California Insurance Commissioner
Duties and Responsibilities

The California Insurance Code establishes the office of Insurance Commissioner who is elected in the same place and manner as the Governor and serves a maximum of two four-year terms.

The Insurance Commissioner determines the sufficiency of securities to be given by those engaged in the insurance business and no person may transact any class of insurance business without first being certified by the commissioner. Beyond these provisions, the Commissioner is given broad powers to directly supervise the Department of Insurance and to perform all duties under law regulating the business of insurance in the state.

The Commissioner's powers to certify compliance with applicable state law extend to approval of insurance forms, approval of an insurance company's corporate name ... and, upon request of the State Treasurer, certification of qualifications of surety insurers for state demand or timed deposits or state investment in federal bonds. The Commissioner also is designated to receive and administer a deposit from each title insurance company doing business in the state as a guarantee fund for the security and protection of title insurance policyholders.

[Taken from: California's Legislature (1994). Republished with permission.]