Alabama Insurance Commissioner Ridling to Retire; Fowler To Take Over

Alabama’s longest-serving insurance commissioner, Jim Ridling, will retire at the end of the month, the state’s governor announced.

“Jim has kept stability in the agency, all while bringing fresh ideas to ensure our state was offering our people the best, whether that be in times of natural disaster or simply in our day-to-day lives,” Ivey said in a news release.

Ridling, in office for 14 years, is credited with creating a dedicated fraud bureau within the Department of Insurance and with recruiting a dozen property insurers to serve Alabama’s hurricane-prone coastal areas, the governor said. Ridling also established the Strengthen Alabama Homes, which provides grants for home fortification and wind mitigation.

It is expected to reach 5,000 homes by the end of this year and has become something of a national model for home hardening programs, Ivey noted.

The Florida Legislature last month adopted a very similar plan, providing grants of up to $10,000 for homeowners.

“I am deeply blessed to have had the wonderful experience of serving the people of Alabama as commissioner of insurance,” Ridling said in the news release.

Ivey named Deputy Commissioner Mark Fowler as acting commissioner, effective July 1.

Topics Alabama