N.C. has election's only competitive insurance commissioner race

In the November 5, 2024 election, the offices of state insurance commissioners are way down the ballot, although this year, one of those is a competitive race.

Just 11 states have partisan elections for the office of state insurance commissioner, and only four of those are up for election this year: Delaware, North Carolina, North Dakota and Washington. Of those, three have just one candidate or incumbent running unopposed, leaving North Carolina as the only “competitive” race in the U.S. this year.

Incumbent Mike Causey, a Republican, is running for a third four-year term against challenger Natasha Marcus, a Democrat and a state senator. Causey has had some controversies in recent years, both political and related to proposed rate hikes for property insurance in the state. He defeated two Republican challengers in the March primary. Last year, in March 2023, the Republican controlled state legislature stripped Causey and his office of its dual role as state fire marshal. 

Causey has set a court date of October 7, about a month before the election, for consideration of the state Rate Bureau’s request for an average 42% homeowners insurance rate increase. Marcus, his challenger, has criticized Causey for allowing rate increases. Last year, Causey rejected a proposed increase in rates for dwelling insurance, which covers residential properties of four units or less that are not occupied by the owner.

Causey has 25 years of experience in the insurance industry. His campaign website states support for more competition in the industry as a means to lower rates, improved efficiency and greater accessibility to his office to address insurance consumer issues.