California Insurance Commissioner

Last updated

Insurance Commissioner of California
Seal of California.svg
Flag of California.svg
Ricardo Lara official portrait (cropped).png
Incumbent
Ricardo Lara
since January 7, 2019
Government of California
Department of Insurance
Style The Honorable
Term length Four years, two term limit
Inaugural holder John Garamendi
1991
Formation Proposition 103
Website www.insurance.ca.gov

The California insurance commissioner has been an elected executive office position in California since 1991. Prior to that time, the insurance commissioner was appointed by the governor. The officeholder is in charge of the California Department of Insurance.

Contents

The current insurance commissioner is Democrat Ricardo Lara.

Duties

Office

As a result of the passage of Proposition 103 in 1988, the elected office of the California Insurance Commissioner was created in 1991. Previously, the position was held by a person appointed by the Governor. The Insurance Commissioner oversees the Department of Insurance.

The Insurance Commissioner does not oversee the majority of Health Plans and Health Insurance. [2] HMO Health Plans and PPO Plans offered by Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of California are overseen by the California Department of Managed Health Care.

NameTermParty
John Garamendi January 7, 1991 – January 2, 1995 Democratic
Chuck Quackenbush January 2, 1995 – July 10, 2000 Republican
J. Clark Kelso July 10, 2000 – September 17, 2000Republican
Harry W. Low September 18, 2000 – January 6, 2003 [3] Democratic
John Garamendi January 6, 2003 – January 8, 2007Democratic
Steve Poizner January 8, 2007 – January 3, 2011Republican
Dave Jones January 3, 2011–January 7, 2019Democratic
Ricardo Lara January 7, 2019–presentDemocratic

Related Research Articles

The government of California is the governmental structure of the U.S. state of California as established by the California Constitution. California uses the separation of powers system to structure its government. It is composed of three branches: the executive, consisting of the governor of California and the other constitutionally elected and appointed officers and offices; the legislative, consisting of the California State Legislature, which includes the Assembly and the Senate; and the judicial, consisting of the Supreme Court of California and lower courts. There is also local government, consisting of counties, cities, special districts, and school districts, as well as government entities and offices that operate independently on a constitutional, statutory, or common law basis. The state also allows direct participation of the electorate by initiative, referendum, recall and ratification.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Government of Maryland</span> State government of the United States

The government of Maryland is conducted according to the Maryland Constitution. The United States is a federation; consequently, the government of Maryland, like the other 49 state governments, has exclusive authority over matters that lie entirely within the state's borders, except as limited by the Constitution of the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chief Financial Officer of Florida</span> Elected statewide constitutional officer of Florida

The chief financial officer of Florida is an elected statewide constitutional officer of Florida. The office was created in 2002 following the 1998 reforms of the Florida Cabinet. The CFO is a combination of the former offices of comptroller and treasurer/insurance commissioner/fire marshal. The office heads the Florida Department of Financial Services and is responsible for overseeing the state's finances, collecting revenue, paying state bills, auditing state agencies, regulating cemeteries and funerals, and handling fires and arsons. In addition, the CFO has administrative oversight over the offices which handles banking and insurance regulation. The CFO is a member of the Cabinet, and is third in the line of succession to the office of Governor of Florida.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Secretary of state (U.S. state government)</span> Official in the state governments of the United States

The secretary of state is an official in the state governments of 47 of the 50 states of the United States, as well as Puerto Rico and other U.S. possessions. In Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, this official is called the secretary of the commonwealth. In states that have one, the secretary of state is the chief administrative officer of the state and is often the primary custodian of important state records. In the states of Alaska, Hawaii, and Utah, there is no secretary of state; in those states many duties that a secretary of state might normally execute fall within the domain of the lieutenant governor. Like the lieutenant governor, in most states, the secretary of state is in the line of succession to succeed the governor, in most cases immediately behind the lieutenant governor. In three states with no lieutenant governor as well as the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico, the secretary of state is first in the line of succession in the event of a gubernatorial vacancy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Attorney General of Wisconsin</span> Chief law officer of the state of Wisconsin

The attorney general of Wisconsin is a constitutional officer in the executive branch of the government of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Forty-five individuals have held the office of attorney general since statehood. The incumbent is Josh Kaul, a Democrat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Secretary of State of Wisconsin</span> Constitutional officer in the executive branch of the government of the U.S. state of Wisconsin

The secretary of state of Wisconsin is a constitutional officer in the executive branch of the government of the U.S. state of Wisconsin, and is second in the line of succession to the office of governor of Wisconsin. Twenty-nine individuals have held the office of secretary of state, two of whom have held non-consecutive terms. The incumbent is Sarah Godlewski, who was appointed by Governor Tony Evers on March 17, 2023, to replace long-time Secretary of State Doug La Follette.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">California executive branch</span> Executive branch of the California state government

The California executive branch consists of elected officers and other offices and officers. The elected executive officers are:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Government of Georgia (U.S. state)</span> Overview of the government of the U.S. state of Georgia

The state government of Georgia is the U.S. state governmental body established by the Georgia State Constitution. It is a republican form of government with three branches: the legislature, executive, and judiciary. Through a system of separation of powers or "checks and balances", each of these branches has some authority to act on its own, some authority to regulate the other two branches, and has some of its own authority, in turn, regulated by the other branches. The seat of government for Georgia is located in Atlanta.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dave Jones (politician)</span> American politician

David Evan Jones is an American politician who served as California's Insurance Commissioner from 2011 to 2019. He previously represented California's 9th assembly district from 2004 to 2010 as a member of the Democratic Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">California Environmental Protection Agency</span> State government agency. California, U.S.

The California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) is a state cabinet-level agency within the government of California. The mission of CalEPA is to restore, protect and enhance the environment, to ensure public health, environmental quality and economic vitality.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sandy Praeger</span> American politician

Sandy Praeger is a former politician from the U.S. state of Kansas who served as the Kansas Insurance Commissioner from 2003 to 2015. Prior to her term as insurance commissioner, she was a member of the Kansas Senate and Kansas House of Representatives, and served as mayor of Lawrence, Kansas. Although she won her elections as a Republican, she disagreed with the more conservative faction in her party, eventually leading her to endorse a Democrat to succeed her as insurance commissioner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">California Department of Insurance</span>

The California Department of Insurance (CDI), established in 1868, is the agency charged with overseeing insurance regulations, enforcing statutes mandating consumer protections, educating consumers, and fostering the stability of insurance markets in California. The CDI has authority over how the insurance industry conducts business within California, and licenses and regulates the rates and practices of insurance companies, agents, and brokers in the state.

The Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) is a regulatory body governing managed health care plans, including Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) and most Medi-Cal managed care plans in California. The DMHC was created as the first state department in the country solely dedicated to regulating managed health care plans and assisting consumers to resolve disputes with their health plans. The DMHC Help Center educates consumers about their health care rights, resolves consumer complaints, helps consumers navigate and understand their coverage and assists consumers in getting timely access to appropriate health care services.

The New York State Department of Health is the department of the New York state government responsible for public health. Its regulations are compiled in title 10 of the New York Codes, Rules and Regulations.

M. Diane Koken is an American legal and regulatory consultant who serves as a court-appointed special advocate for children (CASA) in Pennsylvania.

The New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance (DOBI) is one of 15 principal departments in New Jersey government. The department's mission is to regulate the banking, insurance and real estate industries in a professional and timely manner that protects and educates consumers and promotes the growth, financial stability and efficiency of these industries. The Commissioner of DOBI is Marlene Caride.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">New York State Department of Financial Services</span> Responsible for regulating financial services and products

The New York State Department of Financial Services is the department of the New York state government responsible for regulating financial services and products, including those subject to the New York insurance, banking and financial services laws.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Government of Los Angeles County</span>

The Government of Los Angeles County is defined and authorized under the California Constitution, California law, and the Charter of the County of Los Angeles. Much of the Government of California is in practice the responsibility of county governments, such as the Government of Los Angeles County. The County government provides countywide services such as elections and voter registration, law enforcement, jails, vital records, property records, tax collection, public health, health care, and social services. In addition the County serves as the local government for all unincorporated areas.

Marguerite Salazar was an American government official serving as the superintendent of the New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department from January 2019 until her death in November 2022. Salazar was previously the insurance commissioner of Colorado from July 2013 to 2017 and the chief regulator of Colorado from July 2017 to January 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wisconsin Insurance Commissioner</span> Wisconsin State Agency charged with regulating insurance in the state.

The Office of the Commissioner of Insurance of Wisconsin is an independent agency of the Wisconsin state government responsible for supervising and regulating the insurance industry in Wisconsin. The office licenses insurers operating in the state, examines their financial and business practices, investigates consumer complaints, ensures compliance with state laws and regulations, and provides information on the insurance industry to the public.

References

  1. "Mission of California Department of Insurance". California Department of Insurance . Retrieved July 8, 2008.
  2. Gorn, David (February 8, 2014). "Insurance Regulation Shifted Toward Health Plan Regulator".
  3. "AsianWeek.com". Archived from the original on July 3, 2007. Retrieved August 23, 2007.