DULUTH, Ga. — Duluth State Sen. Nabilah Parkes announced she’d be running for election to the Office of Commissioner of Insurance.
Parkes, a Democrat, said she’d be working to unseat incumbent Republican John F. King, who has served as insurance commissioner since July 1, 2019. Parkes has served as a state senator since 2022.
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King was briefly a candidate for U.S. Senate for Georgia but ended his campaign effort in July and is instead running for reelection as Commissioner.
In her candidacy announcement, Parkes said Georgians need a commissioner who will help lower costs for everyday residents and families.
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“From health insurance to home and auto coverage, Georgia families are facing an affordability crisis on multiple fronts,” Parkes said. “Premiums are skyrocketing, coverage is shrinking, claims are being denied, and too many families feel like they have nowhere to turn.”
Parkes’ campaign announcement mentioned recent expiration of health insurance subsidies from the federal Affordable Care Act, which impacts more than one million Georgians, as well.
Currently, Georgians who are on or seeking insurance through the Georgia Access state-operated version of the ACA healthcare marketplace are seeing spikes in premiums due to the end of the subsidies.
If elected as insurance commissioner, Parkes would have some impact on how premiums are priced in Georgia, as King does now, for health care, auto insurance and more.
“The Commissioner of Insurance is supposed to be the one making sure that everyday Georgians get a fair shake from the insurance companies,” Parkes said. “But for too long the office has been more responsive to insurance executives and lobbyists than regular people. We need to change that, and we need to lower costs, immediately.”
In recent months, King’s office announced several insurance companies were lowering their auto insurance premiums for Georgians.
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