Bill Nelson: State Needs Elected Insurance Commissioner

Bill Nelson

Before Bill Nelson was elected to the U.S. Senate, he served six years as Florida's treasurer, insurance commissioner and fire marshall.

Nelson was elected to that post just two years after Hurricane Andrew devastated South Florida and helped rebuild the homeowners' insurance market.

Nelson offered one suggestion to resolve Florida's current property insurance crisis.

NELSON: The state ought to go back to electing an insurance commissioner so that the insurance commissioner can hold a tight reign on the insurance companies and because it would be an elected official that the insurance commissioner will be held accountable by the people in the state that elect him.

The current insurance commissioner is appointed by the Florida Cabinet. At the federal level, Nelson wants a national commission to develop a national backup plan to help states hit by natural disasters.