Consumer Catch-up: Fire insurance help, King Bio recall warning, JetBlue changing frequent flier plan

Lawmakers looking into ways to help fire victims get insurance

Lawmakers are trying to find a way to make homeowners insurance more available, as industry rates skyrocket due to wildfires.

State Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones joined a panel of experts in Sacramento to discuss the problem Tuesday. He warns that the state is heading for a crisis.

"No insurance company has left California, but in the wildland interface counties, counties in the Sierra Nevadas, the foothills and other areas where there's a lot of brush, it's becoming increasingly more difficult for homeowners to find insurance," says Jones.

One proposal would make insurance available even after a fire has struck the area.

A proposed Senate bill would place a one-year ban on insurance companies being able to cancel policies if the homeowner lives in a county with a declared state of emergency.

Jones says some proposals are up against strong opposition from insurance companies. So far, they have no been formally introduced as legislation.

Right now, the state offers fire insurance policies, but they are significantly more expensive than ones from the private sector.

FDA warns about King Bio recall

The Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers about a major recall of King Bio products that may have microbial contamination.

More than 80 water-based products from King Bio are under recall, including medicines for children and pets.

Microbes that may be in the products could increase your chance for infection, and could be life-threatening. King Bio has no reports of injury so far.

The kids' medicines include treatments for Candida, teething, sore throat and tonsils, and appetite loss, among others.

Adult medicines under recall include those for arthritis, acne, allergies, stress, and a host of other issues.

King Bio also makes formulas to treat urinary and digestive health issues in pets.

If you have any of these products, stop using them immediately and contact King Bio for a return or replacement.

You can find the full list of recalled products here.

JetBlue changing frequent flier program

One day after announcing higher fees to check luggage, JetBlue also plans to revamp its frequent flier program.

Known as TrueBlue, the program will soon allow members to pool their points and share with up to seven other people.

JetBlue says Badges are going away in the "refreshed" program. Badges are awarded for customer activity, and can be used to get bonuses. JetBlue says the badges will eventually come back, but no timeline has been announced.

JetBlue also announced a partnership with Chase Ultimate Points to transfer points between the two programs.

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