Connecticut Insurance Commissioner Andrew Mais to Retire Next Week

This article digs into the upcoming shakeup at the Connecticut Insurance Department. Commissioner Andrew Mais is stepping down after almost seven years at the helm.

Mais made his mark navigating all sorts of complex challenges—from the chaos of the COVID-19 pandemic to those heated debates over insurance rate hikes. His time in office sparked plenty of reform efforts and public debate.

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Governor Ned Lamont has picked Josh Hershman to fill the commissioner’s seat for now. Hershman, who was deputy commissioner and currently leads Immigrant Life Insurance Company of America, will step in as interim commissioner on December 12. Lamont expects to make a full nomination in early 2026.

Andrew Mais’ Legacy and the Challenges He Faced

Andrew Mais, now 66, steered the Connecticut Insurance Department through some of its roughest years in recent memory. From his Hartford office, he confronted pressures that would make most people sweat—think a global pandemic and a regulatory landscape that seemed to change every month.

He often admitted just how tough the job was. Overseeing insurance regulation in a state with so many different markets and high expectations? Not exactly a walk in the park.

During Mais’ watch, the department got plenty of heat for approving some jaw-dropping long-term care insurance rate hikes. Some increases shot up over 50%. In the most extreme cases, rates spiked by a wild 174%.

A CT Mirror investigation found that insurers had badly misjudged things like life expectancy and care costs. Those mistakes hit more than 17,000 policyholders since 2019, and it’s no surprise people from New Haven to Fairfield were furious.

Legislative Pushback to Rate Hikes

Public outrage pushed lawmakers in cities like Bridgeport, Norwalk, Stamford, and Middletown to act. They introduced over a dozen bills to try to rein in these extreme rate hikes.

They wanted tighter limits on annual rate increases
They called for more transparency in how rates get approved
They pushed for regular audits of the Insurance Department’s decisions

Consumer advocates liked some of these ideas. The insurance industry, on the other hand, dug in its heels and argued that they needed flexibility to keep things financially stable.

Health Insurance Rates Under Mais’ Oversight

Mais also had to review health insurance rate requests from providers all over Connecticut. In 2022, he signed off on an average rate hike of 12.9%. That decision hit families hard in places like Danbury and Waterbury.

By 2025, the average approved increase climbed to 16.8%. With inflation and healthcare costs going up, folks worried even more about how they’d afford coverage.

Consumer Protection Efforts

Mais always said consumer protection was his main mission. In 2024, he helped launch the Connecticut Severe Weather Mitigation and Resiliency Advisory Council.

This council aims to help property owners—whether they’re on the shoreline in New London or farther inland in Manchester—get ready for more extreme weather. Climate change is making that a bigger deal every year.

Josh Hershman Takes the Helm

Governor Lamont’s pick, Josh Hershman, seems to be an attempt to balance consistency with some fresh energy. Hershman knows the department inside and out from his time as deputy commissioner between 2019 and 2022.

He also brings private-sector experience from his role at Immigrant Life Insurance Company of America. That mix doesn’t hurt when you’re dealing with insurance headaches in both government and business.

Priorities Moving Forward

Hershman says he’ll focus on protecting consumers and making insurance more affordable across the board. He steps in as interim commissioner on December 12, just two weeks after Mais leaves.

The department still has to sort out the fallout from those rate hikes. And there’s no shortage of work ahead, from healthcare reform debates in Hartford to disaster planning in coastal towns like Westport.

Looking Ahead for Connecticut Policyholders

Connecticut residents from Greenwich to Torrington have their eyes on these changes. The transition marks a big moment in state insurance regulation.

Policyholders and lawmakers are waiting to see if Hershman will actually follow through on promises of better affordability and stronger consumer safeguards. At the same time, they want to know if insurers can stay financially stable.

The next few months will shape where the department heads as 2026 approaches. Economic trends, rising healthcare costs, and climate risks keep piling on pressure.

This new leadership brings some challenges, but maybe some real opportunities too. Honestly, the debate over insurance rates and consumer protection isn’t going anywhere—it’s going to stay front and center in communities all over Connecticut.

Here is the source article for this story: CT insurance commissioner Andrew Mais to retire next week

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