Florida Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis wants to expand what he calls one of the state’s best-kept secrets: The Division of Consumer Services.
The division helps Floridians with almost any kind of insurance issue.
At a time when everything, including insurance, seems to cost more money, and the state of Florida is in the midst of a property insurance crisis, Patronis said he’s asking the Florida Legislature for $5.5 million to increase the Consumer Services Division’s size so it can provide more face-to-face assistance for insurance needs of all kinds.
“We had over 70,000 phone calls last year to our Consumer Services Division. And whether it’s life insurance, car insurance, health insurance, or you know, catastrophic claims when it comes to a hurricane, this is what our experts do,” Patronis said. “They hold your hand, they walk you through the claims process, they get your claim settled.”
Patronis says the $5.5 million would be used to open two new regional offices, where personnel would help walk Floridians through complaints, and mediations, and resolve disputes without an attorney or public adjuster. Patronis said in recent years the state has reduced the size of the agency by consolidating, but with more than 1,200 people moving to Florida daily, the demand for insurance help has grown exponentially.
″Sometimes you’ve got paperwork, you get estimates, you’re trying to understand exactly what type of timeline you should proceed,” Patronis said. “And your insurance agents are an amazing resource when it comes to the claims process. But sometimes you want to get a second opinion, or maybe you want to contact the state.”
The Division of Consumer Services offices are currently located in Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa and Fort Myers. Patronis said not only does he want to hire more employees for these locations, but he also wants to advertise more about the services that are offered.
“The inflation and interest rate challenges that we’re facing right now, not just in Florida, but nationwide are massive cost drivers when it comes to the claims process,” Patronis said. “Everything costs more. Replacement of your car, the cost per square foot of construction of your home. So when we can help you understand the pathway to get the maximum amount for your claim just means you’re gonna (pay) less out-of-pocket.”
Last year, the Division of Consumer Services processed over 27,000 mediation requests and 17,000 service requests. If the Legislature passes Patronis’ request, those numbers could spike. If you need help or information regarding insurance, you can call the state’s toll-free insurance helpline at 1-877-MY-FL-CFO, or visit the division’s website.