Wisconsin Insurance Commissioner

Last updated
Office of the Commissioner of Insurance of Wisconsin
Seal of Wisconsin.svg
Agency overview
FormedApril 1, 1878;146 years ago (1878-04-01)
HeadquartersDepartment of Administration Building101 E. Wilson St. Madison, Wisconsin, U.S.
43°4′23.96″N89°22′46.85″W / 43.0733222°N 89.3796806°W / 43.0733222; -89.3796806
Employees134.83 (2021) [1]
Annual budget $361,907,100 (2021) [1]
Agency executives
  • Nathan Houdek, Commissioner
  • Rachel Cissne Carabell, Deputy Commissioner
Website oci.wi.gov

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.

Contents

The Office is headquartered in the State Education Building, or GEF-3, in downtown Madison, Wisconsin. [1] [2]

History

The insurance business was first authorized and regulated in Wisconsin in 1870 (1870 Wisc. Act 56). The original law vested insurance regulation as a power of the Secretary of State of Wisconsin. These powers were transferred to a separate commissioner of insurance by an act of the Wisconsin Legislature in 1878 (1878 Wisc. Act 214). The office was initially designed as a gubernatorial appointee, and the first insurance commissioner, Philip L. Spooner, Jr., was appointed by Governor William E. Smith. In 1881, however, a new act of the Legislature (1881 Wisc. Act 300) converted the appointed office into a state-wide elected office. This continued until 1911, when the office was converted back into a gubernatorial appointee. [3]

Organization

The senior leadership of the Office consists of the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner, along with the administrators and directors of the internal divisions of the Office. [4]

Subordinate boards

Separate from the ordinary organizational structure of the Office, there are a number of commissions and boards created by acts of the Wisconsin Legislature to oversee, advise, or administer certain funds.

Commissioners

OrderCommissionerTook officeLeft officeNotes
1 Philip L. Spooner Jr. April 1, 1878January 3, 1887Appointed by William E. Smith, then elected in 1881 and 1884.
2 Philip Cheek Jr. January 3, 1887January 5, 1891Elected in 1886 and 1888.
3 Wilbur M. Root January 5, 1891January 7, 1895Elected in 1890 and 1892.
4 William A. Fricke January 7, 1895January 2, 1899Elected in 1894 and 1896.
5 Emil Giljohann January 2, 1899January 5, 1903Elected in 1898 and 1900.
6 Zeno M. Host January 5, 1903January 7, 1907Elected in 1902 and 1904. [5]
7 George E. Beedle January 7, 1907January 2, 1911Elected in 1906 and 1908. [6]
8 Herman Ekern January 2, 1911June 30, 1915Elected in 1910. The law changed in 1911, turning the office into an appointed position. Governor Francis E. McGovern attempted to remove him in 1913, but he successfully sued the governor to remain in office.
Lewis A. Anderson January 15, 1913January 30, 1913Appointed by Francis E. McGovern, but appointment was enjoined by the court, then vetoed by the Wisconsin Senate.
9 M. J. Cleary June 30, 1915April 10, 1919Appointed by Emanuel L. Philipp. Resigned.
10 Platt Whitman April 16, 1919June 30, 1923Appointed by Emanuel L. Philipp.
11 W. Stanley Smith June 30, 1923June 1, 1926Appointed by John J. Blaine. Resigned.
12 Oswald H. Johnson June 2, 1926January 7, 1927Appointed by John J. Blaine. Resigned.
13 Milton A. Freedy January 11, 1927June 30, 1931Appointed by Fred R. Zimmerman. [7]
14 H. J. Mortensen June 30, 1931June 30, 1939Appointed by Philip La Follette. [8]
15 Morvin Duel September 20, 1939August 18, 1948Appointed by Julius P. Heil. [9] Re-appointed by Walter Samuel Goodland (1943) and Oscar Rennebohm (1947). Died in office. [10]
16 John R. Lange November 27, 1948June 1, 1955Appointed by Oscar Rennebohm. [11]
17 Alfred Van De Zande June 1, 1955November 1, 1955Appointed by Walter J. Kohler Jr. [12]
18 Paul J. Rogan November 1, 1955June 1, 1959Appointed by Walter J. Kohler Jr. [13]
19 Charles L. Manson June 1, 1959September 15, 1965Appointed by Gaylord Nelson. [14] Re-appointed by John W. Reynolds Jr. (1963). Reached mandatory retirement age.
20 Robert Haase September 15, 1965September 7, 1969Appointed by Warren P. Knowles. [15] Resigned.
21 Stanley C. Du Rose Jr. October 1, 1969April 9, 1975Appointed by Warren P. Knowles. [16]
22 Harold R. Wilde April 9, 1975April 16, 1979Appointed by Patrick Lucey. [17]
23Susan MitchellApril 16, 1979August 1, 1982Appointed by Lee S. Dreyfus. [18]
24Ann HaneyAugust 1, 1982March 1, 1983Appointed by Lee S. Dreyfus. [19]
25Thomas P. FoxMarch 1, 1983April 24, 1987Appointed by Tony Earl. [20] Resigned.
26 Robert Haase April 24, 1987December 16, 1992Appointed by Tommy Thompson. [21] Resigned.
John TorgersonDecember 16, 1992March 8, 1993Acting commissioner.
27 Josephine Musser March 8, 1993January 2, 1998Appointed by Tommy Thompson. [22]
Randy BlumerJanuary 2, 1998January 4, 1999Acting commissioner. [23]
28 Connie L. O'Connell January 4, 1999February 5, 2003Appointed by Tommy Thompson. [24]
29Jorge GomezFebruary 5, 2003January 1, 2007Appointed by Jim Doyle. [25]
30Sean DilwegJanuary 1, 2007January 3, 2011Appointed by Jim Doyle. [26]
31Ted NickelJanuary 3, 2011January 7, 2019Appointed by Scott Walker. [27]
32Mark AfableJanuary 7, 2019December 31, 2021Appointed by Tony Evers. [28]
33Nathan HoudekJanuary 1, 2022CurrentAppointed by Tony Evers. [4]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "The Executive" (PDF). Wisconsin Blue Book 2021–2022 (Report). Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. 2021. pp. 212–214. ISBN   978-1-7333817-1-0 . Retrieved March 1, 2022.
  2. ↑ "About the Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance". Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance. Retrieved March 1, 2022.
  3. ↑ "Wisconsin State Government" (PDF). The Wisconsin Blue Book (Report). State of Wisconsin. 1913. p. 452. Retrieved March 1, 2022.
  4. 1 2 "Senior Leadership". Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance. Retrieved March 1, 2022.
  5. ↑ Erickson, Halford, ed. (1905). "Biographical Sketches" (PDF). The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 1072. Retrieved March 1, 2022.
  6. ↑ Beck, J. D., ed. (1909). "Biographical Sketches" (PDF). The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin (Report). State of Wisconsin. p. 1090. Retrieved March 1, 2022.
  7. ↑ "Insurance Officer for Wisconsin is Named Saturday". La Crosse Tribune . January 9, 1927. p. 1. Retrieved March 1, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ "H. Mortensen Gets Freedy's Insurance Job". Wisconsin State Journal . June 19, 1931. p. 1. Retrieved March 1, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  9. ↑ "Morvin Duel Appointed to Insurance Job". The Post-Crescent . September 20, 1939. p. 1. Retrieved March 1, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  10. ↑ "State Insurance Chief, Duel, Dies". Wisconsin State Journal . August 18, 1948. p. 1. Retrieved March 1, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ "Lange Appointed Insurance Chief". Wisconsin State Journal . November 27, 1948. p. 1. Retrieved March 1, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  12. ↑ "Senate OKs Van de Zande, Rouse to Top State Positions". Wisconsin State Journal . June 23, 1955. p. 5. Retrieved March 1, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  13. ↑ "Rogan to Head Insurance Unit". Wisconsin State Journal . October 19, 1955. p. 1. Retrieved March 1, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  14. ↑ "Nelson Names Manson State Insurance Chief". Wisconsin State Journal . May 5, 1959. p. 3. Retrieved March 1, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  15. ↑ "Knowles Names Robert D. Haase State Insurance Commissioner". Wisconsin State Journal . September 2, 1965. p. 1. Retrieved March 1, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  16. ↑ "Pick Du Rose for Chief of Insurance". The Capital Times . October 1, 1969. p. 2. Retrieved March 1, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  17. ↑ "Senate Confirms DeBardeleben". Wisconsin State Journal . April 9, 1975. p. 4. Retrieved March 1, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  18. ↑ "Ex-insurance commissioner defends buyer's guide proposal". The Capital Times . April 17, 1979. p. 25. Retrieved March 1, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  19. ↑ "Haney takes experience to new post". The Capital Times . June 17, 1982. p. 1. Retrieved March 1, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  20. ↑ "Earl to name Fox insurance chief". Wisconsin State Journal . February 16, 1983. p. 1. Retrieved March 1, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  21. ↑ "Governor nominates Haase". Wisconsin State Journal . April 25, 1987. p. 5. Retrieved March 1, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  22. ↑ "Prescribing a cure for the system". Wisconsin State Journal . March 9, 1993. p. 1. Retrieved March 1, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  23. ↑ "Musser adds her name to list of Congress hopefuls". Wisconsin State Journal . January 7, 1998. p. 19. Retrieved March 1, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  24. ↑ "New insurance commissioner tackles managed care reform". The Capital Times . December 21, 1998. p. 3. Retrieved March 1, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  25. ↑ "Doyle picks leaders for insurance, disaster posts". Wisconsin State Journal . February 4, 2003. p. 3. Retrieved March 1, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  26. ↑ "New appointments". Green Bay Press-Gazette . December 31, 2006. p. 8. Retrieved March 1, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  27. ↑ "Cabinet Appointments". Wisconsin State Journal . January 5, 2011. p. 11. Retrieved March 1, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
  28. ↑ "Evers picks ex-Obama official, 2 lawmakers". Wisconsin State Journal . January 4, 2019. p. A3. Retrieved March 1, 2022– via Newspapers.com.
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