Commissioner of Insurance
The role of the insurance commissioner is to protect and educate Georgia families. They provide access to insurance products and safe buildings, investigate insurance fraud, prevent unfair practices, ensure fair prices, and protect consumers through the consumer protection laws.
Janice Laws Robinson
Democrat
John King
Republican, Incumbent
On the issues
Priorities
What priorities or key issues will you address if elected to this office?
Janice Laws Robinson, Democrat
The Janice Laws Robinson campaign did not submit responses to our questionnaire. The response is taken verbatim from the campaign website:
Fight for Affordable Premiums
Hold Insurance Companies Accountable
Ensure Safety
Educate and Empower
John King, Republican
The John King campaign did not submit responses to our questionnaire. The response is taken verbatim from the campaign website:
In June of 2019, Governor Brian P. Kemp tapped General King to continue his service as Georgia’s Insurance and Fire Safety Commissioner. In his new mission, Commissioner King will work around the clock to restore trust in the Department of Insurance, eliminate corruption, and advance policies that put consumers ahead of the special interests.
Experience
What key experiences would you bring to this role?
Janice Laws Robinson, Democrat
The Janice Laws Robinson campaign did not submit responses to our questionnaire. The response is taken verbatim from the campaign website:
Janice Laws Robinson is an award-winning insurance professional with more than 20 years' experience, published author and visionary leader. Janice is married to her husband, Curtis Robinson, and is a devoted mother of two magnificent daughters. Her eldest daughter, Shannel, is now in the U.S. Navy.
Janice was born in Jamaica and migrated as a teenager to the United States with her family to follow the American Dream. She lived in New York City for seven years and later moved into the great state of Georgia. She went to Monroe College in New York and studied business administration at the Shorter University College of Adult, and Professional Studies. She has also studied a number of professional and leadership methodologies throughout the United States. Owner of J. Law & Associates, a small, specialized insurance firm, Janice holds professional licenses for Georgia's Property & Casualty Insurance, as well as personal and health insurance.
Janice has received numerous awards for her exceptional service, including the Pursuit of Excellence, Pacesetter, and Nationwide Life Insurance Awards. She was ranked among the 10 best agents for life insurance and among the 25 best agents for car and home insurance. Janice is admired among her peers for continuing to be a bold and unstoppable leader.
John King, Republican
The John King campaign did not submit responses to our questionnaire. The response is taken verbatim from the campaign website:
During his seventeen years as Doraville’s Police Chief, King tackled corruption, implemented community policing in at-risk neighborhoods, and cracked down on gang violence through early intervention programs at local schools. He enforced the law, embraced the diverse population, and partnered with local leaders to keep families and businesses out of harm’s way.
King was first called up for duty during Desert Storm. Over the last thirty-six years, he has deployed to Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan - earning the Bronze Star Medal, Combat Infantry Badge, El Salvador gold medal for achievement, meritorious service medals, and a NATO award along the way. He was the Commander of the 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team – leading over 4,800 Georgians into battle – and earned his current rank of Major General in 2018.
Neither campaign responded to our questionnaire, and we could not find responses to all of our questions on the candidates' websites. These are the additional questions we believe any candidate seeking this role should have responses to:
Recently, we learned that former insurance commissioner John Oxendine was indicted on federal healthcare fraud and money laundering charges. What would you like to say to reassure Georgians that you will be ethical and trustworthy enough to fill this position?
An estimated 1.4 million Georgians do not have health insurance, making our uninsured rate the third highest in the country. Lack of health insurance means that patients will delay seeking care and be saddled with large, out-of-pocket bills when they do see a doctor. Do you believe this office has a role in addressing this coverage gap? If so, what policies do you support?
Do you support Medicaid expansion in Georgia, and if so, how will you work towards this goal as the Insurance Commissioner?
How do you plan to ensure that insurance companies cover necessary medical treatment and charge fair premiums?
How will you address surprise medical billing in Georgia?
Note: We welcome any responses from candidates who did not previously answer our questionnaire request.
