So they don't bump into each other

Gary Cohen -- who as the top lawyer with the California Department of Insurance was an architect of a proposal to cap title insurance rates and escrow fees in the state -- is leaving next month to take a job in the insurance industry. Appointed as the Department of Insurance's general counsel in 2003 by Democrat John Garamendi, Cohen was retained by Garamendi's succesor, Silicon Valley entrepreneur Steve Poizner.

Like "Governator" Arnold Schwarzenegger, Poizner is a Republican who's been able to woo Democrats and independent voters. After trouncing his Democratic opponent in November (California elects its Insurance Commissioner), Poizner made a point of naming Democrats and Republicans to his executive team.

At the time, Poizner said the "balanced team" reflected his philosophy "that consumer protection is neither a Democratic nor Republican issue."  The new Insurance Commissioner had already taken some fire, however, for naming former insurance industry lobbyist William Gausewitz as his special counsel.

Apparently, the revolving door between government and the corporate world is also bipartisan, with Cohen leaving July 13 to take a position as deputy general council of Allianz of America and chief counsel of Fireman's Fund Insurance Company.

Poizner has pushed implementation of Garamendi's proposed title insurance rate cap -- which at one time was envisioned as taking place as early as March of this year -- back to 2011 (see Inman News story).

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