Kansas Commissioner of Insurance
| Kansas Commissioner of Insurance | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Office Type: | Partisan |
| Office website: | Official Link |
| Compensation: | $86,003 |
| 2025 FY Budget: | $40,113,651 |
| Term limits: | None |
| Structure | |
| Length of term: | 4 years |
| Authority: | Chapter 4, Article 1 of the Kansas Code |
| Selection Method: | Elected |
| Current Officeholder(s) | |
Kansas Commissioner of Insurance
Vicki Schmidt | |
| Elections | |
| Next election: | November 3, 2026 |
| Last election: | November 8, 2022 |
| Other Kansas Executive Offices | |
| Governor • Lieutenant Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Treasurer • Commissioner of Education • Agriculture Secretary • Insurance Commissioner • Wildlife and Parks Secretary • Labor Secretary • Corporation Commission | |
The Kansas Insurance Commissioner is an elected state executive position in the Kansas state government. The commissioner serves as the head of the Kansas Department of Insurance, which regulates and reviews companies for financial solvency and regulatory compliance, educates consumers and helps license agents selling insurance products in the state.[1]
Current officeholder
The current Kansas Commissioner of Insurance is Vicki Schmidt (R). Schmidt assumed office in 2019.
Authority
The Kansas Commissioner of Insurance's powers, term of office, etc. are derived from Chapter 4, Article 1 of the Kansas Code.
Article 1, Section 2:
| There is hereby established a department to be known as the insurance department, which shall have a chief officer entitled the commissioner of insurance...[2] |
Qualifications
The commissioner's qualifications are established by statute.
According to Chapter 40, Article 1, Section 9, the commissioner of insurance must be:[3]
- An elector of the state of Kansas
- Experienced in the field of insurance
- Unaffiliated in any personal and/or professional capacity with insurance companies have "any financial interest in any insurance company other than as a policyholder"
Elections
As with Kansas' other executive officers, the insurance commissioner is elected to serve for a term of four years of length, which runs concurrently with the term of the governor. The election is held in November and the statewide official takes office the following January.[4]
2022
General election
General election for Kansas Commissioner of Insurance
Incumbent Vicki Schmidt defeated Kiel Corkran in the general election for Kansas Commissioner of Insurance on November 8, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Vicki Schmidt (R) | 63.0 | 618,108 |
| Kiel Corkran (D) | 37.0 | 362,882 | ||
| Total votes: 980,990 | |||
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Democratic primary election
Democratic primary for Kansas Commissioner of Insurance
Kiel Corkran advanced from the Democratic primary for Kansas Commissioner of Insurance on August 2, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | Kiel Corkran | 100.0 | 240,512 | |
| Total votes: 240,512 | |||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Kansas Commissioner of Insurance
Incumbent Vicki Schmidt advanced from the Republican primary for Kansas Commissioner of Insurance on August 2, 2022.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Vicki Schmidt | 100.0 | 407,416 |
| Total votes: 407,416 | |||
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Past elections
Vacancies
Under Chapter 40, Article 1, Section 6 of the Kansas Statutes: "In case of a vacancy in such office the governor shall appoint some suitable person to serve for the unexpired term and until a successor is elected and qualified."[5]
Duties
The commissioner's duties are introduced in Chapter 40, Article 1, Section 2 of the Kansas Statutes. Within this section, the officer entitled commissioner of insurance "is charged with the administration of all laws relating to insurance, insurance companies and fraternal benefit societies doing business in this state, and all other duties which are or may be imposed upon such officer by law." Section 3 of the Article 1 elaborates on the commissioner's duties, giving the commissioner "general supervision, control and regulation of corporations, companies, associations, societies, exchanges, partnerships, or persons authorized to transact the business of insurance, indemnity or suretyship in this state and shall have the power to make all reasonable rules and regulations necessary to enforce the laws of this state relating thereto."[6]
Divisions
As of January 25, 2021, the Kansas Insurance Department contained the following main divisions:
- Producer Licensing
- Consumer Assistance[7]
State budget
- See also: Kansas state budget and finances
The Insurance Department's budget for Fiscal Year 2025 was $40,113,651.[8]
Compensation
- See also: Compensation of state executive officers
2023
In 2023, the officer's salary was $86,003, according to the Council of State Governments.[9]
2022
In 2022, the officer's salary was $86,003, according to the Council of State Governments.[10]
2021
In 2021, the commissioner received a salary of $86,003, according to the Council of State Governments.[11]
2020
In 2020, the insurance commissioner received a salary of $86,003, according to the Council of State Governments.[12]
2019
In 2019, the insurance commissioner received a salary of $86,003, according to the Council of State Governments.[13]
2018
In 2018, the insurance commissioner received a salary of $86,003, according to the Council of State Governments.[14]
2017
In 2017, the insurance commissioner received a salary of $86,003, according to the Council of State Governments.[15]
2016
In 2016, the insurance commissioner received a salary of $86,003, according to the Council of State Governments.[16]
2015
In 2015, the insurance commissioner received a salary of $86,003, according to the Council of State Governments.[17]
2014
In 2014, the commissioner received a salary of $86,004, according to the Council of State Governments.[18]
2013
In 2013, the commissioner received a salary of $86,003, according to the Council of State Governments.[19]
2011
In 2011, the commissioner received a salary of $86,003, according to the Council of State Governments.[20]
Historical officeholders
There have been 18 Kansas state superintendents of insurance and nine Kansas state commissioners of insurance since 1871. The office switched to commissioner in 1927. Of the 27 officeholders, 24 were Republican, two were Democrat, and one was Populist.[21]
| List of Former Officeholders from 1871-Present | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Name | Tenure | Party | ||
| 1 | William C. Webb | 1871-1873 |  Republican
| ||
| 2 | Edward Russell | 1873-1874 | Republican
| ||
| 3 | Harrison Clarkson | 1874-1875 | Republican
| ||
| 4 | Orrin T. Welch | 1875-1883 | Republican
| ||
| 5 | Richard B. Morris | 1883-1887 |  Democratic
| ||
| 6 | Daniel W. Wilder | 1887-1891 | Republican
| ||
| 7 | W. H. McBride | 1891-1893 | Republican
| ||
| 8 | S. H. Snider | 1893-1895 | Republican
| ||
| 9 | George T. Anthony | 1895-1896 | Republican
| ||
| 10 | Alexander P. Riddle | 1896-1897 | Republican
| ||
| 11 | Webb McNall | 1897-1899 | Populist | ||
| 12 | Willard V. Church | 1899-1903 | Republican
| ||
| 13 | Charles H. Luling | 1903-1907 | Republican
| ||
| 14 | Charles W. Barnes | 1907-1911 | Republican
| ||
| 15 | Isaac S. Lewis | 1911-1915 | Republican
| ||
| 16 | Carey J. Wilson | 1915-1919 | Republican
| ||
| 17 | Frank L. Travis | 1919-1923 | Republican
| ||
| 18 | William R. Baker | 1923-1927 | Republican
| ||
| 19 | William R. Baker | 1927-1929 | Republican
| ||
| 20 | Charles F. Hobbs | 1929-1947 | Republican
| ||
| 21 | Frank Sullivan | 1947-1971 | Republican
| ||
| 22 | Fletcher (William Fletcher) Bell | 1971-1991 | Republican
| ||
| 23 | Ronald L. Todd | 1991-1995 | Republican
| ||
| 24 | Kathleen Sebelius | 1995-2003 | Democratic
| ||
| 25 | Sandy Praeger | 2003-2015 | Republican
| ||
| 26 | Ken Selzer | 2015-2019 | Republican
| ||
| 27 | Vicki Schmidt | 2019- | Republican
| ||
Recent news
The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Kansas Commissioner Insurance. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.
Contact information
Kansas Insurance Department
420 SW 9th Street
Topeka, Kansas 66612-1678
Email: commissioner@ksinsurance.org
Phone: 785-296-3071
Toll-free: 800-432-2484 (in Kansas only)
Fax: 785-296-7805
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Kansas Insurance Commission, "About us," accessed January 25, 2021
- ↑ Kansas Code, "Chapter 4, Article 1, Section 2," accessed January 25, 2021
- ↑ Kansas Legislature, "Article 1 - Insurance Department," accessed January 25, 2021
- ↑ Kansas Legislature, "State Code Chapter 25 Article 40. - ELECTION AND TERMS OF STATE OFFICERS," accessed December 17, 2012
- ↑ Kansas Legislature, "Article 1 - Insurance Department," accessed January 25, 2021
- ↑ Kansas Legislature, "Article 1 - Insurance Department," accessed January 25, 2021
- ↑ Kansas Insurance Commission, "About us," accessed January 25, 2021
- ↑ Kansas Division of the Budget, "2025 comparison report," accessed January 17, 2025
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2023 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 15, 2025
- ↑ 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 22, 2022
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2020," accessed January 24, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2019," accessed January 24, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2018," accessed January 24, 2021
- ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2017," accessed January 24, 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 November 14, 2014
- ↑ The Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2013, Table 4.11," accessed February 2, 2014
- ↑ The Council of State Governments, "Book of States 2011- Table 4.11," accessed February 2, 2012 (dead link)
- ↑ Kansas Historical Society, "Kansas Insurance Commissioners," accessed January 25, 2021
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