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Jim Long Commissioner of Insurance, N.C. Department of Insurance |
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A native of Burlington, North Carolina, Jim Long was first elected to the statewide post of Insurance Commissioner in 1984, and re-elected in 1988, 1992, 1996 and 2000. |
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He is now the senior member of the Council of State, made up of the 10 statewide elected officials. As Insurance Commissioner, Long serves as State Fire Marshal. He chairs the NC Manufactured Housing Board, the Arson Awareness Council and serves as a member of numerous commissions and boards. |
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Long is the past president and vice president of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. The NAIC is a national organization of the chief insurance regulatory officials of the 50 states. |
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Commissioner Long formerly represented Alamance County in the NC House of Representatives (1970-75), as did his father and grandfather before him. In addition, he previously served as legal counsel to the Speaker of the House and Chief Deputy Commissioner of the Department of Insurance. |
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Soon after being elected to his first term as Insurance Commissioner, Long created the Seniors' Health Insurance Information Program. The program, known as SHIIP, trains senior volunteers to assist their peers with Medicare, Medicare supplement insurance, and long-term care insurance problems and questions. |
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In 1996, Long took the lead in organizing and chairing the North Carolina SAFE KIDS Coalition. SAFE KIDS is the only national organization dedicated solely to the prevention of childhood injuries. The North Carolina organization is one of nearly 200 local and state SAFE KIDS coalitions across the country. |
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Long was also one of the founders of Special Olympics North Carolina, which provides athletic competition to mentally disabled North Carolina athletes. Special Olympics North Carolina is the largest Special Olympics program in the country, with more than 37,000 athletes participating. North Carolina Special Olympics is the fifth program in the world behind China, India, Austria and Cuba. |
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As Insurance Commissioner, Long has emphasized consumer advocacy through fair rate making, injury prevention efforts and close regulation of insurance company solvency and industry practices. |
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