Colorado Commissioner of Insurance

	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]

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

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

[BotS2023-5] Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2023 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," accessed January 15, 2025

[BotS2022-6] Council of State Governments, "Book of the States 2022 Table 4.11: Selected State Administrative Officials: Annual Salaries," provided to Ballotpedia by CSG personnel

[2021salary-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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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

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