Insurance Dept. Ads for Rebates

I was so dismayed to read your Dec. 9 editorial, “Suspiciously Like a Political Ad,” which so grossly misrepresented our department’s effort to raise consumer awareness of monies owed to them by insurance companies, that I question your commitment to informing your readers about what their public officials are doing to protect consumers’ interests.

Your editorial asserts that the television announcements were “paid for with taxpayer money.” This is completely false. You should have checked with your reporter, who the previous day correctly reported that the ads were “funded by two legal settlements with the Department of Insurance.”

I have a fiduciary duty to inform consumers about monies that are owed to them. In addition, as insurance commissioner, I am required to do so under the law.

The last time the Department of Insurance ran television announce- ments informing policyholders of Prudential life insurance policies that they were owed money, the response rate in California immediately after the ads was 67% higher than the nationwide rate. Prior to the current television announcements, the consumer hotline received only one or two calls a day on Proposition 103 rebate monies. Since we went on television to raise consumer awareness of these monies, our hotline has received hundreds of calls daily from consumers inquiring about whether or not they are entitled to these monies.

CHUCK QUACKENBUSH

California Insurance Commissioner

Sacramento