Local News

Tips on insurance coverage for damage due to loss of electric power

In the aftermath of Tropical Storm Isaias, Governor Ned Lamont and Insurance Commissioner Andrew N. Mais are reminding policyholders to review their homeowner’s insurance policy to better understand their coverage for property damage due to loss of power as the state is at the height of the 2020 Atlantic Tropical Storm season. The Atlantic Tropical Storm season began on June 1 and runs through November 30. “Storm Isaias left nearly a million customers without power.  Many families and businesses experienced property damage, loss of work wages and other losses like spoiled groceries due to the mass power outage,” said Governor Lamont. “This is already a very difficult year and the Insurance Department is working to help with filing storm-related claims and…

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UNFAIR TRADE PRACTICES ACT BY CHARGING CONSUMERS FOR PERSONAL PROTECTIVE MEASURES

#Hartford, CT -- Attorney General William Tong is alerting consumers to surcharges by healthcare providers that may violate the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act. Healthcare providers are strongly encouraged, if not required, to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) and to require that their patients do so, too. However, some providers may be improperly charging patients for the additional PPE or other COVID-19 control measures. Attorney General Tong sent a letter this week to several healthcare provider associations and licensing boards to alert their members to the Office’s position that charging patients an additional fee for PPE constitutes illegal balance billing when the charges are assessed in connection with in-network services covered by the patients’ insurance plans. State laws prohibit participating…

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SETTLEMENT WITH COMPANY THAT SENT MAILERS RESEMBLING GOVERNMENT FORMS

Hartford, CT) — Attorney General William Tong along with Secretary of the State Denise W. Merrill and Department of Consumer Protection commissioner Michelle Seagull, announced a settlement today with ANS, INC. d/b/a Workplace Compliance Services resolving a case involving allegations of government imposter fraud. ANS, a Michigan based corporation, sent mailings to Connecticut LLCs offering to assist with their annual report filings with the Secretary of State. The mailings closely resembled official government forms and led a number of Connecticut businesses to believe the communication was from the government, not a private company, and they were required to use ANS’s services in order to remain in compliance with state law. “These types of scams can be devastating for Connecticut’s small…

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Easton/Weston News: Missing Hikers

2020-08-14@9:30pm--#Easton CT-- First responders are gathering at Apple Barn on Route 58 to search for two missing hikers at Troutbrook Valley Preserve on  Bradley Road.   This news report is made possible by:   [caption id="attachment_84797" align="aligncenter" width="1166"] Visit Scap's Website at:https://www.scapchryslerjeep.com/[/caption]

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AG WANTS UNITED ILLUMINATING TO REIMBURSE CONSUMERS FOR COST OF LOST FOOD AND PRESCRIPTIONS

#Hartford, CT– Attorney General William Tong today urged Eversource and United Illuminating to do the right thing and immediately reimburse consumers for lost food and prescriptions using shareholders, not ratepayer funds.   “Eversource and UI need to do the right thing as ConEd has done in New York and reimburse consumers now for lost food and prescriptions. This needs to come out of shareholders—not ratepayer—funds. They have millions of dollars in profits they can use to cover this cost immediately without putting the burden back on ratepayers. Families were already struggling to pay for groceries before this storm. No one should go hungry because Eversource and UI didn’t do their jobs,” said Attorney General Tong.   This press release is…

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LEGISLATION TO EXPAND VETERANS’ MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES

WASHINGTON, DC] – The Senate unanimously passed the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act last week, bipartisan legislation to improve veterans’ mental health services, which includes a provision authored by U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) to expand the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) suicide prevention media outreach campaigns. Applauding the bill’s passage, Blumenthal released the following statement:   “This issue unites us all. We’ve all seen the devastating impacts on our community from mental health, post-traumatic stress, traumatic brain injuries. Connecticut’s own Staff Sergeant Tyler Michael Reeb, who served as a sniper on various tours in the Marine Corps, took his own life in October of last year. His is one of countless heartbreaking stories, evidence of…

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LEGAL ACTIONS TO HOLD EVERSOURCE AND UNITED ILLUMINATING ACCOUNTABLE FOR FAILED STORM RESPONSE

Hartford, CT) – In a series of motions filed Tuesday, Attorney General William Tong escalated his legal actions to hold Eversource and United Illuminating accountable for their failed storm response.  In a motion before the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority – which by law serves as the principal regulator and legal forum in which to make claims against the utilities – Attorney General Tong demanded once again that PURA open a contested case and prudence review-- legal proceedings which would enable the Attorney General to make the strongest claims on behalf of ratepayers and the state; seek fines, penalties and injunctive relief; and oppose the utilities’ requests for profits and reimbursement of storm-related costs. Failure by PURA to do so at the onset…

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BLUMENTHAL CALLING FOR EVERSOUCE NOT TO CHARGE CUSTOMERS FOR STORM CLEANUP COSTS

U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal posted a series of tweets calling on Eversource not to charge customers for storm cleanup costs. Consumers Beware: Eversource’s next ploy—even as the pandemic persists—will be to charge us for hundreds of millions in their repair expenses. I’ll fight it. PURA should just say No. (https://twitter.com/SenBlumenthal/status/1292486684244873218) More intolerable Eversource rate increase attempts imminent—as they try to hit consumers with costs of restoring power. They’d combine insult & injury during the COVID-19 crisis. The company is rolling in money, top execs collecting tens of millions, these expenses are on them. (https://twitter.com/SenBlumenthal/status/1292486686123995139) Consumers deserve refunds, right away. Not rate hikes to cover costs of Eversource misjudgments, amounting to utility malpractice. Especially as consumers & businesses struggle to survive &…

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