North Carolina Commissioner of Insurance
| North Carolina Commissioner of Insurance | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Office Type: | Partisan |
| Office website: | Official Link |
| Compensation: | $146,421 |
| 2025 FY Budget: | $53,288,051 |
| Term limits: | None |
| Structure | |
| Length of term: | 4 years |
| Authority: | North Carolina Constitution, Article III, Section 7 |
| Selection Method: | Elected |
| Current Officeholder | |
North Carolina Commissioner of Insurance
Mike Causey | |
| Elections | |
| Next election: | November 7, 2028 |
| Last election: | November 5, 2024 |
| Other North Carolina Executive Offices | |
| Governor • Lieutenant Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Treasurer • Auditor • Superintendent of Education • Agriculture Commissioner • Insurance Commissioner • Natural Resources Commissioner • Labor Commissioner • Public Service Commission | |
The North Carolina Commissioner of Insurance is an elected state executive position in the North Carolina state government. The commissioner is the head of the North Carolina Department of Insurance, serves as a member of the Council of State, and is also the State Fire Marshall.[1] Among its duties, the Department of Insurance regulates the insurance industry, handles insurance-related complaints, and licenses insurance agents.[1] Additionally, the department houses the Office of the State Fire Marshall, which interprets building codes, trains firefighters, and awards grants to fire and rescue departments for equipment.[1]
The commissioner is elected by a statewide vote during presidential election years and serves for a four-year term.
Current officeholder
The current officeholder is Mike Causey (R). He was elected to the position in 2016 and assumed office on January 1, 2017.[2] Causey was re-elected to a second term in 2020. He succeeded Wayne Goodwin (D) in the position.
Authority
The commissioner of insurance's establishment and term of office are derived from Article III, Section 7 of the North Carolina Constitution.
Article III, Section 7:
| A Secretary of State, an Auditor, a Treasurer, a Superintendent of Public Instruction, an Attorney General, a Commissioner of Agriculture, a Commissioner of Labor, and a Commissioner of Insurance shall be elected by the qualified voters of the State in 1972 and every four years thereafter, at the same time and places as members of the General Assembly are elected. Their term of office shall be four years and shall commence on the first day of January next after their election and continue until their successors are elected and qualified.[3] |
Qualifications
Article VI, Section 6 of the North Carolina Constitution establishes the qualifications of the office:
| Every qualified voter in North Carolina who is 21 years of age, except as in this Constitution disqualified, shall be eligible for election by the people to office.[3] |
- Qualified North Carolina voter
- At least 21 years of age
Vacancies
Details of vacancy appointments are addressed under Article III, Section 7.
If a vacancy occurs in the office, the governor appoints another to serve until a successor is elected and qualified. Every such vacancy shall be filled by election at the first election for members of the General Assembly that occurs more than 60 days after the vacancy has taken place, and the person chosen shall hold the office for the remainder of the unexpired term.[3]
Duties
The commissioner of insurance is the head of the North Carolina Department of Insurance, serves as a member of the Council of State, and is also the State Fire Marshall.[1] Among its duties, the Department of Insurance regulates the insurance industry, handles insurance-related complaints, and licenses insurance agents.[1] Additionally, the department houses the Office of the State Fire Marshall, which interprets building codes, trains firefighters, and awards grants to fire and rescue departments for equipment.[1] Additional duties of the office include, but are not limited to:[1][4]
- Fixing and collect fees of services performed by code enforcement officials and collect mileage reimbursements for those officials;
- Reporting to the attorney general any violations of the laws relating to insurance companies, associations, and bureaus;
- Providing residents of the state a synopsis of the provisions of any insurance contract given to him or her after receiving the appropriate application from the resident;
- Investigating insurance fraud; and
- Educating the public about fire safety and injury prevention.
Elections
North Carolina elects the insurance commissioner in presidential election years. The officeholder is elected to a four-year term, which begins the first day of January following the election.[3]
2024
General election candidates
- Mike Causey (Incumbent) (Republican Party) ✔
- Natasha Marcus (Democratic Party)
= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey
Democratic primary candidates
= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey
Republican primary candidates
- Mike Causey (Incumbent) ✔
- C. Robert Brawley
- Andrew Marcus
= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey
2020
General election candidates
- Mike Causey (Incumbent) (Republican Party) ✔
- Wayne Goodwin (Democratic Party)
= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey Democratic primary candidates
This primary was canceled and this candidate advanced:
= candidate completed Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection survey Republican primary candidates
- Mike Causey (Incumbent) ✔
- Ronald Pierce
2016
Mike Causey defeated incumbent Wayne Goodwin in the North Carolina insurance commisioner election.
| North Carolina Insurance Commisioner, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican |  Mike Causey |
50.44% | 2,247,595 | |
| Democratic | Wayne Goodwin Incumbent | 49.56% | 2,208,241 | |
| Total Votes | 4,455,836 | |||
| Source: ABC11 | ||||
Full history
To view the electoral history dating back to 2000 for the office of North Carolina Commissioner of Insurance, click [show] to expand the section. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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2012Incumbent Wayne Goodwin (D) successfully won re-election, defeating Mike Causey (R) in the November 6, 2012 general election.
2008On November 4, 2008, Wayne Goodwin won election to the office of North Carolina Commissioner of Insurance. He defeated John Odom (R) and Mark McMains (L) in the general election.
2004 On November 2, 2004, Jim Long won re-election to the office of North Carolina Commissioner of Insurance. He defeated C. Robert Brawley (R) in the general election.
2000 On November 7, 2000, Jim Long won re-election to the office of North Carolina Commissioner of Insurance. He defeated Mike Causey (R) in the general election.
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Divisions
Note: Ballotpedia's state executive officials project researches state official websites for information that describes the divisions (if any exist) of a state executive office. That information for the North Carolina Commissioner of Insurance has not yet been added. After extensive research we were unable to identify any relevant information on state official websites. If you have any additional information about this office for inclusion on this section and/or page, please email us.
State budget
- See also: North Carolina state budget and finances
The budget for the Department of Insurance in Fiscal Year 2025 was $53,288,051.[5]
Compensation
- See also: Compensation of state executive officers
Article III, Section 9 of the North Carolina Constitution defines the method by which the agriculture commissioner's compensation is set:
| The officers whose offices are established by this Article shall at stated periods receive the compensation and allowances prescribed by law, which shall not be diminished during the time for which they have been chosen.[3] |
2022
In 2022, the officer's salary was $146,421, according to the Council of State Governments.[6]
2021
In 2021, the commissioner received a salary of $136,699, according to the Council of State Governments.[7]
2020
In 2020, the commissioner received a salary of $133,365, according to the Council of State Governments.[8]
2019
In 2019, the commissioner received a salary of $127,561, according to the Council of State Governments.[9]
2018
In 2018, the commissioner received a salary of $127,561, according to the Council of State Governments.[10]
2017
In 2017, the commissioner received a salary of $127,561, according to the Council of State Governments.[11]
2016
In 2016, the insurance commissioner received a salary of $125,676, according to the Council of State Governments.[12]
2015
In 2015, the insurance commissioner received a salary of $125,676, according to the Council of State Governments.[13]
2014
In 2014, the commissioner was paid an estimated $124,676, according to the Council of State Governments.[14]
2013
In 2013, the commissioner was paid an estimated $124,676.[15]
2010
In 2010, the commissioner was paid an estimated $123,198, according to the Council of State Governments.[16]
Historical officeholders
There have been 11 commissioners of insurance since 1899. Of the 11 commissioners, ten were Democratic and one was Republican. In 2016, Mike Causey became the first Republican elected to the office.[17][18]
| List of Historical Officeholders from 1899-Present | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Name | Tenure | Party | ||
| 1 | James R. Young | 1899-1921 |  Democratic
| ||
| 2 | Stacey W. Wade | 1921-1927 | Democratic
| ||
| 3 | Daniel C. Boney | 1927-1942 | Democratic
| ||
| 4 | William P. Hodges | 1942-1949 | Democratic
| ||
| 5 | Waldo C. Creek | 1949-1953 | Democratic
| ||
| 6 | Charles F. Gold | 1953-1962 | Democratic
| ||
| 7 | Edwin S. Lanier | 1962-1973 | Democratic
| ||
| 8 | John R. Ingram | 1973-1985 | Democratic
| ||
| 9 | James Eugene Long | 1985-2009 | Democratic
| ||
| 10 | George Goodwin | 2009-2017 | Democratic
| ||
| 11 | Mike Causey | 2017-Present |  Republican
| ||
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms North Carolina Commissioner of Insurance. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
Contact information
Physical address:
Albermarle Building
325. N. Salisbury Street
Raleigh NC 27603
Mailing address:
NC Department of Insurance
1201 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, NC 27699
Toll free: 855-408-1212
Agent services: 919-807-6800
See also
| North Carolina | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis |
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 NC Department of Insurance, "About DOI," accessed Feb. 1, 2021
- ↑ NC Department of Insurance, "Mike Causey," accessed Feb. 1, 2021
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 North Carolina State Legislature, "North Carolina State Constitution," accessed Feb. 1, 2021
- ↑ Justia, "NC Gen Stat § 58-2-40 (2019)," accessed Feb. 1, 2021
- ↑ North Carolina General Assembly, "House Bill 259," accessed December 6, 2023
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2022 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," provided to Ballotpedia by CSG personnel
- ↑ Issuu, "The Book of the States 2021," accessed September 28, 2022
- ↑ Issuu, "The Book of the States," Sept. 30, 2020
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2019," accessed Jan. 27, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2018," accessed Jan. 27, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2017," accessed Jan. 27, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2016," accessed August 27, 2016
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2015," accessed August 27, 2016
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed December 3, 2014
- ↑ The Nerve Center, "S.C. Salary Panel Approves Salaries for New Insurance Director, Winthrop University President," accessed February 27, 2013
- ↑ The Council of State Governments, "The Book of States 2010 Table 4.11," accessed May 14, 2011
- ↑ Carolana.com, "Commissioner of Insurance," accessed Feb. 2, 2021
- ↑ Carolina Journal, "Three GOP Challengers Hope To Be First Republican Insurance Commissioner," March 14, 2016
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