Jane Kim seeks California insurance commissioner seat Nov. 3

Jane Kim, a Democrat and former San Francisco supervisor, is running for California insurance commissioner in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election.

She faces fellow Democrat state Sen. Ben Allen, according to the California Secretary of State’s voter guide. California voters will choose the official who heads the Department of Insurance, regulates insurers and handles consumer complaints.

The Walnut Creek Record candidate questionnaire was sent to Jane Kim’s campaign. No response was received as of Oct. 23, 2026. The policy positions below are drawn from her public campaign website and public records.

Candidate information

Party: Democratic
Education: Bachelor’s degree in political science and Asian American studies, Stanford University; law degree, University of California, Berkeley
Background: Civil rights attorney and former community organizer

Her education and earlier work are described in her DignityMoves biography.

Experience and public service

Kim served on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors from 2011 to 2019. Before becoming a supervisor, she served on the San Francisco Board of Education, including as president.

Her earlier experience includes community organizing at the Chinatown Community Development Center and legal work at the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights, according to her DignityMoves biography.

After leaving the Board of Supervisors, Kim served as California political director for Bernie Sanders’ 2020 presidential campaign. She later led the California Working Families Party, according to her campaign biography.

On the issues

Kim’s campaign platform emphasizes expanding insurance coverage, lowering costs and strengthening oversight of claims handling.

Homeowner and disaster insurance: Kim proposes a public, nonprofit disaster insurance system that would pool risk statewide and invest in prevention and community resilience.

“Jane is proposing a single-payer disaster insurance policy for every Californian: Natural Disaster Insurance for All,” her campaign policy page states.

Her proposal would use premiums to fund coverage and direct a portion of the system’s resources toward reducing disaster losses. She also supports ongoing funding for home improvements that reduce wildfire risk.

Claims and accountability: Kim says she would pursue legislation prohibiting insurers from raising premiums, dropping coverage or refusing renewal because a policyholder filed a claim, asked about a claim or experienced a loss that was not their fault.

“Your policy shouldn’t punish you for using it,” her claims policy page states.

She also proposes requiring interest payments on delayed claims and immediate payment of full personal-property coverage after a disaster causes a total loss. Her platform calls for examining insurers with high complaint rates or suspicious denial patterns and publishing company-level claims performance data.

Coverage standards: Kim proposes minimum homeowner coverage requirements and a public calculator to help residents estimate rebuilding costs. She also supports requiring six months’ notice before policy nonrenewals or material coverage changes, according to her coverage platform.

Auto insurance: Kim supports expanding California’s existing low-cost auto insurance program. Her longer-term goal is a public auto insurance option. She also proposes ending occupational pricing practices that she says disadvantage blue-collar workers.

Children’s health coverage: Kim proposes developing a plan called “Medicare for Kids” to guarantee health coverage for California children. Her campaign acknowledges that the Department of Insurance does not oversee managed health care plans. The proposal is a campaign goal, not an existing benefit.

Campaign finance: Kim says she is refusing contributions from insurance companies, the fossil fuel industry and corporate political action committees, and is not self-funding her campaign. Those pledges are stated on her campaign website.