State Insurance Commissioner Jane Cline has been elected secretary-treasurer of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, an honor she views as an acknowledgement of the progress made in West Virginia's insurance market since she became commissioner in 2001.

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners is a voluntary organization comprised of the chief insurance regulators of the 50 states, the District of Columbia and the five United States territories.

Cline was elected at the organization's winter meeting earlier this week in San Antonio, Texas. Cline said she believes she was elected in part because of the leadership she can offer other state commissioners as they work on state and national insurance issues and deal with the industry.

Rob Alsop, secretary of the state Department of Revenue, said in a prepared statement, "Commissioner Cline's election to the NAIC's leadership team is an enormous accomplishment not only for her, but for the Offices of the Insurance Commissioner and ultimately West Virginia."

Cline said, "We're very proud of the successes we've had here at the Insurance Commissioners Office. I think when you look at where we started here almost six years ago and where we've gotten to, it is extremely important.

"Part of what we've done in the last six years is, we were facing a significant crisis with the delivery of health care in 2001," she said. "We had doctors closing practices and leaving the state because of the lack of available and affordable medical malpractice insurance.

"I would like to point out that by addressing that issue the West Virginia Physicians' Mutual Insurance Co. was established in 2004. It now insures over half of our physicians. In addition to that, they just filed for a 10 percent rate decrease, which will take effect Jan. 1. That's coupled with a 5 percent rate decrease last year."

In 2005, the Legislature changed state law to let auto insurance companies drop the worst drivers.

Cline said that by working with Gov. Joe Manchin, "We've been able to stabilize the personal lines market, which has resulted in significant rate decreases for many consumers in the area of auto insurance.

"It also has resulted in improved availability of insurance," Cline said. "Companies are now interested in writing policies in West Virginia and are offering new products. It's very important for consumers to have available and more affordable products."

An insurance fraud unit was created by the Legislature in 2004.

"It's been successful in working with law enforcement agencies in obtaining indictments and convictions," Cline said. "We've also embarked on an aggressive public awareness campaign to advise the public about insurance fraud and the resources available to them through the Consumer Services Division of the Offices of the Insurance Commissioner.

Cline said she's also worked with Manchin and the Legislature to privatize the workers' compensation insurance system. That change took place on Jan. 1.

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George Hohmann
Daily Mail business editor

Contact writer George Hohmann at 348-4836.

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