Kent Sullivan has resigned from his role as insurance commissioner of the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) to return to the private sector.
Sullivan, who became head of the TDI in October 2017, has led a major modernisation effort in his three years at the agency.
The agency’s modernisation push has led to faster service in complaint resolution and agent licensing, an increase in online licensing applications, and a major organisational restructuring.
Sullivan has more than 35 years of legal experience and was a partner in several private law firms. Previously, he served as a justice on the Texas Court of Appeals, a state district court judge, and first assistant attorney general for the Texas Office of the Attorney General.
Commenting on his departure, Sullivan said: “Governor Greg Abbott asked me to lead this agency shortly after Hurricane Harvey ravaged the Texas coast, and I was happy to help out in a challenging time.”
“TDI staff are sincerely committed to protecting consumers, and I’m proud of the work we’ve done to help them do their jobs more effectively,” he added.
Governor Abbott said the Lone Star State is “grateful” to Sullivan for his leadership at the Texas Department of Insurance.
He added: “Under his tenure, TDI was responsible for protecting insurance consumers in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey—the largest natural disaster in Texas history. The [state] is better today because of Sullivan’s service, and I wish him well as he returns to private practice.”
Texas first established its captive insurance sector in 2014. According to Captive Insurance Time 2020 Domicile Guidebook, it had 45 captives operating within the state at the end of 2019.
Texas’ captive law only allows single-parent captives and precludes companies from outside the state, or without a significant interest or operation in the state, from forming a captive.