Could rising insurance rates swamp NC commissioner's reelection bid?
Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey, facing a primary challenge this March, has gone to unusual lengths to distance himself from a highly unpopular rate increase proposal. Some political observers say that could be because the proposal could hurt Causey in the March primary.
Posted — UpdatedSome political observers say that could be because the proposal could hurt Causey in the March primary.
On Friday, Causey released a statement about how the process works.
"There is clearly a lot of confusion over who sets the insurance rates here," Causey wrote. "Primary politics never came into play - I am focused on doing my job and best serving the people of North Carolina."
Causey also wrote that he is confident about winning the March primary.
Earlier this month, the NC Rate Bureau, which represents the insurance industry, requested increases averaging 42% statewide, and as high as 99% for homes on the southeastern coast.
WRAL News heard from a lot of viewers upset about the proposed rate hikes.
One viewer on a fixed income said, "This is an outrage. People are struggling daily. People are living from day to day. There's a lot of people I know that can't even afford their medicines."
Causey released a video Thursday explaining that the proposal came from the insurance industry, not from his office. He stressed that it's still under negotiation.
McLennan says most voters don't understand exactly what the state insurance commissioner does. But after so much inflation recently, they're extremely conscious of price increases right now.
Next week, voters will have a chance to weigh in on the proposed rate hike at a public comment hearing. It starts at 10 a.m. Monday at the Raleigh offices of the state Department of Insurance.
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