13 deaths, 264 cases in Tulare County

Insurance rebates for March, April ordered

The Tulare County Department of Health and Human Services reported two more people in the county died due to COVID-19 over the weekend, bringing the total of people who have died due to the coronavirus to 13.

As of noon Monday, The department also reported there are now 264 positive cases of coronavirus in the county. That’s an increase of 27 over the 227 that was reported on Saturday.

The department reported about the two people who died over the weekend that one died on Friday and the other died on Sunday.

Twenty-five cases have been reported as travelers, 167 have been reported as person-to-person contact and 72 are still under investigation. Both individuals were over 65 and both received the coronavirus through person-to-person contact.

The department reported there are 22 cases in Lindsay and 21 in Porterville. The department also reported there are 156 cases in Visalia, 34 in Tulare, 29 in the Dinuba, Kingsburg and Woodlake areas and two in Pixley.

Thirteen cases are ages 0-17, 25 are ages 18-25, 62 are ages 26-40, 76 are ages 41-64 and 88 are ages 65 and older.

The department reported 15 people who tested positive for the coronavirus have recovered. The department also reported there are 413 people under self-quarantine being monitored by public health officials.

As of Saturday, Sierra View Medical Center reported it had received 10 positive cases of the coronavirus and that four were inpatient cases. The hospital also reported two deaths.

The hospital reported it had 166 cases who had been tested with 116 testing negative. The hospital reported on Friday results of 22 still pending. Sierra View also reported on Friday 1,215 tests had been conducted in the county.

INSURANCE REBATES ORDERED

California insurance commissioner Ricardo Lara ordered insurance companies in the state to refund premiums paid in March and April due to the coronavirus.

Included are payments made for workers compensation, medical malpractice and auto policies. Lara based his order on a voter-approved law in 1988 that gives him the authority to approve rates before they go into effect.

Lara noted a report by UC Davis that found traffic collisions have dropped by 55 percent and the rates should reflect that decrease.

“Consumers need relief from premiums that no longer reflect their present-day risk of accident or loss,” Lara said in statement announcing the order. “Today’s mandatory action will put money back in people’s pockets when they need it most.”

Lara stated the order could continue through May if current conditions due to the coronavirus continue.

David Sampson, president and CEO of the American Property Casualty Insurance Association, criticized the order.

He noted insurers have already announced billions of dollars in premium rebates in recent weeks. Allstate has announced it would return 15 percent of premiums in March and April to most customers, a total of $600 million.

“Now is not the time for arbitrary calls for rate decisions,” Sampson said. “California has the most complex regulatory structure in the nation. The Department should be providing guidance to companies that are trying to implement premium reductions.”

Insurance companies have 120 days to comply with the order and they also have several options. They can refund premiums, reduce them or give customers a credit.