Insurance commissioner


An insurance commissioner 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. 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.

Duties and powers of insurance commissioners

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. In order to accomplish these goals, each state grants several powers to insurance commissioners and their offices, including:
  • 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

, the various insurance commissioners are:
State/territoryNameTitleName of OfficeElected/Appointed
AlabamaMark FowlerCommissionerAppointed
AlaskaLori K. Wing-HeierDirectorAppointed
American SamoaPeni 'Ben' Itula Sapini TeoCommissioner Appointed
ArizonaBarbara D. RichardsonDirectorAppointed
ArkansasAlan McClainCommissionerAppointed
CaliforniaRicardo LaraCommissionerElected
ColoradoMichael ConwayCommissionerAppointed
ConnecticutAndrew N. MaisCommissionerAppointed
DelawareTrinidad NavarroCommissionerElected
District of ColumbiaKarima WoodsCommissionerAppointed
FloridaMichael YaworskyCommissioner Appointed
GeorgiaJohn F. KingCommissionerElected
GuamMichelle SantosCommissionerAppointed
HawaiiGordon I. ItoCommissionerAppointed
IdahoDean CameronDirectorAppointed
IllinoisAnn GillespieDirectorAppointed
IndianaHolly W. LambertCommissionerAppointed
IowaDoug OmmenCommissionerAppointed
KansasVicki SchmidtCommissionerElected
KentuckySharon ClarkCommissionerAppointed
LouisianaTim TempleCommissionerElected
MaineRobert L. CareySuperintendentAppointed
MarylandMarie GrantCommissionerAppointed
MassachusettsMichael T. CaljouwCommissionerAppointed
MichiganAnita G. FoxDirectorAppointed
MinnesotaGrace ArnoldCommissionerAppointed
MississippiMike ChaneyCommissionerElected
MissouriAngela L. NelsonDirectorAppointed
MontanaJames BrownCommissionerElected
NebraskaEric DunningDirectorAppointed
NevadaScott KipperCommissionerAppointed
New HampshireD.J. BettencourtCommissionerAppointed
New JerseyJustin ZimmermanCommissionerAppointed
New MexicoAlice T. KaneSuperintendent Appointed
New YorkAdrienne A. HarrisSuperintendent Appointed
North CarolinaMike CauseyCommissionerCommissioner of InsuranceElected
North DakotaJon GodfreadCommissionerElected
Northern Mariana IslandsRemedio C. MafnasCommissionerOffice of the Insurance CommissionerAppointed
OhioJudith L. FrenchDirector Appointed
OklahomaGlen MulreadyCommissionerElected
OregonAndrew StolfiCommissionerAppointed
PennsylvaniaMichael HumphreysCommissionerAppointed
Puerto RicoAlexander S. Adams VegaCommissionerOffice of the Commissioner of InsuranceAppointed
Rhode IslandElizabeth Kelleher DwyerSuperintendent Appointed
South CarolinaMichael WiseDirectorAppointed
South DakotaLarry DeiterDirectorAppointed
TennesseeCarter LawrenceCommissionerAppointed
TexasCassie BrownCommissionerAppointed
UtahJoanathan PikeCommissionerAppointed
U.S. Virgin IslandsTregenza RoachLt. Governor/ CommissionerDivision of Banking and InsuranceElected
VermontSandy BigglestoneCommissioner Appointed
VirginiaScott A. WhiteCommissionerAppointed
WashingtonMike KreidlerCommissionerElected
West VirginiaAlan L. McVeyCommissionerAppointed
WisconsinNathan HoudekCommissionerAppointed
WyomingJeff RudeCommissionerAppointed