News & Updates

DFS

DFS Encourages Licensees to Update Addresses

DFS Encourages Licensees to Update Addresses

The Florida Department of Financial Services recently highlighted the need for agents to updated their addresses in its Insurance Insights publication.  In particular, DFS noted that many life and health agents work from home but lease the opportunity to use conference rooms for meeting with clients outside of their homes.  In these cases, the agents […]

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Senate Committee Reviews Public Records Exemption for DFS Service Requests

Senate Committee Reviews Public Records Exemption for DFS Service Requests

The Banking & Insurance Committee of the Florida Senate has completed its review of a public records exemption for information submitted to the Department of Financial Services or Office of Insurance Regulation in connection with consumer service requests.  The exemption applies to information submitted by consumers to the DFS’ Division of Consumer Services and to […]

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Robin Westcott Named Insurance Consumer Advocate

Robin Westcott Named Insurance Consumer Advocate

Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater has named Robin Westcott as Florida’s next Insurance Consumer Advocate.  CFO Atwater chose Ms. Westcott based on her long career in insurance regulation and her knowledge of issues that affect the insurance-buying public.  “Robin will be an ardent, outspoken and persistent advocate for Florida’s insurance consumers,” said CFO Atwater.  “She is committed to […]

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Senate Committees to Study Property and Casualty Insurance Issues

Senate Committees to Study Property and Casualty Insurance Issues

Each year, the legislature asks its committees to review significant issues and prepare reports in anticipation of the the next legislative session.  This year is no different, and the Senate recently released its list of interim projects.  Projects of the Banking & Insurance Committee can be seen in the attached document. Project 2012-11 will be […]

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OIR Issues Memorandum on Disaster Response Coordination

OIR Issues Memorandum on Disaster Response Coordination

The Florida Office of Insurance Regulation has issued an informational memorandum (OIR-11-02M) informing property and casualty insurers of Partners in Recovery, a not-for-profit organization intended to expedite the settlement of property insurance claims.  The program coordinates disaster preparation and response communications among the Department of Financial Services (DFS), Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR), emergency management agencies, […]

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Atwater, Ausley to Face Off for CFO Position

Atwater, Ausley to Face Off for CFO Position

Republican Senator Jeff Atwater and Democrat Loranne Ausley did not have to await Tuesday’s primaries to know they would be facing off in the race to follow Alex Sink as Florida’s Chief Financial Officer.  Although it initially appeared Atwater would have a primary opponent, Atwater’s formidable fundraising and campaigning long ago sealed his place as the […]

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Safeguard Our Seniors Becomes Law

Safeguard Our Seniors Becomes Law

Along with Governor Charlie Crist’s approval of a bill streamlining commercial insurance rates (SB 2176) came approval of the “Safeguard Our Seniors” annuity legislation.  The “safeguard Our Seniors” provisions were added to the commercial deregulation bill late in teh session and mark the culmination of three-year effort by CFO Alex Sink to pursue changes to […]

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Safeguard Our Seniors Heads to Governor’s Desk

Safeguard Our Seniors Heads to Governor’s Desk

Senator Mike Bennett, Representative Maria Sachs and CFO Alex Sink, among others, have been pursuing legislation for several sessions to increase regulatory protections for senior citizens in annuity transactions.  Although the proposals appeared at times to be stalled in the current session, they were amended onto a broader insurance bill at the end of the session […]

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