Kipper Made Nevada Insurance Commissioner, Again

Scott Kipper has returned to his role as Nevada’s insurance commissioner, an appointment that takes effect today.

Kipper was named to the post by Terry Johnson, Nevada’s director of business and industry, who also appointed James E. Westrin to be commissioner of mortgage lending.

Kipper will be based in the Insurance Division’s Carson City office, and Westrin will be based in the Mortgage Lending Division’s Las Vegas office. Both start their appointments today.

Kipper replaces former insurance commissioner Brett Barratt, who resigned in August. Kipper’s experience in the insurance industry includes previously serving as Nevada’s insurance commissioner from December 2008 to June 2010. He also served as the deputy commissioner in charge of the Office of Health Insurance for the Louisiana Department of Insurance, and as CEO of the State of Louisiana Office of Group Benefits. He also previously served as the Oregon Insurance Administrator.

Kipper spent two years on the staff of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners in Washington, D.C. as a health analyst. Most recently he served as the principle of SJKipper Consultants.

Kipper will be the chief regulator of Nevada’s insurance industry, which generates roughly $235 million in premium tax revenue for Nevada. The total premium dollar amount of all lines of insurance in Nevada for 2010 was approximately $11 billion. There are 2,309 admitted carriers in Nevada, and of those, 187 are domestic to Nevada.

“Mr. Kipper joins us at an important time for the Insurance Division as it assists in the implementation of the federal Affordable Care Act at the state-wide level in Nevada,” said Johnson said in a statement. “His diverse experience in the insurance industry will also be integral to the state’s efforts to attract new insurance companies to domicile here as part of our economic diversification efforts.”