Causey wins big in biggest straw poll

73% of Wake County GOP Convention delegates vote for Mike Causey!

by Kristie Skinner Bass

RALEIGH, N.C. - Mike Causey is the favored insurance commissioner candidate among Republicans in Wake County, according to a straw poll conducted Thursday, March 22, at the Wake County Convention- North Carolina's largest Republican convention.

Hundreds of  convention delegates turned out Thursday evening to the NC State Fairgrounds' Kerr Scott Building to hear Herman Cain and participate in the Wake County Convention process. There were more people than chairs in the crowded convention hall.

Turnout at this county convention was the largest in the state, with close to 2,000 people, including candidates and guests.

Herman Cain was the star attraction. He gave a fiery speech that motivated the audience to roaring applause.

When the straw poll totals were announced, Mike Causey won the vote for insurance commissioner by an overwhelming 73% of the vote. He decisively defeated his two straw poll opponents, who garnered less than 14% each.

Actual vote totals:

CAUSEY  331 votes  = 73.1%

McCALL     63 votes  = 13.9%

MORGAN   59 votes  =  13%

This is the third major straw poll win by Mike Causey, as he previously won the Mecklenburg County GOP straw poll with 66% of the vote and the Union County GOP straw poll with more than 80% of the vote.

"I thank the delegates and my supporters in Wake County for this vote of confidence," said Causey. Chad Price, a campaign helper for the Mike Causey Campaign, said, "You didn't just win, Mike, you stomped 'em!"

Although Thursday's straw poll gave Causey extra momentum, he said that the real test lies ahead in the coming weeks. "These straw polls make good publicity, but the only vote that counts is on Election Day," Causey concluded.

Now it's on the the big weekend events, more speeches and handshakes.

-ksb

Causey wins 80-percent of straw poll vote in key Republican county

by Kristie Bass  

March 10, 2012 

INDIAN TRAIL, NC. — Republican candidate Mike Causey was a big winner at the Union County Republican Convention held at Porter Ridge High School Saturday.  Causey garnered 80.4-percent of the delegate vote in the race for insurance commissioner, compared to 9.8-percent each for primary opponents James McCall and Richard Morgan.

Causey addressed the Union County Convention delegates Saturday morning, shortly after meeting convention delegates in Gaston County at the Gaston County Republican Party Convention.
After speaking to the delegates in Union, Causey went on to Cabarrus County, Iredell County Saturday afternoon and Franklin County that evening for The Franklin County Reagan Day Dinner and convention, where he addressed the delegates.

Causey seems to be gaining momentum as he travels the state on his grassroots tour.

The straw poll, organized by the Union County Republican Party, included races for President, Lt. Governor, Council-of-State, congressional and local elected offices.

Rick Santorum won the vote for U.S. President with nearly 42 percent and Vernon Robinson won the vote

for U.S. Congress - District 8 with 31 percent.

-kb

Time to simplify Insurance Policies & Hold Insurance Companies accountable

By Phil and Aven Rosch | Special to The County Compass

This article was prepared as a result of the response

to our story titled “Insurance Adventure—an Indictment of Industry” published in the Jan. 26 issue of The County Compass.

We had many calls and e-mails. One of the calls was from Mike Causey who is running for North Carolina Insurance Commissioner. He wanted to hear more. Aven volunteered to set up community meetings in Pamlico County and Aurora so Causey could hear about the experiences people have had with their carriers and what needs to be fixed in the North Carolina insurance arena.

AURORA -- Eastern North Carolina homes require three separate insurance policies for each property -- wind, flood, and homeowners. This exacerbates complexity and encourages finger pointing between entities. Subtle linkages exist between the policies, which cause the policy holder to make bad decisions and allow the companies to avoid paying claims.

For example, flood insurance really doesn’t cover all of your personal property. You need comprehensive on your auto policy or your drowned vehicle simply isn’t covered.

Since wind coverage is through the North Carolina Joint Underwriters Association -- essentially a risk pool -- it is very easy for the flood folks (FEMA) to point fingers at the wind folks and vice versa.

The root cause of a claim is almost impossible to determine. For example, did the tree fall on the house because the wind blew it over, or because the ground was so wet from the flood and the root ball so shallow that it fell over?

The normal response is to commission an engineering study, which in many cases costs more than simply paying the claim.

What should be done? I believe major carriers should be one stop shopping. The government flood insurance should be a “re-insurer” and represented by the carrier. If only one company represented homeowners, wind, and flood their motivation would be to pay claims and move on.

The ability to point fingers at other entities is “an attractive nuisance” in insurance terms.

Insurance agency culpability is zero according to the North Carolina Insurance Commissioner’s office. There are no penalties for errors or omissions in disclosure of the conditions of their company, or the interrelationships with the other two carriers.

The FEMA Flood policy has a statement that if you disagree with their claim amount and take them to court and win, you can’t collect your legal fees as part of the judgment.

The insurance commissioner’s office basically has said that your policy is the contract and nothing the agent says, or doesn’t say, matters.

To read the entire article click below 

Time to simplify insurance policies & hold agents accountable

Mike Causey to speak in Kill Devil Hills, NC

Mike Causey, candidate for insurance commissioner, will speak at the annual Lincoln-Reagan Dinner to be held by the Dare County Republican Party dinner on Saturday, March 24, at Captain George’s seafood buffet in Kill Devil Hills.

The cash bar opens at 6 p.m., and dinner is at 6:30 p.m. Special guest Republican speakers at this year’s event are renowned US Constitutional authority Superior Court Judge Rusty Duke and 2012 North Carolina Insurance Commissioner candidate Mike Causey. Dress is business casual. Dinner ticket price options: $45/each; $80/couple; $100 Gold Sponsorship includes two tickets, reserved seating near the speaker’s table and a table sign with name; $250 Platinum Sponsorship includes four tickets, a reserved table near the speaker’s table and a table sign with name.

Note the Dare County GOP Convention is being held the same day in Manteo at the Dare Center starting at 9 a.m. The guest speaker is Dare County Sheriff Doug Doughtie. Meet the new K-9 unit from Manteo. There is no charge to attend the Dare GOP Convention.

Get tickets by contacting your precinct chair or any member of the Dare County GOP Executive Committee.

Contact information is available on-line at www.daregop.com/images/leadership.pdf, or contact Dare GOP Chair Pat Patterson at 252-715-0351 or email ppatterson53@charter.net.

http://www.outerbanksseniors.com/2012/03/lincoln-reagan-dinner-set-2/

Mike Causey in 2012

I believe the state insurance regulator should serve the people of the state - ALL THE PEOPLE of the state, not just some of the people. 

The primary job of North Carolina's Insurance Commissioner is to protect consumers, and provide a fair and efficient competitive regulatory environment.  Consumers are NOT getting the protection they deserve and we do not have a competitive regulatory environment.

There are only 8 companies, other than Blue Cross /Blue Shield, currently writing individual health insurance in North Carolina. (BlueCross has more than 80-percent market share)

On the property insurance side, only 8 companies are writing property insurance in eastern North Carolina
The fire departments and rescue squads need help. It is the proximity of fire departments, especially in rural areas, that determine the fire insurance rates. I will make sure that ALL fire departments and rescue squads have the tools and resources they need to do their job.

I will improve the climate for worker's compensation insurance in North Carolina. Right now the RATES are TOO HIGH and the laws are too complex. I'll work to make workers comp rates lower and streamline the complex regulations.

What I will do as Commissioner of Insurance:

= Make sweeping reforms to the NC DOI and the 'Good Ol' Boy Network' that now prevails in that office. I will review every operation in that department, from bottom to top, from wall to wall, and will cut the red tape and modernize this office and make it work for the people.

= Establish an around-the-clock customer service and crisis command center in the Department of Insurance.

= Put real people on the telephones, not those frustrating push buttons that send you in circles for hours on end. 

= Make sure consumers are protected;  That YOUR insurance department provides a fair, efficient and competitive regulatory environment, with a free market approach.

= Establish a 'CONSUMER ADVOCATE' in the Department to help resolve consumer disputes with insurers and assist consumers with insurance issues.

By electing Mike Causey, North Carolinians will see increased competition in the insurance market and more new jobs brought  to North Carolina. We  can be a leader in alternative health care solutions, insurance modernization with a healthy insurance climate in a more free market environment.. These changes will save money, open new markets and strengthen our economy.

www.gocausey.com

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Mike-Causey-for-Insurance-Commissioner-of-NC/377667428927018