Colorado Commissioner of Insurance

General information
Office Type: | Nonpartisan
Office website: | Official Link
Compensation: | $175,960
2025 FY Budget: | $16,138,450
Term limits: | None
Structure
Length of term: |  Serves at the pleasure of the governor
Authority: | Article IV, Section 23
Selection Method: | Appointed by the governor
Current Officeholder(s)

Colorado Commissioner of Insurance Michael Conway
Nonpartisan
Assumed office: January 1, 2018

Other Colorado Executive Offices
Governor • Lieutenant Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Treasurer • Controller • Commissioner of Education • Agriculture Commissioner • Insurance Commissioner • Natural Resources Exec. Director • Labor Executive Director • Public Utilities Commission • Colorado State Board of Regents

The Colorado Commissioner of Insurance is a state executive position in the Colorado state government. The commissioner heads the Colorado Division of Insurance, a part of the state's Department of Regulatory Agencies. The division regulates the state's insurance industries, deals with customer complaints against insurers and provides other customer services.[1]

## Contents

* 1 Current officeholder
* 2 Authority
* 3 Qualifications
* 4 Appointments
* 4.1 Term limits
* 5 Vacancies
* 6 Duties
* 7 Divisions
* 8 State budget
* 9 Compensation
* 9.1 2023
* 9.2 2022
* 9.3 2021
* 9.4 2020
* 9.5 2019
* 9.6 2018
* 9.7 2017
* 9.8 2016
* 9.9 2015
* 9.10 2014
* 9.11 2013
* 9.12 2011
* 10 Historical officeholders
* 11 Recent news
* 12 Contact info
* 13 See also
* 14 External links
* 15 Footnotes

## Current officeholder[edit]

The current Colorado Commissioner of Insurance is Michael Conway (nonpartisan). Conway assumed office in 2018.

## Authority[edit]

Article IV, Section 23 of the Colorado Constitution establishes the commissioner as head of the Division of Insurance.

Colorado Constitution, Article IV, Section 23

The governor shall nominate and, by and with the consent of the senate, appoint the commissioner of insurance to serve at his pleasure, and the state personnel system shall not extend to the commissioner of insurance.

## Qualifications[edit]

State law requires that the commissioner be a person experienced in insurance, an elector in the state of Colorado (i.e. a resident of the state, at least 18 years old), and that he have no financial interest in any insurance company.

Colorado Revised Statutes, Section 10-1-104

The commissioner shall be a person well versed in insurance, and an elector of the state of Colorado, and shall have no pecuniary interest in any insurance company or agency directly or indirectly other than as a policyholder.

## Appointments[edit]

The commissioner is appointed by the governor and must be confirmed by a majority vote of the state Senate. The commissioner serves at the governor's pleasure and does not have a fixed term.

Colorado Revised Statutes, Section 10-1-104

The commissioner shall be a person well versed in insurance, and an elector of the state of Colorado, and shall have no pecuniary interest in any insurance company or agency directly or indirectly other than as a policyholder.

### Term limits[edit]

This office does not have term limits.

## Vacancies[edit]

There is no particular procedure for dealing with vacancies in the office of commissioner.

## Duties[edit]

The Division of Insurance, which the commissioner oversees, is charged with regulating the state's insurance industries and resolving consumer complaints against insurance companies.[2]

## Divisions[edit]

As of January 12, 2021, divisions within the Division of Insurance included:[3]

* Affordability Programs
* Property Casualty & Administration
* Life & Health Policy
* Finance
* Policy

## State budget[edit]

See also: Colorado state budget and finances

The budget for the Colorado Division of Insurance in the 2024-2025 Fiscal Year was $16,138,450.[4]

## Compensation[edit]

The commissioner's compensation is fixed by law.

### 2023[edit]

In 2023, the officer's salary was $175,960, according to the Council of State Governments.[5]

### 2022[edit]

In 2022, the officer's salary was $164,448, according to the Council of State Governments.[6]

### 2021[edit]

In 2021, the commissioner received a salary of $159,660, according to the Council of State Governments.[7]

### 2020[edit]

In 2020, the insurance commissioner received a salary of $159,660 according to the Council of State Governments.[8]

### 2019[edit]

In 2019, the insurance commissioner received a salary of $159,996 according to the Council of State Governments.[9]

### 2018[edit]

In 2018, the insurance commissioner received a salary of $125,004 according to the Council of State Governments.[10]

### 2017[edit]

In 2017, the insurance commissioner received a salary of $135,564 according to the Council of State Governments.[11]

### 2016[edit]

In 2016, the insurance commissioner received a salary of $135,564 according to the Council of State Governments.[12]

### 2015[edit]

In 2015, the insurance commissioner received a salary of $120,000 according to the Council of State Governments.[13]

### 2014[edit]

In 2014, the commissioner received a salary of $120,000 according to the Council of State Governments.[14]

### 2013[edit]

In 2013, the commissioner received a salary of $120,000 according to the Council of State Governments.[15]

### 2011[edit]

In 2011, the commissioner received a salary of $120,000 according to the Council of State Governments.[16]

## Historical officeholders[edit]

There have been 42 Colorado Commissioners of Insurance since 1883. Before 1906, commissioners were known as Superintendents of Insurance and worked in the Office of the State Auditor. Since 1984, commissioners have been appointed by the governor.

List of officeholders from 1883-present

#  | Name  | Tenure
1. | Michael Conway | 2018-Present
2. | Marguerite Salazar | 2013-2017
3. | Doug Dean Interim | July 2013 – Aug. 2013
4. | Jim Riesberg | 2011-2013
5. | John J. Postolowski (Interim) | 2010-2011
6. | Marcy Morrison | 2007-2010
7. | David Rivera | 2005-2007
8. | Doug Dean | 2003-2005
9. | M. Michael Cook (Acting) | 2002-2003
10. | William M. Kirvin, III | 1999-2002
11. | Jack Ehnes | 1994-1999
12. | Joanne Hill | 1990-1994
13. | Bruce Smith | 1989-1990
14. | John Kezer | 1984-1989
15. | Daniel J. Colaiannia (Acting) | 1984
16. | Richard D. Lamm | 1975-1987
17. | J. Richard Barnes | 1964-1984
18. | Richard D. Lamm | 1975-1987
19. | Sam N. Beery | 1954-1961?
20. | Luke J. Kavanaugh | 1939-1954
21. | Jackson Cochrane | 1921-1938
22. | Earl Wilson | 1920-1921
23. | Claude W. Fairchild | 1916-1919
24. | E.R. Harper | 1915-1916
25. | D.M. Rolph | 1914-1915
26. | George A. Carlson | 1915-1917
27. | Saul Epsteen | 1912-1913
28. | William L. Clayton | 1908-1911
29. | E.E. Rittenhouse | 1907-1908
30. | George D. Statler | 1906-1907
31. | Alfred E. Bent | 1904-1905
32. | John A. Holmberg | 1902-1903
33. | C.W. Crouter | 1900-1901
34. | George W. Temple | 1898-1899
35. | John W. Lowell | 1896-1897
36. | C.C. Parks | 1894-1895
37. | F.M. Goodykoontz | 1892-1893
38. | John M. Henderson | 1890-1891
39. | Louis B. Schwanbeck | 1888-1889
40. | Darwin P. Kingsley | 1886-1888
41. | Hiram A. Sprumance | 1885-1886
42. | John C. Abbott | 1882-1884

## Recent news[edit]

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms Colorado Insurance Commissioner. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

Colorado Commissioner of Insurance - Google News

## Contact info[edit]

Address:
1560 Broadway, Suite 850
Denver, CO 80202
Phone: (303) 894-7499

## See also[edit]

Colorado | State Executive Elections | News and Analysis

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|

Colorado State Executive Offices Colorado State Legislature Colorado Courts |  2026 • 2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 Colorado elections: 2026 • 2025 • 2024 • 2023 • 2022 • 2021 • 2020 • 2019 • 2018 • 2017 • 2016 |  Party control of state government State government trifectas State of the state addresses Partisan composition of governors

## External links[edit]

| Suggest a link

|

* Colorado Division of Insurance

## Footnotes[edit]

1. ↑ Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies, "DORA Divisions, Programs, & Boards," accessed January 12, 2021
2. ↑ Colorado Division of Insurance, "Home," accessed January 12, 2021
3. ↑ Colorado Division of Insurance, "Org Chart," accessed January 12, 2021
4. ↑ Colorado General Assembly, "Appropriations Report Fiscal Year 2024-25," accessed January 15, 2025
5. ↑ Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2023 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 15, 2025
6. ↑ Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2022 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," provided to Ballotpedia by CSG personnel
7. ↑ Issuu, "The Book of the States 2021," accessed September 22, 2022
8. ↑ Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2020," accessed January 12, 2021
9. ↑ Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2019," accessed January 12, 2021
10. ↑ Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2018," accessed January 12, 2021
11. ↑ Council of State Governments, "The Book of the States 2017," accessed January 12, 2021
12. ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2016," accessed August 27, 2016
13. ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries, 2015," accessed August 27, 2016
14. ↑ Council of State Governments, "Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed November 14, 2014
15. ↑ The Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2013, Table 4.11," accessed February 2, 2014
16. ↑ The Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2010 -- Table 4.11," accessed July 21, 2011

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