Texas will have a new insurance commissioner starting next month, with Gov. Greg Abbott appointing Amanda Crawford to lead the Texas Department of Insurance as the current commissioner prepares to retire.
Crawford, who lives in Round Rock, currently serves as executive director of the Texas Department of Information Resources and holds the role of the state’s chief information officer.
Her background blends technology, law, and public administration, a mix state officials framed as increasingly relevant for insurance regulation.
Abbott appointed Crawford to a term running through Feb. 1, 2027, according to a statement from the governor’s office. Before moving into technology leadership roles, Crawford served as deputy attorney general and general counsel for the Texas attorney general’s office.
Her résumé also includes service as president of the National Association of State Chief Information Officers. She is a member of the State Bar of Texas, earned a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from the University of Texas at Austin, and received her law degree from the University of Houston Law Center.
The appointment follows the state’s announcement last week that current commissioner Cassie Brown will retire effective Feb. 2.
Brown has led the department for four years, overseeing regulation of a $293 bn insurance market that ranks second nationally. The Texas market includes roughly 3,400 insurance companies and about 875,000 licensed agents and adjusters.
Abbott credited Brown’s more than two decades in public service, saying her tenure balanced market competition with consumer protection. He said Texas maintained its position as the nation’s second-largest insurance market while focusing on serving policyholders across the state.
During her tenure, Brown emphasized consumer education around insurance coverage, claim filing, and scam avoidance, while also supporting regulatory intervention when needed.
In a statement, she said she leaves confident the department will continue protecting consumers, maintaining competition, and providing a stable regulatory environment attractive to new business and innovation.
State officials also pointed to millions saved for consumers through rate reviews, complaint resolution, and restitution tied to fraud cases. Before becoming insurance commissioner, Brown served as Texas workers’ compensation commissioner.
In 2024, under Brown’s leadership, the department conducted a data call involving 10 auto insurers focused on appraisal use and outcomes.
The findings later supported lobbying efforts by the Auto Body Association of Texas for a right-to-appraisal clause bill, which ultimately passed.
Crawford steps into the role as Texas insurers and regulators continue navigating pricing pressure, litigation trends, and growing reliance on data and technology across the insurance sector.
