John Jay Willoughby for State Auditor
Republican
By Denise Rivette
Montana Independent News posed the same four questions to all candidates in the Montana auditor race. Republican John Jay Willoughby’s views are presented in their entirety below.
What are the Montana values that will guide your decision-making?
The same values that I was taught growing up:
Respect those you encounter and expect the same in return.
Work hard, be fair, be honest and be true to your core values of Family, God & Country.
Be the absolute best version of yourself you can be and give 100% to anything you jump into.
I'll use all those values as your next State Auditor.
What skills, knowledge and experience do you possess that make you the better candidate?
I've been working with people my entire career. With 25+ years in the insurance industry as an agent and a business owner, I know a great deal about the issues Montanans are facing when it comes to the high costs of all insurance. I deal with customers facing these issues and looking for solutions from all walks of life. I'm already dealing with issues when it comes to the cost of homeowners’ insurance and the ability to obtain or try to replace coverage for clients. I'm well aware of the cost fluctuations in every insurance product sold in Montana and those areas are a pressing concern that will need to be addressed not only from the Auditor's Office but also by the Legislature.
I've testified and been involved with the Legislature on various bills over my career and it will take the efforts of all of us to implement changes that should have been ongoing throughout the last 25 years.
I have the insight to know what is causing many of the issues resulting in these huge rate increases and I'm the only candidate that has spoken on solutions that we can implement to help control these rates and hopefully get them headed down to a realistic level for consumers again.
My opponents have not worked in insurance and have no clue what the real issues are or how to address a logical way to fix them .
As a retired Law Enforcement Office with 20 years experience, I possess the skill set to be tough on fraud and the bad actors that try to take advantage of Montana consumers and the elderly. The State Auditor's Office under my leadership will be aggressive in the investigation, arrest and prosecution of these bad actors to the fullest extent of the law.
Being a business owner and prior public servant I've managed staff as well as managed, owned, or been a co-owner in several businesses besides insurance. I know how to manage staff and maximize the potential of those who work with me.
I am the candidate best positioned to implement the changes we need to make the State Auditor's Office the consumer protection advocate it was meant to be and restore trust in the agency.
What are your top priorities to address during your term if you are elected?
(1) Insurance Rate Revision and Accountability
We need to get these rates under control and that will require help from the Legislature as we implement change that allows Montana to become a more insurance friendly state to do business in.
(2) Actively recruit and obtain more Insurance Carriers in the State.
This will create competition and create better rates for all consumers. Again Legislative Help will be needed to make this happen.
(3) Create an Insurance Agent & Broker Working Group.
This would be a group of approximately a dozen Agents from around the state that are experts in different fields of Insurance & Securities.
The Agents will meet monthly to discuss how to bring in more quality Insurance Carriers as well as how to get more access to products that are offered in other states but not in Montana. This could be health insurance, business insurance, farm & ranch or any insurance related product or company. The sessions will be driven towards bringing more and better products to Montana consumers in a timely manner.
(4) Create a Wildland Urban Interface & Fire Mapping Group
This group of professionals will map, develop and create a Montana Fire Mapping & Brush Mapping System that is based on Montana Forests, Weather and Climate and not on a California Model that has no business being used in Montana when determining a risk or a rate class. We have the professionals here in Montana to develop a Montana Plan and I intend to use them to do just that.
(5) Monitor Health and Prescription Drug Plans
We will need to keep a watchful eye on the Health & Prescription Drug Plans that are offered to Montana and stay abreast of all the changes that are evolving in the Health Insurance World. We need to make sure we are able to offer our consumers the best possible options available from private carriers as well as those available on the market place.
(6) Enhance and Improve the Consumer Awareness Program that is in place.
We need to provide our consumers the most up to date information on what types of scams and fraud are being used to prey on Montana Consumers. This will be done by in-person town hall meetings and training as well the use of all media sources at our disposal.
What actions will you take to address those priorities?
The State Auditor's Office under my leadership will be a proactive agency not a reactive one. The six core needs I've listed above will be in the process of being implemented as soon as I've won the election and before I'm sworn into office. I'll have these teams confirmed and in place and ready to hit the ground running the second I'm sworn in. The legislative session will be here in January and we will need to have bills written and ready to present to the session to get these changes implemented and in place. Time will be of the utmost importance and we need to take advantage of the opportunity for our legislature to implement the changes we need moving forward. We can not wait two years to address these urgent matters. My team will be in place and ready to work when we take over the office.
Thank you for the opportunity to share some of my visions for what the State Auditor's Office will look like under my guidance.