Legal Department (Office of General Counsel)

The Legal Department (“Department”) helps the Commissioner of Insurance enforce state laws that protect people who buy insurance. The Department also assists the Commissioner in monitoring the financial health of insurance companies. If a company is having financial problems, the Department can step in and initiate a process called “receivership.”

The main responsibilities of the Department are:

• Legal Guidance: Offers legal support and advice to the Commissioner and Division staff regarding the Massachusetts insurance market.
• Legislative Analysis: Reviews proposed and new laws that could impact insurance companies and the public.
• Drafting Regulations: Researches and writes new regulations, official bulletins, and letters that clarify Massachusetts insurance laws.
• Conducting Hearings: Serves as hearing officers for various regulatory proceedings. These include proceedings around
  • New regulations
  • Statewide insurance rate cases
  • Financial transactions like company acquisitions
  • Enforcement actions taken by the Division against licensees, and
  • Administrative appeals, including those from decisions of the residual market entities overseen by the Commissioner.
• Enforcement:  conduct enforcement actions against licensees including insurance producers and companies.