CIWA is committed to advocating on behalf of its members, representing the interests of California property and casualty insurance wholesalers and related entities.
Advocacy & Legislative
2026 Annual Sponsors
SENECA
The association, at its inception, successfully demonstrated to the California Department of Insurance that excess and surplus lines were a valuable and necessary component to this segment of the insurance industry.
Through the years, CIWA has upheld its commitment to protect the excess and surplus lines industry from being negatively impacted by legislation. Today, CIWA continues to make an impact on California law that affects wholesalers. Here are some highlights:
Brokers Compensation
- Broker Fees
Brokers Compensation
- Enacted laws regarding formalization of licensing
- Authorized binding authority and policy issuance
Committee
Chair
Paul Laufer, Gorst & Compass
Members
Tim Chaix, R.E. Chaix & Associates Insurance Brokers
Yana Connors, Ck Specialty Insurance Associates
Hank Haldeman, HH Haldeman Consulting
Rupert Hall, Golden Bear Insurance Company
Paul Hanley, CRC Group
Ilana Hessing, RT Specialty
Davis Moore, Amwins Group, Inc.
Tom Pratt, Delos Insurance Solutions
Jimmy Saldana, Bridge Specialty/Arrowhead
Sawyer Welnak, Brown & Riding
Cliston Brown, SLA CA (non-voting)
Holly Weatherford, WSIA (staff leadership)
Yana Connors, Ck Specialty Insurance Associates
Hank Haldeman, HH Haldeman Consulting
Rupert Hall, Golden Bear Insurance Company
Paul Hanley, CRC Group
Ilana Hessing, RT Specialty
Davis Moore, Amwins Group, Inc.
Tom Pratt, Delos Insurance Solutions
Jimmy Saldana, Bridge Specialty/Arrowhead
Sawyer Welnak, Brown & Riding
Cliston Brown, SLA CA (non-voting)
Holly Weatherford, WSIA (staff leadership)
Our Advocate
John Norwood
President, Norwood Associates
John Norwood is one of California’s top legislative advocates and principal of Norwood Associates, considered the leader in the state’s insurance and financial services sector, representing a blue chip list of business, insurance and financial clients. His career has spanned more than 30 years in various capacities representing clients before the California Legislature and regulatory agencies. During that time, Norwood was one of the chief lobbyists for the California Manufacturers Association; founded and managed the Sacramento law and lobbying office of Heron, Burchette, Ruckert & Rothwell, a national political firm; and operated his own government relations firm for over 20 years representing numerous clients before the California Legislature and regulatory agencies.
One of the most experienced lobbyists in Sacramento, Norwood has earned a reputation as an expert in government relations, with access on both sides of the political aisle. In 1980 the California Journal named him “one of the rising stars in the lobbying business”. In 2004, the Los Angeles Times stated “for three decades Norwood has been in the middle of the scrum in most major insurance struggles in California.” California’s leading political magazine, Capitol Weekly, named him the “Most Trustworthy” lobbyist as a result of their 2010 poll of legislators and chiefs of staff. His successes include leading several hard-fought campaigns to amend California’s insurance rate regulations statutes, reforming California’s insurance agents and brokers licensing laws, obtaining numerous amendments to California’s new privacy law for various clients, rebuffing challenges to title insurance and home warranty statutes, and defending against amendments to California’s franchise law.
Norwood graduated from the California State University, Sacramento with a Bachelor’s Degree in Government. He earned his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Pacific, McGeorge School of Law.
Membership Benefits
- Annual Meeting & Summer Forum Conferences
- Advocacy / Legislative Updates
- Virtual Events
- Access to Valuable Industry News
- Relationships & Networking
- Continuing Education Classes
- Leadership Committees
CIWA has been indispensable in protecting the wholesale insurance channel in California and assuring our ability to efficiently serve the need of our retail producers to access specialty markets on behalf of their insured clients. The Association’s vigilance in monitoring regulation and legislation, and its effectiveness in advocating on behalf of this channel have avoided numerous pitfalls over the years. Along with the clients that they serve, every wholesale broker in California owes a debt of gratitude to CIWA. Without CIWA, we would not be able to conduct the wholesale business today in the fashion that we do.
Hank Haldeman
President of Worldwide Programs,
Worldwide Facilities, LLC
Worldwide Facilities, LLC