Former San Francisco Supervisor Jane Kim led state Sen. Ben Allen in California’s insurance commissioner race, according to the California Secretary of State’s unofficial results.
As of the state’s 6:58 p.m. Pacific time update Nov. 5, Kim had 3,956,034 votes, or 52.6%, to Allen’s 3,569,306 votes, or 47.4%. Both candidates are Democrats.
The outcome remains undecided. The AP-powered results tracker published by KQED showed no race call in its Nov. 5 evening update.
Vote-by-mail, provisional and other ballots remain to be counted. Statewide certification is due Dec. 11, according to the Secretary of State.
Unofficial results
Candidate | Party | Votes | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
Jane Kim | Democratic | 3,956,034 | 52.6% |
Ben Allen | Democratic | 3,569,306 | 47.4% |
Source: California Secretary of State, updated at 6:58 p.m. Pacific time Nov. 5. Results are unofficial.
Kim led Allen by 386,728 votes. All 23,860 precincts were listed as partially reporting, which does not mean all ballots have been counted.
Why it matters in Marin
The next commissioner will oversee efforts to improve insurance availability and affordability for homeowners, including those in Marin County.
Marin appears on the California Department of Insurance’s list of distressed counties, which is used to determine insurers’ commitments to offer residential coverage under the state’s Sustainable Insurance Strategy.
The strategy allows changes in how insurers calculate rates while requiring participating companies to meet coverage commitments in designated areas, according to the Department of Insurance.
The department’s market snapshot, updated Oct. 27, listed 677,449 FAIR Plan homeowner policies statewide. The FAIR Plan provides coverage to homeowners who cannot obtain it through the traditional insurance market.
What the commissioner can and cannot do
The insurance commissioner is elected independently of the governor and leads the Department of Insurance. The department regulates insurers, reviews rates, investigates complaints and enforces insurance laws, CapRadio reported.
Under Proposition 103, the department reviews proposed rate changes for homeowners and auto insurance.
The office has limits. Creating a new insurance program would require legislation, according to CapRadio.
Two different approaches
Kim proposed a public disaster insurance program to cover catastrophic losses, including wildfire damage. Her campaign proposal calls for the state to take a larger role in providing disaster coverage.
Allen emphasized improving the existing private insurance market. His campaign platform calls for consumer protections, changes to insurance regulation and investments that reduce disaster risks.
The candidates’ plans would depend on more than the commissioner’s actions alone. Stanford insurance policy expert Michael Wara told CapRadio that creating a public program would require legislative support.
How to follow the count
Readers can follow additional returns through the California Secretary of State’s insurance commissioner results page.
Mail ballots postmarked by Election Day must arrive by Nov. 10 to be counted, according to the state’s election calendar.
Counties must certify their results by Dec. 3 and send complete returns to the secretary of state by Dec. 4. Statewide certification is due Dec. 11.
Results remain unofficial and may change as additional ballots are counted.
