Insurance Commissioner Issues WSI

Workforce Safety and Insurance has been the centerpiece of legal discussions for the past two years for many things, including the controversy surrounding former director Sandy Blunt. Both candidates for Insurance Commissioner say if elected, they`d like the department to have regulatory authority of WSI. Adam Hamm says he`d do that by using the department`s expertise through financial examinations and making sure claims are being treated fairly.

"If this bill that we propose and I submitted to the IBL committee goes through, for the first time the Insurance department would have the ability to oversee those two critical aspects of WSI," says Hamm.

His opponent Jasper Schneider says he`d also like the insurance department to get involved in overseeing WSI.

"Really, to allow the insurance commissioner and the insurance department to offer their regulatory expertise over the WSI fund," says Schneider. "Basically, be there to tell them when they don`t have enough money and when they`ve got too much."

Other issues the candidates say are important to them are helping seniors and regulation of the industry. Hamm says to help the aging population of North Dakota, he`d expand on programs like SHIC and Prescription Connection which are two programs he says have doubled in size over the last year.

"So we need to make sure we can grow those programs responsibly so that we`re there to meet the needs of seniors in North Dakota," Hamm says.

Schneider says responsible regulation is an issue of major importance to him. He wants to make sure whoever gets elected is working for the people and not just playing politics. He`s proposed "revolving door" legislation that would provide a reasonable amount of time between when a commissioner leaves office before being allowed to work in the industry he or she was just regulating.

"Way of making sure whoever elected is working for the people and not just entertaining other job offers," Schneider says.

Both Hamm and Schneider say they would make that pledge, but it`s up to the voter to decide who will take control of the office.

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Insurance Commissioner Issues WSI