394                       WISCONSIN BLUE BOOK 1987-1988

  Organization: The commissioner of insurance is appointed by the governor
with the consent of
  the Senate for a term of 4 years. The commissioner may appoint a deputy
from the unclassified
  service. The assistant deputy commissioner and all other personnel of the
agency are appointed
  under the classified service rules and regulations. The Office of the Commissioner
of Insurance
  consists of 2 divisions assisted by Legal Counsel.
  A 5-member Patients Compensation Fund Peer Review Council is appointed
by the Health
  Care Liability Insurance Plan Board of Governors to review public and private
medical malprac-
  tice insurance claims and make recommendations regarding fees and premiums.
Under the stat-
  utes the commissioner may also create advisory councils to assist in dealing
with regulatory
  problems. The Property and Casualty Advisory Council, Life and Disability
Advisory Council
  and Financial Advisory Council are currently in existence.
  Agency Responsibility: The Office of the Commissioner of Insurance is responsible
for the
  supervision of the insurance industry operating in Wisconsin and for administering
the various
  statutes and administrative rules which regulate the insurance industry.
The primary goal of the
  agency is to protect the best interests of the insurance consumers of Wisconsin
- through the
  development of trade practice regulations, through monitoring and enforcement
activities, and
  through consumer education and outreach efforts. The office carries out
its regulatory functions
  by financial and market conduct examinations; licensing agents; reviewing
rates and forms; in-
  vestigating consumer complaints; and providing consumer education to the
residents of Wiscon-
  sin. In addition to its regulatory responsibilitites, the agency is responsible
for administering the
  operations of the State Life Insurance Fund, the Local Government Property
Insurance Fund
  and the Patients Compensation Fund.
  Unit Functions:
  The Division of Regulation and Enforcement includes 2 bureaus. The Bureau
of Market Regu-
  lation provides assistance to consumers in resolving problems with insurers
and agents; coordi-
  nates educational endeavors with consumers and insurance agents; disseminates
information to
  the public; investigates agent activities; conducts field reviews of insurer
marketing practices;
  prepares enforcement proceedings; and prosecutes offenders. The bureau
also is responsible for
  reviewing the rates, forms and contracts filed with the agency by insurers;
determining compli-
  ance with applicable laws and rules; initiating appropriate administrative
actions; and examining
insurer rating procedures and advertising files.
   The Bureau of Financial Examinations is responsible for financial solvency
surveillance of all
insurers licensed to transact business in Wisconsin. It conducts field audits
of domestic insurer
operations; monitors the activities of nondomestic insurers; administers
insurer rehabilitations
and liquidations; audits and collects insurer taxes and fees; and collects
and administers the fire
department dues program.
   The Division of Administrative Services and Policy Analysis includes 2
bureaus and one office.
The Bureau of Funds consists of the 3 segregated funds for which the agency
has administrative
responsibility: the Local Government Property Insurance Fund, the State Life
Insurance Fund
and the Patients Compensation Fund. The Local Government Property Insurance
Fund pro-
vides property insurance protection on properties of local governmental units
on an optional
basis. The State Life Insurance Fund offers low-cost life insurance protection
to Wisconsin
residents in amounts not exceeding $10,000 per person. The Patients Compensation
Fund pro-
vides excess protection to health-care providers against medical malpractice
claims.
  The Bureau of Staff Services is responsible for all general administrative
functions of the
agency which include: the administration of the insurance intermediaries
testing and licensing
program, centralized word processing, data processing, budget, personnel,
and clerical support
services.
  The Office of Policy Analysis researches insurance issues, analyzes legislation,
drafts adminis-
trative rules, provides staff for legislative advisory councils, and conducts
the public information
program of the agency.
  Interagency Relationships: The Local Government Property Insurance Fund
(formerly the
State Property Insurance Fund) insures the property of local government units
that elect to
insure with the fund. The Patients Compensation Fund coordinates activities
with the Depart-
ment of Regulation and Licensing, the agency licensing physicians and nurses.
The administra-
tion of the fire department dues program involves coordination with the Department
of Indus-