Honolulu, Hawaiʻi – Scott Saiki has been officially appointed as the Insurance Commissioner for the state of Hawaiʻi Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) Insurance Division (INS), with his appointment effective today, July 16, 2025. In this role, Saiki will be responsible for overseeing Hawaiʻi’s insurance industry, which encompasses companies, insurance agents, self-insurers, and captives. He takes over from Acting Insurance Commissioner Jerry Bump, who will return to his position as Chief Deputy Insurance Commissioner.
“Insurance impacts every person and organization across Hawaiʻi, whether through natural disasters, property, healthcare, or transportation. Residents deserve an insurance framework that will protect their lives and livelihoods,” said Insurance Commissioner Saiki. “I look forward to building on the work of the Insurance Division to make insurance coverage accessible, responsive and resilient.”
Governor Josh Green, M.D., commented on the appointment, stating, “Scott has spent his career in public service, and his legal and legislative experience will be a tremendous asset as we navigate the significant challenges of the insurance marketplace.”
Saiki joined the Hawaiʻi Insurance Division in December 2024 and had been serving as Acting Chief Deputy Insurance Commissioner since February 2025. His extensive public service career includes over three decades in the Hawaiʻi House of Representatives, where he held leadership roles such as Majority Leader and Speaker of the House from 2017 to 2024. As Speaker, Saiki co-chaired the Governor’s Executive and Legislative Condo and Property Insurance Task Force and chaired the House Select Committee on COVID-19 Economic and Financial Preparedness.
He is an alumnus of Hawaiʻi Baptist Academy, holding an undergraduate degree in political science from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa and a Juris Doctor degree from the William S. Richardson School of Law.
Saiki steps into the role during a period of significant volatility for the Hawaiʻi insurance industry, particularly in the property insurance market. Recent years have seen unprecedented rate increases driven by a “hardening” global insurance industry and an increase in catastrophic events worldwide.
In response to this instability, Act 296 was signed into law last week, reactivating the Hawaiʻi Hurricane Relief Fund (HHRF). The HHRF aims to provide insurance coverage in scenarios where the private market fails to do so, addressing barriers to obtaining coverage caused by major climate events, rapidly rising premiums, and a decrease in available insurers for many condominium and homeowner properties. Applications are currently being accepted by the HHRF for Condominium and Townhouse Associations of Apartment Owners (AOAOs) seeking hurricane commercial property insurance coverage.
More information about the Hawaiʻi Hurricane Relief Fund, including frequently asked questions (FAQs), application, and other forms, is available at https://hhrf.hawaii.gov.