State Insurance Commissioner Expert Witness

Specialties & Experience of this Expert Witness

Additional Information

Wayne Goodwin is the *former* North Carolina INSURANCE COMMISSIONER with an extensive background in insurance regulation, government, law, politics, and public policy. He is also President/CEO of Seaboard Strategic Consulting, LLC. A native of rural Hamlet, North Carolina, Wayne rose from a challenging family life of modest means to become a statewide elected official and serve in other prominent roles in the Tar Heel state. Goodwin received both the Morehead Scholarship and US Senate/William Randolph Hearst Scholarship before graduating both with honors in Political Science and then with his juris doctorate from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Wayne launched his law practice back home where he represented injured workers and helped families with insurance claims. In addition to serving as an attorney, he helped solve problems both as a court-appointed mediator and arbitrator. Further, he taught Business Law, American Government, and Criminal Justice at the local community college. (Years later Wayne presided as Guest Lecturer or adjunct professor on government, insurance, law, politics, and public policy at universities and college campuses across the state.) Only a few years out of law school, voters subsequently elected Wayne to the North Carolina General Assembly, making him one of the youngest members at the time. After eight years as a state legislator, Wayne became the Assistant General Counsel at the North Carolina Department of Insurance and Assistant Insurance Commissioner. Voters statewide then elected Wayne as his state’s 10th state Insurance Commissioner. During his service his accomplishments as a state insurance regulator were many. As a very active participant within the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF INSURANCE COMMISSIONERS (NAIC), Wayne served as Chairman or Vice Chairman of many national insurance committees over the years including: ● Anti-Fraud Task Force ● Market Regulation and Consumer Affairs ● Health Insurance and Managed Care Wayne also was active on the following NAIC committees (partial list): ● Anti-Fraud Task Force ● Examination Oversight Task Force ● Executive Committee ● Financial Analysis Working Group ● Government Relations ● Health Insurance & Managed Care Committee (B) ● Life Insurance and Annuities Committee (A) ● Market Regulations and Consumer Affairs Committee (D) ● Producer Licensing Task Force and Producer License Working Group ● Property & Casualty Insurance Committee (C) ● Reinsurance Task Force ● Senior Issues Task Force (including Long-Term Care) ● Solvency Modernization Initiatives Task Force During his 12 years as Insurance Commissioner and Assistant Commissioner Wayne authored or co-authored multiple essays, columns, and editorials on insurance, insurance law, and consumer issues --- including a detailed analysis of North Carolina’s original approach to transitioning the state in accordance with the Affordable Care Act, an article that appeared in a journal of the NC Institute of Medicine. After concluding two terms as Insurance Commissioner, Wayne founded Seaboard Strategic Consulting, a non-traditional law firm where he has provided academic, analytical, consulting, expert witness, litigation, and research services for individuals, businesses, law firms, and the State of North Carolina on insurance regulatory matters and public policymaking. He has served as a guest lecturer or adjunct professor at universities and colleges across his home state, most often speaking on insurance regulatory matters; the business of insurance; the work and expectations of a prudent, experienced state insurance regulator; and insurance law. As an expert witness in state and federal courts insurance litigation since 2017, he often opines about best practices (claims and otherwise) and what a prudent insurance regulator would anticipate, expect, or require from licensed agents and companies, as well as on consumer protection from an insurance regulatory perspective.