OVERCOMING THE PANDEMIC IS A
MATTER OF TRUST
By: Commissioner Vicki Schmidt
As you undoubtedly know from your work with your
customers, most Kansans don’t spend a lot of time
thinking about insurance being regulated at the state level
and not at the federal level. State-based regulation has
given Kansas the freedom and flexibility to run things the
Kansas way, which was crucial during the COVID-19 crisis.
Kansas also benefits from working with other states
through the National Association of Insurance
Commissioners and their affiliate organizations. While I
have a bias toward Kansas, sometimes other states have
great ideas, and it is incumbent upon us to learn from their
experiences to help Kansas improve.
At the height of the COVID-19 crisis, insurance exam
testing centers and fingerprinting locations for insurance
agent applicants shut down nationwide. Because of the
hard work of many at the Kansas Insurance Department
and because I seldom take no for an answer, Kansas leads
the nation in getting operations back up and running.
It was through this experience that I learned a tremendous
amount about producer licensing and why I was thrilled to
recently being elected to serve on the National Insurance
Producer Registry Board of Directors.
I look forward to the opportunity to represent Kansas on
this national board and help shape the process the Kansas
way! This wasn’t an opportunity I was looking for, but rather
one that made a lot of sense post-COVID-19, as another
way to serve the people of Kansas in my current role.
As we work to get our lives back to normal, I know there
will be additional opportunities to use what we’ve learned
during the crisis. I hope you’ll join me in embracing those
opportunities to look at things with a fresh perspective and
a renewed spirit.
It is an honor to serve you and your family in the Kansas
Insurance Department. If there is something you think
can work better or help other Kansans have a better
experience with insurance, please share it with me
at [email protected].
Kansas Insurance
Commissioner Vicki Schmidt
is both a lifelong Kansan and
Republican. She worked for more
than 40 years serving Kansas
families and seniors as a local
pharmacist. It was her pharmacy
experience and commitment
to bettering Kansas that drew
hear to run for the Legislature.
Vicki became the voice for reform. She represented Shawnee
and Wanaunsee counties for 14 years, including six as the Chair
of the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee. On Nov. 6,
2018, Vicki was elected as Kansas Insurance Commissioner.
She became the first pharmacist to serve as Kansas Insurance
Commissioner and is the only pharmacist in America to hold a
statewide office.
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