March 3, 2022
OLYMPIA, Wash. – Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler issued the following statement about employee complaints against him as published in nwnewsnetwork.org today:
“I care about everyone who works with me at the Office of the Insurance Commissioner. I deeply regret that some of my behavior and actions have taken attention away from the good work we do on behalf of insurance consumers. We hold each other to high standards, and I am not above those. Clearly, I have work to do. I have apologized to staff and I will be open to their feedback as I move forward.
“I understand the allegations that have been made and while I won’t address them here individually, I want people to know that I take these matters very seriously and recognize that I must do better. I appreciate the confidence of the people who voted for me and intend to fulfill my commitment to the people of Washington state.
“Everyone who works here with me is dedicated to serving the public and has continued to do so in the face of great challenges. I’m proud of the work they do and could not accomplish my goals for insurance consumers without them. I care deeply about the work we do and the issues we work on. Because of this, I sometimes handle my concerns or frustrations poorly. However, this is not an excuse for my behavior.
“I am honored to have worked for over 20 years with some of the most hard-working public servants this state has to offer. I have been re-elected to this office five times and understand the trust placed in me by voters and the OIC staff. Some of my actions and the tone I have set are not consistent with what I expect of staff.
“Going forward, as we continue our focus on protecting Washington consumers’ access to health, property, life and other types of insurance, I will strive to be more mindful of the words I choose, my actions and the tone I set. My staff and the public who elected me deserve nothing less.”
Editor’s note: Any media updates will be posted on the OIC’s Twitter account.