Questions for the Candidates for Insurance Commissioner
Last night, Allan Loudell hosted the debate between the Dem primary candidates for the replacement of Mike Castle and tonite he hosts a debate between the candidates for Insurance Commissioner. Allan has asked for input on questions you especially want answered from these candidates.
Allan used questions submitted by contributors and commenters to this blog last evening, and so you really have a chance at getting your question put to the candidates by someone who will keep those candidate on point.
So post your questions for the Insurance Commissioner candidates here! The debate this evening starts on WDEL at 6PM.
Of course, any questions involving Gene Reed’s questionable campaign finances would be nice.
Based on Mike’s question —
Do you take campaign contributions from the firms that you would be in a position to regulate ?
And, if so, how to do assure the people of Delaware that your ability to look out for their interests if you are dependent upon them for financing?
After market warranties are becoming a problem area with firms not fulfilling contracts or disappearing. Is this an area you see an opportunity for the Insurance Commissioner to regulate? And if so, what regulations would you propose?
The availability and cost of health care insurance is a huge concern and is a signature part of the platforms for both Democratic candidates for Governor. How do you see the Insurance Commissioner’s office participating in a state-wide effort to increase insurance availability? What specific initiatives would you institute that would help to increase insurance availability or to help to reduce the cost of insurance?
Awesome questions Cassandra. Here is mine:
Under Matt Denn, Worker’s Comp Insurance rates were cut but they are still egregiously high, even for companies that have been operating for 20 years with zero accidents and zero claims.
What could you do as Insurance Commissioner to make sure good, well run, safe businesses are not subsidizing sloppy, poorly run businesses?
BTW – The correct answer is, reform the self-insurance rules and set up an easy apply for “self insurance bond” program so good companies can opt out of paying for Workers comp insurance if they go 10 or 20 years with no claims or accidents.
Worker’s comp is a money printing operation for insurance companies.
Thanks Jason — worker’s comp is a good one, especially as firms shortchange OSHA compliance as oversight decreases.
One more — natural disasters (flooding, especially) seem to be on the rise and seem to be taking their toll on places that may not have been aware that the floodplains have changed to now put their communities at greater risk. What role does the Insurance Commissioner’s office have in informing these communities of not just their increased risk, but in available options for appropriate insurance products?
Why when I buy life insurance does the life insurance salesman insist on coming to my house?
What could you do as Insurance Commissioner to make sure good, well run, safe businesses are not subsidizing sloppy, poorly run businesses?
Excellent question Jason! If only you were willing to apply the underlying concept to other issues.
An open government question — can the candidates talk about specific initiatives they would implement within the office to provide more focused information on the office’s activities AND to provide more input from insurance consumers to regulatory decision-making?
question:
what do you do?
Damn, Gene’s gettin’ slammed!
Yes he is — and on his campaign contributions!
You’ve got to give it to Karen Weldin Stewart. She’s not the most articulate, but she’s a damn pit-bull. And so is Tom Savage.
I’ve got to give it to Allan. This is great listening.
This is awesome. And I think that Reed is abit wounded here.
Neither Weldin-Stewart or Reed wants to weigh in on deciding which of the Markell or Carney health care plan is better. Good on Savage for taking a stand!
KWS just accused of padding her resume!
I know! Juiciness!
More doubts on resumes…..wow!
I only heard the first question…any worker’s comp yet?
No worker’s comp yet….
Is Karen that thick? When Gene said he worked his way from the basement, even I knew he was speaking metaphorically!
Did you kill the other thread or have I finally lost my mind today?
Hers does not seem like a mind made for metaphor…but it is too bad I can’t get the vidoeo stream, because I think that Reed must have a giant bullseye painted on him…..
I don’t get this smart card thing — is this an insurance ID card?
Woo Hoo! Another Delaware Liberal question re; warrantees….
I put that up just prior to finding you here.
They just talked about worker’s comp.
Lots of discussion about enforcement — making sure that all of the firms working in DE are paying the DE rates and some discussion on more hearings to listen to ideas.
Not what I was hoping for.
Not what I was expecting!
Another great job by Allan Loudell! We gotta get this guy a Presidential debate to moderate — that would be fun….especially if we still get to ask questions.
Anyway, this was an interesting debate — Reed was really nailed to the mat for his campaign contributors from the industry for much of the first third of the event. And he had little to offer in terms of the potential conflicts of interest other than he would be able to manage it. Then Reed worked on turning the tables on KWS by accusing her of padding her resume. Only Savage wanted to endorse a health plan and he chose Markell’s plan — but Savage was a fiend for single payer and how he would work to get that if elected. Allan asked about warranty companies and about workman’s comp and auto insurance and there was a lot of good discussion, I thought, but no one jumped out at me as having some innovative approaches to tackleing any of these issues. Both Karen and Reed seemed to know what they were talking about, though.
If I were Gene Reed, I would be thinking about a better way to deal with his apparent conflicts of interest here. I really thought he was bloodied pretty well on his campaign contributions issues.
Thanks again for doing this, Allan, and more thanks for crediting Delaware Liberal with some of the questions you used. Next debate is between Coons and Gordon for NCC County Exec on 22 August. That one you can see in person at Widener at 8AM and I’ll be looking for a ringside seat to that one….
I’m out of state and can’t see the debate. How did Brady do?
I am SO MAD I am just seeing this now!!! GREAT questions Jason–the whole small business owner rate table is ludicrous–I may as well be building bridges over the River Kwai….but some of my other peeves….why not more agressive pursuit of uninsured drivers in Delaware? AND…my big one, that I even used my 5 minute town meeting I was granted w/ RAM a couple of years ago…I think auto liability insurance should be a reversal of the present system. Right now….you sue me for what I’m worth…it should be capped at the level that you insured yourself. I’m tired and broke (not because of judgements I should clarify), of people who have hit the American lottery, not because they did the responsible thing and purchased adequate insurance, but because they had the good fortune to collide w/ someone who may have more than the Continental they’re living out of, and the wide screen they watch in the pole barn. And it’s getting worse…people I know aren’t even discreet about where their new wealth is funded!!! Funnier though, was RAM’s response when she told me, she liked it, and Denn was to unveil a plan she thought I would find more palatable than the current way of getting rich. Never heard from his office, or his plan. Guess running for office holds you up from doing your job…..
Gene Reed did not tell the truth when he accused Karen of claiming on her web site that she was Chief of Staff to State Senator Harris McDowell. Her biography on her web site says, as it has since we have had a web site, that she was an assistant to Senator McDowell.
By the way Gene was not using basement metaphorically but literally. He even gave the building address after Karen pointed out that the building had no basement.
Finally, this contribution issue is important. Stop and think. You have dinners with an insurance company executive over a period of time. His company gives employees gratuities. He gives your campaign a $1200 contribution and so does his wife. You know the guy and his wife and are friends. Then Joe Q. Blogger calls the insurance department and needs some help with a claim from that very insurance company. Who is Gene going to listen to: a perfect stranger he has never met or the insurance company executive?
Elliott Jacobson
Campaign Manager
verusum, this debate was just between the Democratic candidates, so Brady was not on.
These debates are streamed live on WDEL , don’t know if they put them up for listening later.
Anyone who actually pays attention to politics would realize that Gene Reed has to be toast after tonight. However, most people don’t pay attention to politics and will only vote based on the amount of Eller billboard featuring Reed’s name and mug and the thousands of signs I’ve seen around the area. This guy is a trainwreck and the mere fact that he refuses to accept any criticism regarding the scandalous donations leads me to believe he’s in no position to lead.
Hello gang,
Just scheduled a Wilmington City Council President’s debate (Democratic candidates only) for Monday evening, August 18th, 6–7 p.m.
Questions welcome.
Allan Loudell
WDEL Radio
Let me just say that Allan Loudell rocks.
Note that Allan is one of two moderators at the all-day political forum in Newark on Saturday the 23rd. All three Insurance Commissioner and all three US Congress candidates from the Democratic primary will be in attendance, along with many, many other candidates.
You can go to http://www.uufn.org for more information, or get the flyer itself at http://www.uufn.org/temp/ForumFlyerHours.pdf
We have also set dates in October for general election candidate forums (I hope to hear Brady and the successful Democratic candidate speak on their vision for the Insurance Commissioner office).
I chair the social justice committee at the UU church in Newark, which is sponsoring these non-partisan, open-to-the-public events.
Can we expect that there will be a rescheduling of the county council president primary candidate debates?
Why would there be a rescheduling?
And thanks again, Allan! We’ll put up a questions thread for the Wilmington City Council President debate too.