Texas Department of Insurance
The Texas Department of Insurance regulates insurers and other companies that conduct insurance business in Texas, and assists Texas-based insurance consumers. TDI was founded in 1876 as the Department of Insurance, Statistics and History.
The agency is responsible of enforcing the Texas Insurance Code; to regulate the insurance business, protect consumers, ensure fair competition among companies, and foster the stability of insurance market. In addition to administering the Texas workers’ compensation system according to the Texas Labor Code, performing the duties of the State Fire Marshal’s Office, and providing administrative support to the Office of Injured Employee Counsel.
The agency is headquartered at the William P. Hobby State Office Building at 333 Guadalupe Street in Austin, Texas. It has around 1,400 employees statewide and a $110 million annual budget.
The Commissioner of Insurance serves as the chief executive and administrative officer of the department.
History
1876-1907
On August 21, 1876, the state legislature passed a law to establish the Texas Insurance Department as the first agency for insurance supervision in the state and the authorization of the Board of Insurance Commissioners went effective on April 18. At first the agency worked under the State Comptroller of Public Accounts, one year later the operations were folded into working under the Commissioner of Insurance, Statistics, and History under the Department of Insurance, Statistics and History.List of Commissioners of Insurance, Statistics, and History from 1876-1907:
| Name | Term |
| V. O. King | Sept. 1 1876 - Jan. 26, 1881 |
| A. W. Spaight | Jan 25, 1881 - 1883 |
| H. P. Brewster | Jan. 31, 1883 - Dec. 26, 1884 |
| Hamilton P. Bee | Dec. 30 1884 - Jan. 21, 1887 |
| L. L. Foster | 1887 - May 5, 1891 |
| John E. Hollingsworth | 1891 - Jan. 10, 1895 |
| A. J. Rose | 1895 - August 1897 |
| Jefferson Johnson | 1897 - August 1901 |
| W. J. Clay | 1901 - August 1906 |
| R. T. Milner | 1906 - September 1, 1907 |
1907-1927
The state’s legislature of 1907 separated the insurance department from the other departments and included the operations of banking regulation, and the commissioner’s title changed to Commissioner of Insurance and Banking, served a 2-year term. In 1913 the State Insurance Commission was introduced. The first Commissioner of Insurance and Bank was Thomas B. Love and was succeeded by William E. Hawkins.1927-1957
In 1927 the Board of Insurance Commissioners was re-established to include three members appointed by the governor for a six-year term.1957-1991
In 1957, the Board of Insurance Commissioners was abolished and replaced by the State Board of Insurance, consisted of three members appointed by the governor but serving a six-year term. The board determined policy and rates and authorized rules, while the commissioner was responsible for administrative operations and was appointed by the board.The primary functions of the agency included licensing domestic and out-of-state insurance companies and regular monitoring of its practices and rates.
1991-1994
In early nineties the agency witnessed significant changes started with 145 orders issued in 1991 following state's legislature, the changes included various revisions of the laws and targeted reforms in the Medicare supplement insurance and rating practices. By 1994, the three-member board was abolished and replaced with the Department of Insurance headed by one commissioner appointed by the governor and approved by the Senate, some of the duties of the department were deported to other state agencies; the State Office of Administrative Hearings took over hearings, the Comptroller’s Offices over tax operations, and the Texas Workers’ Compensation Commission handled the compensation data of workers.1994-Present
On September 1, 2005, the state’s 79th Legislature took effect transferring the operations of the Texas Workers’ Compensation Commission to the Texas Department of Insurance and creating a separate division.Commissioner of Insurance
The Texas Commissioner of Insurance serves as the chief executive and administrative officer of the Department of Insurance and charged with executing all laws relating to the insurance business and overseeing all companies conducting business in the state.The current commissioner of insurance is Kent Sullivan.