From Deep Dive to License #4503844:
My Journey Into California Insurance
How I Decided to Go All In
Before I decided to run for California Insurance Commissioner, I did a deep dive into how insurance is regulated in California. I had long conversations with industry experts, analyzed the regulations, studied the history of our market, attended conferences—anything that could help me truly understand how insurance works in California.
A Good Suggestion Along the Way
Along the way, someone gave me a piece of advice: If you want to understand how insurance operates in California, study for and pass the state insurance licensing exam.
I already had a strong foundation based on years of experience. Back in 2001–2005, I built an auto and home insurance business and over the last 20 years, I’ve analyzed insurance companies and insurance markets as a financial analyst.
However, because insurance is regulated at the state level, no two state’s regulations are exactly the same. The more I looked into it, the more I appreciated how earning a California property & casualty license would ensure I was deeply grounded in the specific rules, requirements and consumer protections that are particular to California.
52 Hours, One Exam
and a Lot of Discipline
Passing the exam is not easy. To even qualify, you have to complete at least 52 hours of timed study. After that, you sit for an exam that many people don’t pass on their first try.
But this was important to me so I took it seriously. I blocked out time to study consistently, and I approached the material with the same focus I bring to analyzing markets and building businesses. (And for that matter, the same focus that allowed me to become a chess grandmaster!)
I’m proud to say I passed the exam on my first attempt.
Officially Licensed in California
Shortly after, I received my official letter from the California Department of Insurance confirming my property & casualty license.
My license number is 4503844.
That number isn’t just a credential to me. It represents hours of study building on years of prior experience, and a commitment to understanding California’s insurance system at the deepest possible level to allow me to be the best possible Insurance Commissioner for you.
What This
Means for You
I’m really glad I put in the work to earn my P&C license. Some of the benefits are:
Gaining a clearer understanding of how policies, pricing and consumer protections work in California.
Being able to explain complex insurance concepts in plain language.
Grounding every conversation about insurance in real training, real regulations, and real-world experience.
I am not running to use this role as a stepping stone in a political career. My sole focus in taking on the job of insurance commissioner is to fix California’s insurance crisis and make the insurance markets work the way they are supposed to.
I would be the first insurance commissioner with an insurance license and I’m the only candidate in this race to put in the time and work during this campaign to earn this credential. Now more than ever we need an insurance commissioner with the experience and expertise to clean up this mess.
I will always do the work so I can do the best possible job for you.
