Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/81698
Remember to vote in the Delaware Primary September 11 Mitch Crane has experience and skills to be a pro-consumer Insurance Commissioner Why should we care about the Insurance It's always tough bucking the incumbent, but the DSEA Executive Board and Interview Committee feel strongly that Mitch Crane deserves our sup- port on September 11. He will fight for changes that will benefit all Delawareans and their families. I n this hotly contested and crowded race, the five candi- dates (four Democrats and one Republican) running for Insurance Commissioner all participated in the DSEA candidate recommenda- tion process: they completed a ques- tionnaire and came to meet a DSEA interview team and talk face-to-face about the insurance issues facing them and the role of the insurance commissioner's office. The DSEA Insurance Commissioner Interview Team consisted of: Frederika Jenner, president Mary Jo Faust, NEA director for Delaware, Capital Clay Beauchamp, Lake Forest Dom Zaffora, Woodbridge Denise Waples, Milford Amy Johnson, Indian River Jim Testerman, DSEA-Retired Difficult recommendation since Crane seeks to defeat the incumbent Our interview team and Board concluded that Mr. Crane's pro-con- sumer beliefs, coupled with his out- standing skills and industry experi- ence, warranted our recommenda- tion. Of the five candidates, Mitch Crane presented the best arguments on behalf of his candidacy: • He exhibited the ability to speak clearly and present concrete, under- standable examples of the types of legislation he would initiate. • He was recruited to work in the Insurance Commissioner's office by former Commissioner Matt Denn, and has four years experience working on the Commissioner's management team as regulatory specialist and acting director of consumer services. www.dsea.org Mitch Crane attends several DSEA membership trainings to meet members. Here he chats with Milford's Dawn Dehel. • Crane will hold insurance compa- nies accountable and rigorously require them to justify requests for rate increases. • He holds a law degree from Widener University School of Law and served as an elected District Judge in Chester County, PA (1982- 1987). • He has practiced law for 30 years, concentrating in Family Law. • He was a secondary school English and Political Science teacher. Will lobby for specific legislation • End pricing discrimination of seniors' car insurance rates when they exhibit the ability to safely operate a car; • Ban the use of credit scores in setting premiums; • End discrimination against young women in setting health insurance premiums for individual and small group plans; and • Require two union representa- tives on the State Employee Benefits Committee. extremely knowledge- able about the role of Insurance Commis- sioner. He also had a clear vision of what he wants to accomplish in " this role. - Clay Beauchamp " Special Education teacher, Lake Forest " Since Mitch Crane worked in the Insurance Commis- sioner's office, he has first-hand knowledge of the consumer issues that the current Ins. Commissioner hasn't addressed. - Denise Waples Elementary classroom teacher, Milford " Mitch Crane was Commissioner race? This office controls car insurance, private health insurance, and home insurance rates in Delaware. Agency. Officially --- "The insurance commissioner is administrative head of the Delaware Department of Insurance, the agency responsible for regulating and supervising the operations of the state's insurance industry. Besides its regulatory duties, the Depart-ment of Insurance inves- tigates insurance fraud com- plaints, provides consumers with consulting services and arbi- trates disputes between compa- nies and consumers." For more, check out www.delawareinsur- ance.gov/services/services. shtml. T In addition to regulating the insurance industry (who can pro- vide insurance and under what conditions), the Insurance Commissioner is a voting mem- ber of the powerful State Employee Benefits Committee, which decides what insurance coverage is available for state workers and their families, as well as rates and premium costs. The commissioner also sits on the Delaware Health Care Commission, the Deferred Compensation Council and the Council on Health Promotion and Disease Prevention. Democratic Primary - September 11 Mitch Crane - Insurance Commissioner A Pro-Consumer Commissioner September 2012 DSEA ACTION! 11 he Insurance Commiss- ioner's office is really a Consumer Protection