An insurance commissioner (or commissioner of insurance) is a public official in the executive branch of a state or territory in the United States who, along with their office, regulate the insurance industry. The powers granted to the office of an insurance commissioner differ in each state. The office of an insurance commissioner is established either by the state constitution or by statute. While most insurance commissioners are appointed, in some jurisdictions they are elected.[1] The office of the insurance commissioner may be part of a larger regulatory agency, or an autonomous department.

Insurance law and regulation is established individually by each state. In order to better coordinate insurance regulation among the states and territories, insurance commissioners are members of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).[2]

Duties and powers of insurance commissioners

edit

The purpose of insurance commissioners is to maintain fair pricing for insurance products, protect the solvency of insurance companies, prevent unfair practices by insurance companies, and ensure availability of insurance coverage.[3] In order to accomplish these goals, each state grants several powers to insurance commissioners and their offices, including:[4]

  • Approval of insurance rates
  • Periodical financial examinations of insurers
  • Licensing of companies, agencies, agents, and brokers
  • Monitoring and regulating claims handling

List of current insurance commissioners

edit

As of January 8, 2024, the various insurance commissioners are:[5]

State/territory Name Title Name of Office Elected/Appointed
Alabama Jim L. Ridling Commissioner Alabama Department of Insurance Appointed
Alaska Lori K. Wing-Heier Director Alaska Division of Insurance Appointed
American Samoa Peni 'Ben' Itula Sapini Teo Commissioner Office of the Governor Appointed
Arizona Evan Daniels Interim Director Arizona Department of Insurance Appointed
Arkansas Alan McClain Commissioner Arkansas Insurance Department Appointed
California Ricardo Lara Commissioner California Department of Insurance Elected
Colorado Michael Conway Commissioner Colorado Division of Insurance Appointed
Connecticut Andrew N. Mais Commissioner Connecticut Insurance Department Appointed
Delaware Trinidad Navarro Commissioner Delaware Department of Insurance Elected
District of Columbia Karima Woods Commissioner District of Columbia Department of Insurance, Securities, and Banking Appointed
Florida David Altmaier Commissioner Florida Office of Insurance Regulation Appointed
Georgia John F. King Commissioner Office of Insurance and Safety Fire Commissioner Elected
Guam Michelle Santos Commissioner Guam Department of Revenue and Taxation Appointed
Hawaii Colin M. Hayashida Commissioner Hawaii Insurance Division Appointed
Idaho Dean Cameron Director Idaho Department of Insurance Appointed
Illinois Dana Popish Severinghaus Director Illinois Department of Insurance Appointed
Indiana Amy L. Beard Commissioner Indiana Department of Insurance Appointed
Iowa Doug Ommen Commissioner Iowa Insurance Division Appointed
Kansas Vicki Schmidt Commissioner Kansas Insurance Department Elected
Kentucky Sharon Clark Commissioner Kentucky Department of Insurance Appointed
Louisiana Tim Temple Commissioner Louisiana Department of Insurance Elected
Maine Eric A. Cioppa Superintendent Maine Bureau of Insurance Appointed
Maryland Kathleen Birrane Commissioner Maryland Insurance Administration Appointed
Massachusetts Gary D. Anderson Commissioner Massachusetts Division of Insurance Appointed
Michigan Anita G. Fox Director Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services Appointed
Minnesota Grace Arnold Commissioner Minnesota Department of Commerce Appointed
Mississippi Mike Chaney Commissioner Mississippi Insurance Department Elected
Missouri Chlora Lindley-Myers Director Missouri Department of Insurance, Financial Institutions and Professional Registration Appointed
Montana Troy Downing Commissioner Montana Office of the Commissioner of Securities and Insurance Elected
Nebraska Bruce R. Ramge Director Nebraska Department of Insurance Appointed
Nevada Barbara D. Richardson Commissioner Nevada Division of Insurance Appointed
New Hampshire Chris Nicolopoulos Commissioner New Hampshire Insurance Department Appointed
New Jersey Marlene Caride Commissioner New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance Appointed
New Mexico Russell Toal Superintendent New Mexico Office of Superintendent of Insurance Appointed
New York Linda A. Lacewell Acting Superintendent New York State Department of Financial Services Appointed
North Carolina Mike Causey Commissioner Commissioner of Insurance Elected
North Dakota Jon Godfread Commissioner North Dakota Insurance Department Elected
Northern Mariana Islands Mark O. Rabauliman Commissioner Office of the Insurance Commissioner Appointed
Ohio Judith L. French Director Ohio Department of Insurance Appointed
Oklahoma Glen Mulready Commissioner Oklahoma Insurance Department Elected
Oregon Andrew Stolfi Commissioner Oregon Insurance Division Appointed
Pennsylvania Jessica Altman Commissioner Pennsylvania Insurance Department Appointed
Puerto Rico Mariano Mier Romeu Commissioner Office of the Commissioner of Insurance Appointed
Rhode Island Elizabeth Kelleher Dwyer Superintendent Rhode Island Division of Insurance Appointed
South Carolina Raymond G. Farmer Director South Carolina Department of Insurance Appointed
South Dakota Larry Deiter Director South Dakota Division of Insurance Appointed
Tennessee Carter Lawrence Commissioner Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance Appointed
Texas Doug Slape Commissioner Texas Department of Insurance Appointed
Utah Joanathan Pike Commissioner Utah Insurance Department Appointed
U.S. Virgin Islands Tregenza Roach Lt. Governor/ Commissioner Division of Banking and Insurance Elected
Vermont Kevin Gaffney Commissioner Vermont Department of Financial Regulation Appointed
Virginia Scott A. White Commissioner Virginia Bureau of Insurance Appointed
Washington Mike Kreidler Commissioner Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner Elected
West Virginia James A. Dodrill Commissioner West Virginia Offices of the Insurance Commissioner Appointed
Wisconsin Nathan Houdek Commissioner Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance Appointed
Wyoming Jeff Rude Commissioner Wyoming Insurance Department Appointed

References

edit
  1. ^ "State Commissioners - 2014" (PDF). naic.org. NAIC. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  2. ^ "About the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC)". www.naic.org. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  3. ^ Kimball, Spencer (1961). "The Purpose of Insurance Regulation: A Preliminary Inquiry in the Theory of Insurance Law". heinonline.org. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  4. ^ Randall, Susan (1999). "Insurance Regulation in the United States: Regulatory Federalism and the National Association of Insurance Commissioners" (PDF). Florida State University Law Review. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 11, 2015.
  5. ^ "National Association of Insurance Commissioners Membership List" (PDF). www.naic.org. NAIC. March 23, 2021. Retrieved March 23, 2021.