California’s insurance market is in crisis, and the runoff election for insurance commissioner is now being seen as one of the state’s most important contests. After years of devastating wildfires, major insurers have pulled back from the market, leaving many residents dependent on the state-run FAIR Plan, the insurer of last resort.
Democratic state Sen. Ben Allen and former San Francisco supervisor Jane Kim finished first and second in June’s primary and will face each other in the October runoff. The California Democratic Party endorsed Allen at a San Diego executive committee meeting, backing him 61% to 39%.
Allen is emphasizing his record authoring a $10 billion bond measure for wildfire preparedness and climate disaster response, arguing that he is best positioned to stabilize the insurance market. Kim has made a state-run disaster insurance program a central part of her platform, modeled in part on New Zealand’s public insurance system.
Kim has also faced questions about her experience in the insurance industry. Rather than point to direct industry background, she has highlighted her work as a civil rights attorney and community activist. Republican candidate Stacy Cogswell, who did not advance to the runoff, drew on decades of insurance-industry experience to argue for deregulation and a dedicated office to attract insurers.
