Insurance Commissioner of California · Election November 3, 2026 · Updated
Who should I vote for in the California insurance commissioner race?
Ben Allen has the strongest record in the California insurance commissioner race. Ben Allen scores 61 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Jane Kim at 55, as of October 9, 2026. Ben Allen's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Jane Kim's highest marks are relevant experience and communication. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Democratic
Strongest record
Ben Allen
61 / 100
Public evidence on 11 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 50
- Qualifications
- 88
- Performance
- 42
Democratic
Jane Kim
55 / 100
Public evidence on 10 of 15 criteria
- Character
- 44
- Qualifications
- 60
- Performance
- 75
The good, the bad and the unresolved
The record
The notable facts of each candidate's public life, each tied to a source and confirmed to be this person. Unresolved matters are labeled with where they stand and do not move a score.
Ben Allen
- Mark against2015-08
He, his 2014 Senate committee and a landlord agreed in an FPPC stipulation to a $4,000 penalty for not timely disclosing reduced campaign headquarters rent as in-kind contributions.
Sources: FPPC Stipulation, Decision and Order, No. 14/1071, Aug. 2015, Associated Press via CBS Los Angeles, 2015
- On the record2026
Won the California Democratic Party's endorsement over fellow Democrat Jane Kim and pledges in the voter guide to take no insurance company money.
Sources: CalMatters, Aug. 18, 2026, California Secretary of State, Official Voter Information Guide
- On the record2025
In 2025 he had no vote recorded on 46 of 2,175 Senate vote opportunities (2.1%), per CalMatters' tally of the official record.
Sources: CalMatters chart data (Datawrapper), Oct. 2025, CalMatters, Oct. 3, 2025
- Credit2025 to 2026
After the Palisades Fire, authored legislation to give the insurance department more enforcement power and to create a wildfire-resilience loan program.
- Credit2022-06-30
Governor Newsom signed his SB 54, requiring producers to cut single-use plastic packaging; it passed the Senate 29 to 0 with bipartisan support.
Sources: Palisades News, July 2022, CALPIRG
Jane Kim
- Mark against2019-06-28
Agreed to an $8,750 San Francisco Ethics penalty on five counts, including letting office staff use City resources for campaign newsletters, missing disclaimers, missing records and late payments.
Sources: San Francisco Ethics Commission, Stipulation, Complaint No. 28-151015 (June 2019), San Francisco Ethics Commission, minutes, June 28, 2019
- Mark against2015-06-29
The San Francisco Ethics Commission approved a $2,500 penalty against her and her 2014 committee for spending campaign funds on purposes other than her candidacy.
Source: San Francisco Ethics Commission, actions of June 29, 2015
- On the record2026
Proposes a state-run natural disaster insurance authority; critics including Consumer Watchdog's president warned a state-run fund could be wiped out by one catastrophic fire.
Source: CalMatters, Aug. 18, 2026
- On the record2026
Pledges in the voter guide to take no insurance company or corporate PAC money.
Source: California Secretary of State, Official Voter Information Guide
- On the record2026-05-01
Was among 25 people SFPD arrested at a May Day labor protest that blocked the SFO international terminal roadway, along with two supervisors and a state senator.
Where it stands: ABC7 reports all 25 people arrested were cited for failure to disperse and released the same day; no later charge or court outcome found.
Sources: San Francisco Standard, May 1, 2026, Mission Local, May 1, 2026, ABC7 News, May 1, 2026
- Credit2014 to 2017
As supervisor, secured free community college for San Francisco residents and the state's first $15 minimum wage ordinance, plus tenant eviction protections, per CalMatters.
Who they are
Character
Integrity
Tells the truth, keeps their word, and takes no private gain from public office.
Ben Allen. No FPPC, ethics or court finding found. Pledges in the state voter guide to take no insurance company money; a reported lapse in that pledge and promised refunds could not be confirmed from an opened source.
Source: California Secretary of State, Official Voter Information Guide
Jane Kim. Pledges to take no insurance company or corporate PAC money. Her San Francisco Ethics Commission findings (2015, 2019) are scored under Oath and Management.
Source: California Secretary of State, Official Voter Information Guide
Courage
Takes a stand that costs them something, including telling their own side no.
Ben Allen. No public record found.
Jane Kim. No public record found.
Accountability
Owns mistakes, answers hard questions, and works in the open.
Ben Allen. Took part in candidate forums (SPUR, April 2026), a joint AirTalk interview with his opponent, and a scheduled Oct. 8 CalMatters forum. No open town halls documented.
Sources: KQED, April 10, 2026, LAist (CalMatters voter guide), Oct. 2026
Jane Kim. Took part in candidate forums (SPUR, April 2026), a joint AirTalk interview and a scheduled Oct. 8 CalMatters forum. No open town halls documented.
Sources: KQED, April 10, 2026, LAist (CalMatters voter guide), Oct. 2026
Temperament and judgment
Steady under pressure, decides on evidence, and treats opponents and staff with respect.
Ben Allen. State senator since 2014 with no formal censure or conduct finding found.
Source: Ballotpedia, Ben Allen
Jane Kim. San Francisco school board member (2007 to 2011) and supervisor (2011 to 2019). No censure or conduct finding beyond the ethics stipulations scored elsewhere.
Source: Ballotpedia, Jane Kim
Fidelity to the oath
Uses power inside its limits: accepts certified results, obeys court rulings, follows the rules of the office.
Ben Allen. Sworn state senator since 2014. No misuse-of-office finding and no action to reject certified results found.
Source: Ballotpedia, Ben Allen
Jane Kim. In a 2019 stipulation she admitted letting supervisor office staff use City resources for campaign newsletters in 2014, violating the board's incompatible activities rules; she paid part of an $8,750 penalty for that count.
Sources: San Francisco Ethics Commission, Stipulation, Complaint No. 28-151015 (June 2019), San Francisco Ethics Commission, minutes, June 28, 2019
What they bring
Qualifications
Relevant experience
Has done work that prepares them for this specific office.
Ben Allen. Three terms in the state Senate (since 2014). No prior insurance regulatory post.
Jane Kim. Two terms as a San Francisco supervisor and four years on the school board; civil rights attorney. No insurance regulatory post.
Source: Ballotpedia, Jane Kim
Command of the job
Knows the issues and knows what the office can and cannot do.
Ben Allen. Chaired the Senate Environmental Quality Committee (2021 to 2024); since the Palisades Fire he has authored bills to give the insurance department more enforcement power. Specific plans include more complaint staff.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Ben Allen, LAist (CalMatters voter guide), Oct. 2026
Jane Kim. Proposes a state-run 'natural disaster insurance for all' authority and universal low-cost auto insurance; she says the disaster plan needs further study, and CalMatters notes industry and consumer-group doubts.
Sources: LAist (CalMatters voter guide), Oct. 2026, CalMatters, Aug. 18, 2026
Communication
Explains plainly, persuades, and listens.
Ben Allen. Completed the 2026 Ballotpedia survey and the GrowSF questionnaire, filed a voter guide statement and took part in forums and broadcast interviews.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Ben Allen, GrowSF questionnaire, June 2026
Jane Kim. Completed the 2026 Ballotpedia survey and Capitol Weekly's candidate questionnaire, filed a voter guide statement and gave interviews. Did not answer the GrowSF questionnaire.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Jane Kim, Capitol Weekly, Feb. 27, 2026, GrowSF questionnaire, June 2026
Roots in the constituency
Lives there, knows the people, and is funded by them.
Ben Allen. Santa Monica High School graduate who represents the Santa Monica area in the Senate. In-state donor share not available.
Sources: Ballotpedia, Ben Allen, CALPIRG, June 2022
Jane Kim. Served San Francisco on its school board and Board of Supervisors from 2007 to 2019. In-state donor share not available.
Source: Ballotpedia, Jane Kim
Management
Can build and run an organization.
Ben Allen. No public record found.
Jane Kim. Repeated campaign finance findings: a 2015 $2,500 San Francisco Ethics penalty for using campaign funds for non-campaign purposes and a 2019 $8,750 stipulation including missing disclaimers, missing records and late payments.
Sources: San Francisco Ethics Commission, actions of June 29, 2015, San Francisco Ethics Commission, Stipulation, Complaint No. 28-151015 (June 2019)
What they deliver
Performance
Results
Turns ideas into outcomes.
Ben Allen. Authored SB 54 (2022), the plastic pollution producer-responsibility law signed by the governor, and post-fire insurance bills described by CalMatters.
Sources: Palisades News, July 2022, LAist (CalMatters voter guide), Oct. 2026
Jane Kim. As supervisor secured free community college for city residents, the state's first $15 minimum wage ordinance and a tenant eviction-protection ordinance, per CalMatters.
Showing up
Does the basic work of the job.
Ben Allen. Per CalMatters' tallies of the official record, he had no vote recorded on 560 of 2,571 vote opportunities in 2024 (21.78%) and 46 of 2,175 in 2025 (2.1%); the two-year rate is 12.8%.
Sources: CalMatters chart data (Datawrapper), Oct. 2024, CalMatters chart data (Datawrapper), Oct. 2024, CalMatters, Oct. 2024, CalMatters chart data (Datawrapper), Oct. 2025, CalMatters, Oct. 3, 2025
Jane Kim. No public record found.
Constituent service
Solves problems for the people they represent.
Ben Allen. No public record found.
Jane Kim. No public record found.
Coalition building
Wins support beyond their own faction.
Ben Allen. SB 54 passed the Senate 29 to 0 with broad bipartisan support after negotiations among business and environmental groups.
Source: Palisades News, July 2022
Jane Kim. No public record found.
Stewardship of public money
Treats tax dollars as someone else's money.
Ben Allen. No public record found.
Jane Kim. No public record found.
How to read this
Each criterion is scored 0 to 4 against the written rubric in the Ballot Standard. NR means no record: there is no reliable public evidence either way, so the criterion is left out and never counts against the candidate. A total is published when at least 8 of 15 criteria have evidence.
A sitting officeholder has a longer public record than a first-time candidate, so the two totals rest on different amounts of evidence. Read the count of criteria beside each score. Low marks require an official finding or a primary record. Allegations and opinion are not used.
No policy position is scored. Evidence checked October 9, 2026. Campaigns and readers can send a correction with a public source to tpg@thepoliticalgroup.com.
Questions
Who should I vote for in the California insurance commissioner race?
Ben Allen has the strongest record in the California insurance commissioner race. Ben Allen scores 61 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, ahead of Jane Kim at 55, as of October 9, 2026. Ben Allen's highest marks are relevant experience and command of the job. Jane Kim's highest marks are relevant experience and communication. Every score comes from public records on character, qualifications and performance, the same way for every party.
Who is running in the California insurance commissioner race in 2026?
Ben Allen (Democratic), Jane Kim (Democratic). The general election is November 3, 2026.
Is Ben Allen a good candidate for Insurance Commissioner?
Ben Allen scores 61 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 11 of 15 criteria: character 50 of 100, qualifications 88 of 100, performance 42 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
Is Jane Kim a good candidate for Insurance Commissioner?
Jane Kim scores 55 out of 100 on the Ballot Standard, with public evidence on 10 of 15 criteria: character 44 of 100, qualifications 60 of 100, performance 75 of 100. The standard measures character, qualifications and performance, not policy positions.
How is the strongest record decided?
The candidate with the highest Ballot Standard score has the strongest record. Each of 15 criteria on character, qualifications and performance is scored 0 to 4 from public records and established reporting, the same way for every party. No policy position is scored, and unresolved accusations never move a score.
More on this race: every California race scored, and the California 2026 election guide. Independent scorecard by The Political Group, not affiliated with any candidate or party.