I am offended by the insurance industry's suggestion that our current hearing process is unfair. I took the oath of office as insurance commissioner six times in 20 years, swearing to uphold the laws of North Carolina. I take that oath and my responsibility very seriously, and I work diligently to make sure the rate-making process is fair to both companies and consumers.

If the process has been unfair, then why have the state courts, including the Supreme Court, upheld my rate decisions each time they were appealed during the past 22 years?

The current system has allowed us to give North Carolina drivers the fifth-lowest insurance rates in the nation. And if rates are inadequate, why are consumers being bombarded with advertisements offering more savings and discounts? If rates were too low to be profitable to companies, they wouldn't do business here, and they certainly wouldn't continue to offer multiple discounts from the rate cap that I set for them.

The industry complains that too many drivers are in the North Carolina Reinsurance Facility, but each company decides whether a driver is a good risk as a customer. The same companies that are complaining about the number of drivers in the Facility are the ones who place them there, and they make $200 million per year by sending their own customers to the Facility.

I follow the old saying, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Our insurance system ain't broke in North Carolina.

Jim Long

Commissioner of Insurance

State Fire Marshal

Raleigh

(The length limit on letters was waived to permit a fuller response.)

Get $150+ in coupons in every Sunday N&O. Click here for convenient home delivery.