California Insurance Commissioner
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
California Insurance Commissioner is an elected executive office position in California who is in charge of the California Department of Insurance. The current Insurance Commissioner is John Garamendi.
[edit] Duties
- Oversees and directs all functions of the Department of Insurance.
- Licenses, regulates, and examines insurance companies.
- Answers public questions and complaints regarding the insurance industry.
- Enforces the laws of the California Insurance Code and adopts regulations to implement the laws.
[edit] 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 next election for Insurance Commissioner is in 2006 between Democrat Cruz Bustamante and Republican Steve Poizner.
| Name | Term | Party |
|---|---|---|
| John Garamendi | January 3, 1991–January 3, 1995 | Democratic |
| Chuck Quackenbush | January 4, 1995–July 10, 2000 | Republican |
| J. Clark Kelso | July 11, 2000–August 23, 2000 | Republican |
| Harry W. Low | August 24, 2000–January 5, 2003 | Democratic |
| John Garamendi | January 6, 2003–present | Democratic |
