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RALEIGH (AP) - Former state Insurance Commissioner Jim Long died Monday, a hospital official said, a month after ending his 24-year run as the industry's top regulator and less than two weeks after suffering a stroke before a legislative meeting. He was 68.

Long died at 2:52 p.m. at Rex Hospital in Raleigh, hospital spokeswoman Melody Hunter-Pillion said. His family said that on Jan. 21 he had suffered a hemorrhagic stroke, which occurs when blood escapes from the arteries and floods into the brain.

"It is with heavy hearts that our family witnessed Jim's passing today," Long's wife, Peg O'Connell, said in a statement from the hospital. "Jim loved this great state and its gracious people. He was honored to serve them."

Long collapsed in the Legislative Office Building before attending the final meeting of a legislative committee studying how to be better prepared to pay claims resulting from a major hurricane.

The self-described "oldest rat in the Democratic barn," Long served six terms as insurance commissioner. He was the longest-serving member of the Council of State, a panel of 10 statewide elected officials, before he retired.

Known for his dry and sometimes sarcastic wit, Long jokingly gave a hunk of cheese to Secretary of State Elaine Marshall at the panel's meeting in December because he said she would now be the "oldest rat."

Like his father and grandfather before him, Long had represented Alamance County in the General Assembly - in the 1970s - and wore his trademark red tie as a tribute to his father, George.

"His red tie was legendary and so was his commitment to North Carolina," said Gov. Beverly Perdue, who served on the council with him for eight years and ordered state flags lowered to half-staff. "North Carolina has lost a great leader."

Long also served as the general counsel to then-House Speaker Liston Ramsey in the early 1980s before being elected insurance commissioner in 1984.

During his tenure, he was the public face in disputes between the state and the industry over automobile insurance rates, often demanding premium decreases after the N.C. Rate Bureau asked for higher annual rates. Their battles often would end up in court, where settlements often would result in refunds for motorists.

"I suspect he saved North Carolina a whole bunch of money," said Rep. Mickey Michaux, D-Durham, who served with Long in the Legislature. "He's a rare breed."

Long, who also was the state fire marshal, regulated homeowner, life and health insurance companies in the state, going after companies that he accused of harming consumers. He also was a critic of the ultimately unsuccessful effort of Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina to become a for-profit company.

This decade, Long helped in efforts to create a Patients' Bill of Rights and to establish a high-risk insurance pool and stopped legislative efforts to strip him of his ability to set premium rates.

"Long was a committed, hardworking commissioner who had a strong focus on what he thought was best for North Carolina consumers," Blue Cross president and chief executive officer Bob Greczyn said.

Long decided not to run for re-election last year and endorsed assistant commissioner Wayne Goodwin, who ended up winning the general election.

"He was a mentor and friend to all of us, and we will miss him more than words can express," Goodwin said in a prepared statement.

"As our family grieves, we will try to find comfort knowing that through our work we can honor Commissioner Long's legacy of serving the people of our state that he so loved."

Born March 19, 1940 in Burlington, Long grew up around Democratic politics due to his family connections and remained closely involved. In 2005, he was among the first elected leaders to endorse publicly Jerry Meek as chairman when the party establishment backed the favorite of then-Gov. Mike Easley.

In addition to his wife, Long is survived by two children and several grandchildren.

Long's funeral will be at 2 p.m. Friday at The Episcopal Church of the Holy Comforter in Burlington. Visitation will be held in Burlington on Friday morning at the church and in Raleigh on Wednesday afternoon and evening at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home near downtown Raleigh.

Details on a service Thursday in Raleigh haven't been finalized, according to a family spokeswoman.