Insurance State Regulators - Selection and Term Statutes

Last updated: April 12, 2013

NCSL Staff Contact: Heather Morton, Denver, (303) 364-7700

Insurance state regulators are the government officials who, along with their departments and staff, regulate the conduct of insurance companies and agents in their respective state or territory. In 10 states—California, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma and Washington—the insurance regulator is elected. In eight states—Alaska, Florida, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, South Dakota and Virginia—the regulator is appointed by an official other than the governor. In the District of Columbia, the mayor appoints the insurance commissioner. In the remaining states and territories, the governor makes the appointment.

 
STATES
 STATUTORY CITATION INSURANCE COMMISSIONER
APPOINTED OR ELECTED		 TERM LENGTH
Alabama
 Ala. Code §27-2-1 et seq. Appointed by governor Concurrent with that of the governor by whom he is appointed, or for the unexpired portion thereof
Alaska
 Alaska Stat. §21.06.010 et seq. Appointed by commissioner of the Department of Community and Economic Development At the pleasure of the commissioner of the Department of Community and Economic Development
Arizona
 Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. §20-141 et seq. Appointed by governor, subject to confirmation by Senate Six years and shall expire on the third Monday in January of the appropriate year, but he may be removed by the governor for cause
Arkansas
 Ark. Stat. Ann. §23-61-101 et seq. Appointed by governor with advice and consent of Senate At the pleasure of the governor
California
 Cal. Insurance Code §12900 et seq. Elected By the people in the same time, place, and manner as the governor not to exceed two four-year terms
Colorado
 Colo. Rev. Stat. §10-1-101 et seq. Appointed by governor, subject to confirmation by Senate At the pleasure of the governor
Connecticut
 Conn. Gen. Stat. §38a-1 et seq. Appointed by governor At the pleasure of the governor
Delaware
 Del. Code Ann. tit. 18, §301 et seq. Elected By the qualified electors of the state at a general election for a term of four years and shall be commissioned by the governor
District of Columbia
 D.C. Code Ann. §31-101 et seq. Appointed by the mayor with the advice and consent of the Council At the pleasure of the mayor
Florida
 Fla. Stat. §20.121 Appointed by Financial Services Commission The commission shall appoint or remove the director by a majority vote consisting of at least three affirmative votes, with both the governor and the chief financial officer on the prevailing side
Georgia
 Ga. Const. Art. V, §III Elected Four years, elected at the same time and hold office for the same term as the governor
Guam
 G.C.A. tit. 11, §103101 et seq. Appointed by governor with the advice and consent of the Legislature At the pleasure of the governor, under the direction of the director of Revenue and Taxation
Hawaii
 Hawaii Rev. Stat. §431:2-101 et seq. Appointed by director of Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs, approved by governor At the pleasure of the director of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs
Idaho
 Idaho Code §41-201 et seq. Appointed by governor, subject to confirmation by Senate Four years, subject to earlier removal by the governor
Illinois
 Ill. Rev. Stat. ch. 20, §5/5-710 Appointed by governor with advice and consent of Senate At the pleasure of the governor
Indiana
 Ind. Code §27-1-1-1 et seq. Appointed by governor At the pleasure of the governor
Iowa
 Iowa Code §505.1 et seq. Appointed by governor, subject to confirmation by Senate Four years
Kansas
 Kan. Stat. Ann. §40-101 et seq. Elected Four years
Kentucky
 Ky. Rev. Stat. §304.2-010 et seq. Appointed by governor with consent of Senate Four years
Louisiana
 La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §22:1 et seq. Elected Four years at the election for governor and other state officers
Maine
 Me. Rev. Stat. Ann. tit. 24-A, §200 et seq. Appointed by governor, subject to review by the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over banking and insurance and to confirmation by the Legislature Five years
Maryland
 Md. Insurance Code Ann. §2-101 et seq. Appointed by governor with advice and consent of Senate Four years
Massachusetts
 Mass. Gen. Laws. Ann. ch. 26, §6 Appointed by governor Term coterminous with that of the governor, at the pleasure of the governor
Michigan
 Mich. Comp. Laws §500.200 et seq. Appointed by governor with consent of Senate Four years
Minnesota
 Minn. Stat. §60A.01 et seq. Appointed by governor with confirmation by Senate Term ends with the term of the office of governor, the term shall end if the governor vacates office
Mississippi
 Miss. Code Ann. §83-1-1 et seq. Elected Four years, elected at the general election as other state officers
Missouri
 Mo. Rev. Stat. §374.005 et seq. Appointed by governor with advice and consent of Senate At the pleasure of the governor
Montana

Mont. Const. Art. VI, §1
Mont. Code Ann. §2-15-1903

 Elected Four years
Nebraska
 Neb. Rev. Stat. §81-101 et seq. Appointed by governor, subject to confirmation by Legislature At the pleasure of the governor unless a specific term has been provided by law
Nevada
 Nev. Rev. Stat. §232.805 et seq. Appointed by director of Department of Business and Industry At the pleasure of, the director of the Department of Business and Industry
New Hampshire
 N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. §400-A:1 et seq. Appointed by governor with advice and consent of governor's Executive Council Five years
New Jersey
 N.J. Rev. Stat. §17:1-1 et seq. Appointed by governor with advice and consent of Senate At the pleasure of the governor during the governor's term of office and until the appointment and qualification of the commissioner's successor
New Mexico
 N.M. Stat. Ann. §59A-2-1 et seq. Appointed by Public Regulation Commission At the pleasure of the Public Regulation Commission
2013 Chapter 74
Effective July 1, 2013		 Appointed by the Insurance Nominating Committee Four years
New York
 N.Y. Insurance Law §201 et seq. Appointed by governor with advice and consent of Senate Shall hold office until the end of the term of the governor by whom he was appointed and until his successor is appointed and qualified
North Carolina
 N.C. Gen. Stat. §58-2-1 et seq. Elected Four years
North Dakota
 N.D. Const. Art. V, §1 et seq. Elected Four years
Ohio
 Ohio Rev. Code Ann. §121.01 et seq. Appointed by governor with advice and consent of Senate At the pleasure of the governor during the term of the appointing governor
Oklahoma
 Okla. Const. Art. 6, §1 et seq. Elected Four years
Oregon
 Or. Rev. Stat. §705.010 et seq. Appointed by director of Department of Consumer and Business Affairs At the pleasure of the director of the Department of Consumer and Business Affairs
Pennsylvania
 Pa. Stat. tit. 40, §41 et seq. Appointed by governor with advice and consent of Senate Four years and until his successor is appointed and qualified
Puerto Rico
 P.R. Code Ann. tit. 26, §201 et seq. Appointed by governor with advice and consent of Senate At the pleasure of the governor
Rhode Island
 R.I. Gen. Laws §42-6-1 et seq. Appointed by governor with consent of Senate At the pleasure of the governor
South Carolina
 S.C. Code Ann. §38-3-10 et seq. Appointed by governor with advice and consent of Senate At the pleasure of the governor
South Dakota
 S.D. Codified Laws Ann. §58-2-1.1 et seq. Appointed by secretary of Department of Revenue and Regulation At the pleasure of the secretary of the Department of Revenue and Regulation
Tennessee
 Tenn. Code Ann. §4-3-1301 et seq. Appointed by governor At the pleasure of the governor
Texas
 Tex. Insurance Code Ann. §31.021 et seq. Appointed by governor with advice and consent of Senate Two years, expires on February 1 of each odd-numbered year
Utah
 Utah Code Ann. §31A-2-101 et seq. Appointed by governor with advice and consent of Senate At the pleasure of the governor
Vermont
 Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 8, §10 et seq. Appointed by governor with advice and consent of Senate Biennially, in the month of February
Virginia
 Va. Code §12.1-16 Appointed by State Corporation Commission At the pleasure of the State Corporation Commission
Virgin Islands V.I. Code tit. 22, §51 et seq. Appointed by governor At the pleasure of the governor
Washington
 Wash. Rev. Code §48.02.010 et seq. Elected Four years
West Virginia
 W. Va. Code §33-2-1 et seq. Appointed by governor with advice and consent of Senate Six years
Wisconsin
 Wis. Stat. §15.06 Appointed by governor, subject to confirmation by Senate At the pleasure of the governor
Wyoming
 Wyo. Stat. §26-2-101 et seq. Appointed by governor with advice and consent of Senate At the pleasure of the governor