February 19, 2026
Meet the Texas Capitol’s everyday guardian
Sergeant Warren Lay in the observation gallery of the House Chamber.
Capitol Fire Marshal Sergeant Warren Lay is a familiar presence at the Capitol Complex. If you ever visit, you might see him walking through the Texas Capitol building or the Bullock Texas State History Museum on his daily fire-safety inspections.
He oversees fire protection systems for the Capitol and 15 other buildings in the Capitol Complex. “I’ve always enjoyed the fire prevention side of the service,” he said.
During events and legislative sessions, Sgt. Lay works alongside Texas Department for Public Safety (DPS) officers to manage crowds. That includes setting up movable barriers to keep visitor lines organized and making sure exits and entrances remain clear.
The pace picks up when the Legislature is in session. The Senate and House of Representatives public observation galleries each hold about 500 people, but high-interest bills can draw crowds of 2,000 or more. Fortunately, Sgt. Lay thrives on interacting with visitors.
“I get to meet a lot of interesting people from all over the world,” he said.
His workload is never static. A walkie talkie on his desk broadcasts DPS radio traffic, keeping him tuned into what’s happening around the complex at all times.
Seasonal tasks add to the variety. During the holidays, he monitors water levels for the Capitol’s Christmas trees and, for the January 2026 freeze, he oversaw the draining of drum drip pipes for the parking garage fire sprinklers, ensuring there was no water in the pressurized pipes that could freeze.
“I get to spend a lot of time in basements and attics,” he says.
The role also demands flexibility. Late-night fire alarm calls are part of the job, and they’re something he got used to during his time as a firefighter.
A new chapter in service
A Lockhart, Texas, native, Sgt. Lay spent 23 years with the Lockhart Fire Department, rising from firefighter to captain and eventually fire marshal. After retiring from that role, he joined the State Fire Marshal’s Office (SFMO) in Austin.
“After 20 years on the big, red truck, I figured I ought to get off and try something new,” he said.
He has served with SFMO for seven years and became Capitol fire marshal in 2023 following the retirement of Sgt. John Nichols.
The position itself has historic roots. It was created after a devastating 1983 fire nearly destroyed the Capitol. In response, the 68th Legislature established the State Preservation Board (SPB) to preserve and maintain the historic building and other facilities in the Capitol Complex. SPB contracts the Capitol fire marshal role through SFMO.
The role is perfect for Sgt. Lay not only because of his fire service background but also his love of history. During recent work on the Capitol roof, he salvaged two pieces of wood from the original 1888 structure still held together by hand‑forged square nails.
For him, the Capitol Complex is more than a workplace — it’s a place he feels privileged to protect. Every inspection, late-night alarm, or conversation with a visitor reminds him why he chose this path.
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February 10, 2026
Do you need insurance experience to work for TDI? No.
True or false? You must have an insurance background to work for the Texas Department of Insurance.
False!
TDI has wide-ranging job opportunities. Recent job openings include those for attorney, investigator, actuary, auditor, programming, and accounting positions.
Sign up to get emails of TDI job postings
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Thinking about a new job? Don’t forget the insurance.
November 20, 2025
Disaster response coordinator leads TDI response to July 4 Central Texas floods
In the aftermath of the July 4th Flood Disaster, an exhausted woman arrived at the Family Assistance Center (FAC) in Kerrville seeking support after losing family and narrowly escaping the fast-rising flood waters with her life.
At the FAC, she found a team of grief counselors, government agencies, and aid organizations ready to help.
There she could replace her lost Driver License at the Department of Motor Vehicles booth, get a new Social Security card from Social Security Administration staff, and meet with Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) disaster assistance volunteers who shared tips on locating insurance policies and helped guide her through the claims process.
Training and scheduling TDI volunteers for disaster response and recovery are just two ways TDI Disaster Response Coordinator Andrew Davis helps Texas prepare and respond to natural disasters like hurricanes, tornados, wildfires, and flash floods.
“We have very dedicated staff that will help no matter what,” Andrew said. “Once the volunteer schedule was set, none of the volunteers backed out.”
The FAC is a special resource center for those who’ve lost loved ones in a disaster. After the July 4th Flood Disaster, the Kerrville FAC was set up in a school.
There, survivors were served meals, met with counselors, and accessed services from state agencies. Grief therapy dogs and cats were also available to ease frayed nerves.
“It was a very calm, soothing environment. They really did a great job,” Andrew said.
For those who lost property, seven Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) across Central Texas offered help. Affected Texans could meet with TDI volunteers to get assistance filing insurance claims, file a claim with FEMA, and talk to other federal and state agencies.
Andrew managed 30 TDI volunteers who were deployed to the FAC and DRCs for 12 hours a day, seven days a week during the 13-week s of the post-flood deployment.
Besides staffing the resource centers, Andrew also worked with the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) to help identify insurance carriers for the roughly 100 vehicles pulled from the Guadalupe River. The Texas Department of Public Safety identified owners using VIN numbers, then passed those names along to TDEM to find the insurers.
The July 4th Flood Disaster marked the second-longest ever TDI deployment at the State Operations Center (SOC) in Austin – surpassed only by Hurricane Harvey in 2017. The SOC is a 24-hour communications command center operated by TDEM during disasters. Once activated, it monitors threats, provides information to local, state, and federal authorities, and coordinates assistance requests from local governments.
Andrew spearheads TDI’s disaster response. A seasoned TDI staffer with seven years of service – including six years as a Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) volunteer – he represents the agency at the SOC, oversees volunteer training and scheduling, and keeps a close eye on severe weather developments.
His current role aligns perfectly with a passion for weather that started during his youth in Houston, where he spent a lot of time tracking hurricanes.
“I’m a weather fanatic – always have been,” he said. “This is the next best thing to being a forecaster.”
Whenever severe weather looms, Andrew joins daily calls with TDEM and the National Weather Service. He listens closely and sends detailed summaries of the forecast and available state resources to managers, colleagues in the Consumer Protection Division, and TDI disaster duty volunteers.
“I love what I do. Every day is something different,” Andrew said. “I’m surrounded by a talented team and I get to work with staff from all over TDI.”
November 3, 2025
TDI employs more than 110 veterans and welcomes more applicants
TDI staff are proud to work alongside many of our nation’s military veterans—and welcome more.
We're honored to call these veterans our coworkers.
“Veterans bring invaluable experience and dedication to our team,” said Cynthia Olivier, associate commissioner of human resources. “We’re proud to have more than 110 veterans on staff and we’re always eager to welcome more.”
If you’re a veteran seeking work, check out our job postings and contact the TDI human resources team with questions at HR-Recruitment@tdi.texas.gov.
You also can sign up for email alerts to new openings.
If you are interested in applying for a job, be sure to read our Before you apply webpage for important notes and documents you will need to submit.
August 14, 2025
Texas insurance questions? Call TDI’s Help Line
Have a question about insurance in Texas? Call the Texas Department of Insurance’s Help Line at 800-252-3439.
It’s open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central time. Experts take questions in English, Spanish, and other languages.
Operators can:
- Talk you through steps you need to take to file an insurance claim—and share your rights under Texas law.
- Connect you to consumer tips about auto, home, health, life, and other kinds of insurance.
- Check if a company or agent is licensed in Texas – and if they faced disciplinary action.
- Tell you how to file a complaint so TDI can look into your issue.
Learn more about the Help Line from the Texas Insurance podcast.
Learn more
- Getting help with an insurance complaint
- File an insurance complaint
- Steps to getting your home or car insurance claim paid
July 3, 2025
TDI tracks insurance companies’ finances to make sure they can pay claims
When you file an insurance claim, you’re counting on your insurance company having enough money to pay that claim.
TDI’s Financial Regulation Division works to make sure that happens for consumers.
Part of what TDI does as the state's insurance regulator is monitoring the financial health of insurance companies. This includes tracking how much insurance companies collect in premiums and spend on claims and other expenses.
TDI requires auto, home, health and all other insurance companies to provide these details in quarterly and annual reports. The agency's financial analysts then comb through those details.
"We go into financial statements, assets, liabilities, income, cash flow, and copious amounts of notes," said Jamie Walker, who leads the division.
TDI monitors about 500 Texas-based companies. Another 3,000 companies that sell insurance in Texas are monitored by their home states.
TDI makes sure companies comply with state laws and fulfill the terms of their policies.
Every five years, TDI's examiners conduct detailed financial exams of each Texas-based company. They talk to company executives and personnel, including actuaries, about their business practices, financial reporting, and new risks on the horizon.
Insurance companies manage risk to make sure they can pay current and future claims. A homeowners insurance company, for example, might only sell a certain number of policies in each area of the state so that if a weather event happens, they have a manageable amount of exposure.
Walker said: "We look at how the company is assessing risk and then determine if they have the financial capacity for unexpected losses, whether that be a major natural event or a significant and extended downturn in the investment market.”
This results in the Financial Regulation Division making sure insurance companies have enough assets to pay their claims and treat consumers as required by state laws and rules.
Learn more
How are your auto and homeowners insurance costs calculated?
June 12, 2025
Dogs sniff out fire accelerants for Texas State Fire Marshal’s Office
Ever wish you could work with your best friend? Well, a few employees with the Texas State Fire Marshal’s Office (SFMO) get to do that.
Positioned around the state, these handlers live and work with dogs that sniff out liquid accelerants at fire scenes.
Trained dogs have helped the SFMO look for traces of ignitable liquids for over 30 years. Each time a dog detects a suspicious smell, it’s rewarded with a toy or ball.
Learn more about these dog detectives on this Texas Insurance podcast.
Learn more
- Dog burned in fire now helps state investigate fires
- Fire Investigations Division Accelerant Detection Canine Unit
May 23, 2025
TDI prepares to help Texans before hurricane season begins
Hurricane season runs from June through November. To prepare, the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) recommends you make a home inventory, review your insurance policies, consider buying flood insurance, and check the condition of your windows and roof to reinforce your home’s hardiness where you can.
In 2001, TDI, the Texas Division of Emergency Management, and the Institute for Business & Home Safety founded the Texas State Disaster Coalition. Members of the coalition, including dozens of stakeholders from the Red Cross to insurance companies, can be activated as part of TDI’s disaster response.
Before hurricane season, TDI staff make sure coalition members have what they need. Also, TDI volunteers commit to join disaster response teams as needed.
Randall Evans, who heads the Consumer Protection Division, said: “As the frequency and severity of storms have increased, we have adjusted the model of our disaster program and increased our resources, escalating our readiness.”
After a hurricane, TDI’s role is to give insurance-related information to the public, handle consumer complaints, and make sure that filed claims are handled appropriately. Staff also investigate unfair or illegal practices.
“The Texas Department of Insurance prepares for weather disasters year-round,” said TDI Commissioner Cassie Brown. “We are ready to help Texans.”
Have an insurance question or concern? Call TDI’s Help Line, 800-252-3439, weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central time.
Learn more
Hurricane season: How to prepare your home and property
March 13, 2025
¿Un minuto? Podcast highlights insurance tips in Spanish
¿Tiene un minuto?
Then you have time for TDI’s 60-second consumer videos in English and Spanish.
Lorna Camacho advises consumers in the Spanish versions of the department’s One Minute of Insurance videos. They’re called Un Minuto de Seguro.
“Insurance can be challenging in any language,” Camacho said. “Our videos deliver basic information. You can then get more detail from our online consumer tips pages, in English and Spanish.”
Camacho shares more in this Texas Insurance Podcast.
Get to TDI’s Spanish-language page from the Español tab on TDI’s home page at tdi.texas.gov.
Have an insurance question in English or Spanish? TDI’s Help Line is 800-252-3439. It’s open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central time.
Learn more
- TDI expands access to insurance information in Spanish
- Get consumer tips
- Read blog posts
- Watch one-minute videos
February 13, 2025
TDI prosecutors embed in Texas district attorney offices
State lawyers who fight insurance fraud, pursuing millions of dollars in restitution, work closely with local authorities.
A few Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) lawyers are even sworn in as assistant district attorneys. These attorneys are embedded in district attorney offices from Dallas and Fort Worth to Austin, Houston, and San Antonio.
“District attorneys don't always have the resources or expertise to address insurance fraud as a crime,” said Dallas-based Kyson Johnson, who leads the TDI Fraud Unit’s 20-year-old; prosecutor program. ”Every tip or fraud report that we receive is looked at on a case-by-case basis.”
In 2024, TDI’s Fraud Unit contributed to investigations landing nearly $58 million in court-ordered restitution.
Learn more about TDI’s embedded prosecutors from the latest Texas Insurance Podcast.
Learn more
- About the TDI Fraud Unit
- Report Texas insurance fraud
- Fraud Unit chief prosecutor promoted in Army Reserve
November 15, 2024
FBI-TDI investigation capped by judge sentencing fraudulent pharmacy owner to prison
A judge sentenced a fraudulent Texas pharmacy owner to 10 years in jail after a multi-year investigation by the FBI and TDI.
Ivor Jallah, 37, earlier pleaded guilty to routinely billing insurance companies for headache sprays and pain and scar creams not dispensed to customers. U.S. District Judge Sam Lindsay in October also required Jallah to pay more than $41 million in restitution.
Authorities indicted multiple people after a multi-year joint investigation that began when insurance companies alerted TDI’s Fraud Unit to suspected billing irregularities.
Jallah and a co-conspirator operated at least nine Texas pharmacies.
Before Jallah’s sentencing, eight people were convicted and sentenced to a combined 290 months in federal prison. Three co-defendants await sentencing.
Christopher Davis, who heads the Fraud Unit, said: “Every time we catch someone bilking insurance companies and health plans, we’re fighting fraud that can raise everyone’s health care costs.”
You can report suspected insurance fraud by calling TDI’s Help Line at 800-252-3439. It’s open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central time.
Learn more
- Pharmacy owner sentenced to 10 years in prison for $41 million health insurance fraud (U.S. Department of Justice press release)
- Tips to avoid fraudulent insurance sales scams (blog post)
- Insurance fraud guide
November 14, 2024
Fraud investigators catch insurance criminals
Insurance fraud happens daily – and it drives up everyone’s premiums.
But TDI fights fraud. About 30 TDI investigators identify and help catch and prosecute people for fraud.
More than 200 TDI Fraud Unit investigations a year lead to consumers getting restitution and criminals facing prosecution and prison time.
Types of fraud include identity theft and not sending your premium payments on to the insurance companies.
Hear more from the unit’s financial analyst in this episode of the Texas Insurance Podcast.
Learn more
- Fraud investigators: How TDI solves insurance crimes (video)
- Report insurance fraud
- Insurance fraud guide
- Fraud investigator helps shut down COVID-19 testing fraud
- How "Doc" Gallagher defrauded investors of millions (video)
November 13, 2024
Fraud Unit chief prosecutor promoted in Army Reserve
As Brig. Gen. Kyson Johnson looked around the conference table at the Pentagon, he saw the judge advocate general of the United States Army and chair after chair of military generals. He pondered how he got there.
“And then here I am, a Baptist preacher’s kid from Oklahoma,” he said. “It was like imposter syndrome.”
Kyson was in Washington, D.C. to talk about his job duties after his October promotion from colonel to brigadier general in the Judge Advocate General (JAG) Corps in the Army Reserve. There are only three brigadier general positions.
“The Army Reserve has 3,000 JAG Corps soldiers. And you're one of those 3,000. It's very humbling,” Kyson said.
As he’s done for 20 years, Kyson will continue to lead the TDI Fraud Unit’s prosecutor program and fulfill his military service. Kyson’s legal career began 10 years earlier.
Kyson worked at law firms while a student at Dallas Baptist University and then law school at Texas Wesleyan University School of Law (now the Texas A&M University School of Law).
After college, Kyson was a personal injury lawyer until one eye-opening day in court.
“I stood up to argue to the jury and I found myself questioning whether or not I believed my client,” he said. “I recall walking to the office and saying, ‘I'm done.’”
Kyson switched legal sides and became a prosecutor in Grayson County, Texas.
“I felt like I was a good guy. I was doing something with my law degree that made me feel good about myself,” he said.
In March 2001, Kyson made another life-altering decision and joined the JAG Corps in the Army Reserve. He could work full-time during the week and serve his country on weekends.
“Serving my country has always been a big thing to me,” he said. “There really was no conflict between the two jobs until 9/11 happened.”
One of Kyson’s first jobs after deploying to Iraq in 2004 was to help prosecute the first prisoner abuse case at Abu Ghraib prison. Shortly before the trial, he was promoted to captain.
“It was just a surreal experience frankly. I turned around in court, looked over my shoulder, and there were seat placards for Connie Chung and Dan Rather,” he said.
After getting home, he saw an ad for a prosecutor position in the Fraud Unit. TDI was starting a program to put lawyers in district attorney’s offices around the state to prosecute insurance fraud.
“Insurance fraud was appealing because it didn't carry the emotional baggage of prosecuting those really difficult criminal cases,” he said.
That was in 2005. Kyson – the first insurance fraud prosecutor – now manages the program as it enters its 20 th year. The team has TDI lawyers in Tarrant, Bexar, Dallas, Harris, and Travis counties.
Kyson is also the Fraud Unit’s chief prosecutor and helps out when he’s not on military duty. On one of his mobilization assignments to the Pentagon, he went to the Army War College and learned about developing operational plans.
“Not only has TDI been super supportive of the military, but my military service has brought back some increased skills and competencies that have benefited TDI,” he said.
For his last military assignment, he was the chief of staff for 1,700 soldiers in the Army Reserve Command.
“As chief of staff of the largest command of military lawyers in the nation, he played a critical role in leading that organization,” said Major General Bill, Kyson’s friend and mentor. “We project great things in his future.”
As he begins his next assignment as a newly-promoted brigadier general, Kyson takes stock of how far he’s come.
“It's overwhelming. But I am very grateful for the opportunity,” he said. “I feel like I've been put into a position of trust where I can help soldiers. And in doing so, I can help our Army Reserve and our country.”
October 3, 2024
Fraud investigator helps shut down COVID-19 testing fraud
Multiple health plans were getting COVID-19 testing bills from providers their systems hadn't seen before. The health plans contacted Sgt. Dana with TDI's Fraud Unit, who they worked with on other fraud cases.
"When the system throws up red flags, it means someone needs to look at it," said Dana. "The plans tried to verify the provider and make contact, but they were shell companies."
Dana started investigating and found several fake North Texas-based labs unlawfully using patient information to bill health plans more than $30 million for running COVID-19 tests.
The primary suspect stole patient information from pain clinics where he worked as a contract lab tech. Three friends helped with the scheme.
One patient said he got a letter in the mail saying his health plan was billed for 15 COVID-19 tests he supposedly took. The patient had no idea. He’d taken no tests.
Dana investigated the case with help from several federal agencies, including the FBI, U.S. Department of Labor and Employee Benefits Security Administration, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Texas.
Four people pleaded guilty to health care fraud. The lab tech got seven years in prison and was ordered to pay back $7 million.
Dana joined TDI in 2019 after retiring from the Arlington Police Department.
He said he likes his job investigating insurance fraud. "I like putting puzzles together. It’s a big puzzle trying to figure out what people are doing, how they’re doing it, and holding them accountable."
Learn more
October 1, 2024
TDI expands access to insurance information in Spanish
TDI launches new Spanish-language resources on its website to help Texans understand insurance.
Get to the new Spanish-language page from the Español tab on TDI’s home page at tdi.texas.gov.
Features include:
- Search: Find information using Spanish keywords.
- Plain-language content: Get over 300 webpages of tips, blog posts, podcasts, and other information in plain language.
- Multimedia: Watch Spanish videos to get quick insurance tips.
TDI Commissioner Cassie Brown said: “This is a great way to reach more people with information to help them make good insurance decisions. We want to make insurance easier to understand for everyone.”
Resources
- Vea nuestros consejos sobre seguros
- Lea nuestro blog
- Un minuto de seguro (vídeos cortos)
August 20, 2024
Fraud Unit investigator helps stop human smuggling ring
While working out of the FBI field office in South Texas, Fraud Unit investigator Sgt. Chris helped the federal agency uncover a $2 million human smuggling operation.
Sgt. Chris was investigating an insurance fraud scam when he came across Luis Enrique Moctezuma-Acosta and Scarlett Fuentes-Gavarrete. Moctezuma-Acosta is a Mexican National and Fuentes-Gavarrete is a Honduran National living illegally in Mission near the Texas-Mexico border.
"As we followed the money and did interviews, we found these people that were buying properties – and then found out what they did for a living," Sgt. Chris said.
Moctezuma-Acosta and Fuentes-Gavarrette could afford to buy properties thanks to money raised running a human smuggling ring. Their network, reaching from Honduras to Boston, smuggled 2,400 people into the U.S.
Once people were smuggled across the Rio Grande into the U.S., the self-titled “LEMA” smuggling organization used several methods to circumvent U.S. Border Patrol checkpoints, including tractor trailers, commercial planes, and guides to walk travelers around the checkpoints. They laundered their proceeds through businesses they created, including a used car lot.
"We paused the primary case,” Sgt. Chris said, “and worked on this case to get these people in custody and made sure that everybody was safe.”
In March, Moctezuma-Acosta and Fuentes-Gavarrette pleaded guilty to money laundering and conspiracy charges. In July, they were each sentenced to 20 years in federal prison. They face deportation after they're released.
Authorities seized over $1.5 million in cash and $2.7 million in luxury vehicles, jewelry, and property. Two other family members pleaded guilty to money laundering charges. The investigation identified one immigrant who died while being smuggled.
Sgt. Chris said of the couple: "I’m glad they’re off the street. They had no concept of the harm they were doing."
Sgt. Chris joined TDI in 2016 after 30 years in law enforcement. Chris works closely with the FBI combatting financial crimes and insurance fraud.
"I love what I do," he said. “I like helping my community and people who can’t help themselves.”
Learn more
July 31, 2024
Forensic accountant follows the money to help victims
Vivian says her job as a financial analyst performing forensic accounting is like piecing together a puzzle. Typically, the pieces are bank statements, business records, and other official documents.
It’s Vivian’s challenge to make the pieces fit.
Recently, Vivian helped TDI's Fraud Unit stop two doctors – Desi and Deno Barroga of Dallas – who were overprescribing opioids and falsely billing health plans.
Fraud Unit investigators got Vivian subpoenas for the records she needed. Next, she combed through the doctors' personal and business bank records to trace the $45 million they billed and the $9 million they were paid.
"It's my job to find where that money is and where it's going," Vivian said
TDI's investigators used what Vivian found to help federal agencies, including the FBI, build a criminal case. The doctors pleaded guilty and face up to 10 years in prison.
Aside from stopping criminals, the Fraud Unit also wants to get restitution for victims. Courts can order criminals to pay restitution.
Vivian said: "One way agencies can do that is by seizing their assets. To be able to seize those assets, we have to prove that they were bought with dirty money.”
Before joining TDI, Vivian traced properties and assets for an accounting firm. Her college degree was in finance with an emphasis on business evaluations.
She loves taking rows and columns of numbers on a spreadsheet and making sense of them.
"That's what I love about this job: making sense of the numbers for everyone else. It's my contribution to the team effort."
Learn more
July 25, 2024
Fraud Unit warns local officials about scams
Members of TDI Fraud Unit’s Catastrophe Response Team met with Roman Forest Police Department staff.
Out-of-town scam artists are often the first to knock on doors after disasters. TDI gives tips to avoid scams, like hiring local contractors, getting written bids, and checking references.
Our toolkit for preventing fraud has tips and flyers that city and county officials can use to warn residents about contractor fraud.
After Hurricane Beryl, the TDI Fraud Unit’s Catastrophe Response Team visited city and county officials to talk about the toolkit and fraud prevention.
“Unfortunately, after a big storm we see an influx of criminal activity from scam artists looking to profit from people who are trying to start the recovery process,” said Chris Davis, who leads the Fraud Unit.
To report suspected fraud, call our Help Line at 800-252-3439 or visit our fraud page.
Learn more
- Preventing fraud after a storm: a toolkit for city and county officials
- How to avoid contracting scams
- Do you know the signs of a contracting scam?
October 12, 2023
New captive insurance specialist
The Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) announces the hiring of a captive insurance specialist with invaluable expertise.
Robert Rudnai is responsible for licensing and monitoring Texas-based captives and alerting businesses to the potential of starting a captive.
In 2013, the Legislature passed a measure allowing pure captives and requiring TDI to license them. At that time, Rudnai was among a handful of TDI financial analysts providing oversight to captives. He evaluated captive insurance license applications, met with prospective captive applicants, and developed relationships with captive service providers.
Rudnai, who started Oct. 2, ramped up quickly thanks to his familiarity with the captives landscape.
“I have been learning about and providing regulatory information to captives from the get-go,” Rudnai said. “The challenge now is to do so as efficiently, consistently, and predictably as possible.”
State lawmakers this year directed TDI to employ a specialist to support captive insurance oversight and related activities in Texas, which has 76 state-domiciled captives and ranks high in total premium volume from captives.
“And,” Rudnai said, “TDI is prepared for more growth.”
A captive is a wholly owned insurance company created to provide insurance coverage to its owner and affiliated companies. Captives are a form of self-insurance. They are typically established to meet the unique insurance needs of the owners.
Rudnai, who will address the Texas Captive Insurance Association this month, said: “There’s an opportunity now to use the experience and operational knowledge gained over the last decade to evaluate and refine processes and procedures. This starts by my listening to our stakeholders and considering their perspectives.”
The Army veteran, who has a master’s degree in accounting, rejoined the department after working in the insurance industry.
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