David J. (D.J.) Bettencourt was confirmed Commissioner of the New Hampshire Insurance Department effective Sept. 20, 2023. Bettencourt assumed the position of Acting Commissioner, per New Hampshire’s statute, after Commissioner Chris Nicolopoulos did not seek reappointment upon the conclusion of his term.

From 2004 to 2012, Bettencourt served in the New Hampshire House of Representatives, focusing on tax, education, and insurance-related issues. In 2010, he was elected by his colleagues as the youngest majority leader in state history. He was nominated for the position of Deputy Commissioner of the New Hampshire Insurance Department by Commissioner Nicolopoulos and approved by Gov. Christopher T. Sununu (R-NH) in January 2021. Previously, Deputy Commissioner Bettencourt served as Gov. Sununu’s Policy Director from 2017 to 2021, including as the Governor’s liaison to the Insurance Department.

Bettencourt earned two bachelor’s degrees in political science and communication, with a minor in philosophy from the University of New Hampshire (Durham, NH) in 2007. He then earned a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from the University of New Hampshire School of Law in 2015.