Alabama Commissioner of Insurance
From Ballotpedia
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Current officeholder
The current commissioner of insurance is Jim Ridling, who was first appointed to his office on September 15, 2008[1] and reappointed on January 17, 2011. As the commissioner of insurance serves his term concurrent with the governor that appointed him, Ridling will next come up for reappointment on January 19, 2015, when the next gubernatorial term begins.[2]
Before becoming insurance commissioner, Ridling was President and CEO of Southern Guaranty Insurance Co. Before that, he was Executive Vice President of U.S. Operations at Fireman's Fund Insurance.[3]
Authority
The commissioner of insurance's authority derives from Alabama statute.[2]
Code of Alabama, Section 27-2-2
| (a) A Commissioner of Insurance shall be chief executive officer of the [Department of Insurance]. The commissioner shall be appointed by the Governor. He shall serve for a term concurrent with that of the Governor by whom he is appointed, or for the unexpired portion thereof. |
Qualifications
Alabama law requires that the commissioner be "selected with special reference to his training, experience and capacity," and that he not be a candidate for any elected office.[2] The commissioner, before taking his oath of office, is also required to submit a $50,000 penal bond to the secretary of state.[4]
Code of Alabama, Section 27-2-2
| (b) The commissioner shall be selected with special reference to his training, experience and capacity. He shall not be a candidate for, nor hold, any other public office of trust nor be a member of any political committee. If he becomes a candidate for public office or becomes a member of a political committee, his office as commissioner shall be immediately vacated. |
Appointments
The commissioner of insurance is appointed by the governor and serves a term concurrent with his.[2]
Term limits
Alabama law does not establish any term limits for the office.
Vacancies
Alabama statute does not prescribe a particular procedure for vacancies in the office of insurance commissioner. As all commissioners of insurance are appointed by the governor, he is responsible for naming a new officeholder in the case of a vacancy.[2]
Duties
The commissioner of insurance is responsible for overseeing the Department of Insurance, which regulates insurance companies operating in Alabama. His office investigates possible insurance fraud, licenses and tracks the solvency of insurance companies, assists consumers with insurance rating and underwriting, and acts as receiver of delinquent or bankrupt companies.
The commissioner also oversees the state Fire Marshal's Office, which investigates "suspicious fires and explosions," and enforces the state's fire code through building inspections.[5]
Divisions
The Department of Insurance, overseen by the commissioner of insurance, is divided into a number of divisions:
- Accounting
- Anti-Fraud
- Consumer Services
- Examiners
- Fire Marshal
- Information Technology
- Legal
- Human Resources
- Preneed
- Producer Licensing
- Rates and Forms
- Receivership
Compensation
In 2010, the state commissioner of insurance received compensation in the amount of $103,810.[6]
The commissioner's salary is determined by the governor "in the same manner as the salaries of other appointive department heads."[7]
Code of Alabama, Section 27-2-4:
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The commissioner shall receive such annual salary as fixed by the Governor in the same manner as the salaries of other appointive department heads. Such salary shall be payable in the same manner as other state employees are paid. |
Contact info
Physical address:
201 Monroe St., #1700
Montgomery, AL 36104
Mailing address:
PO Box 303351
Montgomery, AL 36130
Phone: 334-269-3550
Fax: 334-241-4192
See also
External links
References
- ↑ National Association of Insurance Commissioners, "Member Bio - Jim L. Ridling," accessed May 24, 2011.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Code of Alabama, "Section 27-2-2," accessed May 24, 2011.
- ↑ Alabama Department of Insurance, "Bio of Commissioner Jim L. Ridling," accessed May 24, 2011.
- ↑ Code of Alabama, "Section 27-2-3," accessed May 24, 2011.
- ↑ Alabama Department of Insurance, "About ALDOI," accessed May 24, 2011.
- ↑ The Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2010, Table 4.11," accessed May 20, 2011.
- ↑ Code of Alabama, "Section 27-2-4," accessed May 24, 2011.
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