Jon Godfread Commissioner | North Dakota Insurance Department
Jon Godfread Commissioner | North Dakota Insurance Department
A district court in North Dakota has ruled in favor of Insurance Commissioner Jon Godfread, granting a motion for summary judgment to prevent an illegal rate increase by the Senior Health Insurance Company of Pennsylvania. This decision comes after the company, which is financially troubled and operated by Pennsylvania's insurance commissioner since 2021, attempted to bypass North Dakota's requirement for prior approval of rate changes.
The company had sought to implement rate hikes that would have affected approximately 371 policyholders in North Dakota. These changes could have resulted in increased costs or reduced benefits for these consumers.
In response to this attempt, Godfread filed a lawsuit against the Pennsylvania insurance commissioner in 2022. A temporary halt on the rate increases was established in 2023 pending a court hearing. The District Court of North Dakota approved Godfread's motion on March 10, 2025.
Godfread emphasized the importance of upholding state laws, stating: “This ruling upholds North Dakota’s right to protect and preserve its laws, regardless of who is violating them.” He further noted his responsibility to safeguard consumers and maintain the integrity of state-based insurance regulation.
Pennsylvania officials now have a window of 60 days to appeal this decision to the North Dakota Supreme Court.
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