Kim Ahead in Vote for California Insurance Commissioner

Jane Kim led fellow Democrat Ben Allen in the race for California insurance commissioner with by more than 265,000 votes in Tuesday’s election.

As of Wednesday morning, 99.8% of precincts had reported in. Kim had 52% of the vote.

Kim and Allen advanced to the primary in the race for insurance commissioner. The top two together garnered more than 45% of the votes cast in the June 2 primary.

The winner replaces outgoing commissioner Ricardo Lara, who is term limited.

Kim, who raised more than $700,000 during her campaign, was pushing a publicly backed single-payer disaster insurance system.

Allen is a state Legislator who has authored several bills to address insurance affordability in the state, including creating new home-hardening incentives. He raised $977,000 for his campaign.

Insurance agent Stacy A. Korsgaden, a Republican, conceded the race earlier in June to Kim and Allen.

The race for insurance commissioner drew 11 candidates covering several parties, and backgrounds that included two insurance agents, a former insurance broker, a state legislator and a former state legislator.

Addressing the state’s “insurance crisis,” which took on a bigger priority following the devastating January 2025 Los Angeles Wildfires, was the loudest message coming from most of the field.

Kim, an attorney/consumer advocate, served on San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors from 2011 and 2019. She has also run for state Senate and for San Francisco mayor.

Her platform included providing natural disaster insurance for everyone, ensuring that premiums go to paying for claims, increasing transparency from insurers and investing in safer homes and communities.

Allen, who has been as a member of the California state Senate since 2014, campaigned on plans that include restoring a competitive insurance market, ensuring people are treated fairly after disasters and building resilient communities.

Allen said he also wants to address rate review, following up on steps Lara has taken to speed up the process, as well as putting a greater focus on risk reduction.

Topics California