NU Online News Service, Sept. 3, 11:20 a.m. EDT

Ann Frohman, director of the Nebraska Department of Insurance, has announced plans to step down effective Oct. 29, according to Gov. Dave Heineman.

Ms. Frohman has held the post of director of insurance for nearly three years.

Gov. Heineman said Ms. Frohman's insurance expertise was appreciated, "especially during these last few months as we have sought information on the federal health care law and its impact on individuals, families and businesses in our state."

Ms. Frohman briefly served as acting director before becoming director. Prior to that, Ms. Frohman was deputy director since 2004. She started with the department in 1990 and worked as a staff attorney for six years.

Her other experiences in Nebraska include working as the state risk manager with the state's Department of Administrative Services and clerking for a Nebraska Supreme Court justice.

Gov. Heineman also credited Ms. Frohman for preserving the national title insurance market during the housing crisis and in advancing financial reform of insurance groups.

Last month in Seattle at the latest National Association of Insurance Commissioners meeting, Ms. Frohman said commissioners are looking to state legislators to give them authority to get information on a holding company's non-insurance entities.

Using the collapse of American International Group as an example of how non-insurance assets could affect an insurer, Ms. Frohman said commissioners are not looking to regulate these assets, but they need to know if they have the potential to adversely influence insurance operations.

She also said working with the new Federal Insurance Office would be positive because the industry needs a single voice on trade issues.