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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

10/18/2023

FOR INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Craig Ey, 410-468-2488 (O)
443-604-9599 (C)

Maryland Insurance Administration welcomes Brazilian insurance regulator through International Fellows Program

BALTIMORE – The Maryland Insurance Administration is hosting an insurance regulator from Brazil this fall as part of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners International Fellows Program.

Fernando Abreu, a Technical Analyst with Brazil’s Superintendence of Private Insurance, will spend five weeks at the Maryland Insurance Administration learning about the U.S. system of state-based insurance regulation and how Maryland regulates its $46 billion insurance industry. Abreu will work in technical areas of his specialization under the supervision of Insurance Administration subject matter experts.

Significantly, he will also participate in a cross-divisional training rotation to learn how each regulatory function of the Maryland Insurance Administration supports our mission to protect the rights and interests of insurance consumers by facilitating a strong and competitive insurance market, enforcing insurance regulatory laws and requirements, and offering consumer education and assistance.

“We are thrilled to host Mr. Abreu at the Maryland Insurance Administration,” said Maryland Insurance Commissioner Kathleen A. Birrane. “The NAIC’s International Fellows Program is an excellent program for the fellow and the U.S. regulatory agency hosting them. It is a great opportunity for insurance regulators across the world to collaborate and learn from each other.”

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners developed a formal international internship program in 2005 to advance working relations with foreign markets, emphasizing the exchange of regulatory techniques and technology. The program was formally renamed the International Fellows Program in 2010 and is conducted twice a year — spring and fall.

Since its inception, the International Fellows Program has hosted more than 300 participants in person and another 200 virtually from more than 45 countries. Maryland has previously hosted fellows from China, Saudi Arabia and Thailand.

“I am very happy to participate in the NAIC International Fellows Program. I was even more excited when I was assigned to the Maryland Insurance Administration, because I did my research and saw that the agency has solid experience in innovation, technology and cybersecurity,” said Abreu. “These are subjects that I want to develop to bring a new vision and expertise to my agency. I also hope to bring knowledge of the Brazilian insurance market that will help the Maryland Insurance Administration face the challenges of this sector.”

In addition to his five weeks in Maryland, Abreu will participate in a one-week training session at National Association of Insurance Commissioners headquarters in Kansas City. He will conclude his U.S. visit with a two-day session at the NAIC’s capital markets and investment analysis office in New York.

Abreu joined the Brazil Superintendence of Private Insurance in 2010. His duties include monitoring the financial and economic solvency of regulated companies and managing information technology projects. He holds a degree in Systems Analysis from the State University of Bahia – Salvador.

About the Maryland Insurance Administration

The Maryland Insurance Administration is an independent State agency charged with regulating Maryland’s $46 billion insurance industry. For more information about the Insurance Administration, please visit www.insurance.maryland.gov or follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MDInsuranceAdmin, X (formerly Twitter) at @MD_Insurance, LinkedIn or Instagram at @marylandinsuranceadmin. We also offer a Spanish-language Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/MDInsuranceAdminES.

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