company refunds. A San Diego-based state appeals court on Friday rejected a California insurance commissioner’s finding from 2016 that State Farm’s California subsidiary was overcharging on its homeowners insurance rates. More broadly, Consumer Watchdog founder Harvey Rosenfield said Tuesday that the decision also imperils a current order that insurance companies refund as much as $3.5 billion to California motorists who curtailed their driving during the coronavirus pandemic. Deputy Insurance Commissioner Michael Soller said that the decision was specific to State Farm.