ISSUES & POLICIES
First elected in 2007, Chaney brings extensive business knowledge and experience to the office combined with 15 years of service in the Mississippi House and Senate. His priorities throughout his terms in office remain steadfastly committed to consumer protection and application of technology for efficiency of the department to serve the state and consumers. He is leading the department in making strides in healthcare reform; disaster recovery from flood, tornado and hurricane events; bail bond industry reform; cybersecurity; and reductions in state fire deaths.
MOVING MISSISSIPPI FORWARD
Commissioner Chaney executes all laws relative to insurance companies, agents, adjusters and others. In addition, he is charged with providing Mississippians with the maximum amount of consumer protection possible. The aim is to create the highest degree of economic security, quality of life and public safety for citizens at the lowest possible cost.
The Mississippi Insurance Department (MID) recovered more than $3.8 million for consumers in 2021. The MID Consumer Services Division handled a total of 10,867 inquiries from Mississippians
and about 1,500 complaints.
The MID Investigations Division received more than 600 complaints last year and recovered nearly half a million dollars for consumers.
FACING CHALLENGES
Commissioner Chaney also serves as State FireMarshal and is steadfastly committed to reducing the number of fire deaths statewide.
The State Fire Academy, working with the Community Colleges, can now train many more Emergency Medical Responders and will finish construction on a dorm and disaster staging area in late 2022. This project will benefit the Academy and MEMA in their mission’s to protect our citizens, especially during a catastrophic event.
The legislature authorized another round of funds for the rural fire truck program, at the request of the State Fire Marshal Office. The program is estimated to have saved Mississippi homeowners about $1.75 billion since it started in 1995.
Additional education, smoke alarms, and firefighting resources saves lives and keeps insurance premiums low. These programs give more money back to consumers annually than any tax cut.
PROTECTING CONSUMERS
Mississippi’s greatest strength are the people that live here. After storms like Hurricane Katrina, for example, people banded together, rebuilt, and invested in our beautiful state. As a result, there are now stronger building codes to keep our coast solid and that means more economic development.
The committed employees at the Mississippi Insurance Department are another example of Mississippi’s greatest strength. The Consumer Services division alone handles thousands of calls from citizens every year. They are Mississippians working for Mississippians, helping them resolve claims resulting in millions of dollars back to the consumer.
At the State Fire Marshal’s Office, we continue to look out for our neighbors, responding to fires and investigating when necessary. Safety education is a huge part of the division and educators visited over 300 schools in 2018 to share safety information that could save your life.
