Today, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis activated his Disaster Fraud Action Strike Teams (DFAST), which have been deployed to the affected counties to protect Floridians from storm-related fraud following the impacts of Hurricane Milton. This deployment consists of three teams with 18 sworn law enforcement officers who are working to educate and inform the public on signs of post-storm fraud and ensure contractors are following Florida workers’ compensation law while conducting repairs. Since deploying DFAST, officers have interacted with nearly 100 homeowners, businesses, and contractors in storm affected counties.

Today, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis provides insurance tips and resources to aid Floridians as they work to recover from Hurricane Milton. The Department of Financial Services' (DFS) Division of Insurance Consumer Services provides information and resources to help guide policyholders through the insurance claims process. DFS also operates the state's insurance helpline at 1-877-MY-FL-CFO (693-5236) to aide policyholders and provide insurance assistance. The helpline is now open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern. Consumers can also request assistance online at MyFloridaCFO.com.

Today, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) & State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis issued an Emergency Rule to enhance transparency in the claims adjusting process for insurance consumers by requiring adjusters to identify and provide detailed explanations for any changes made to damage estimates.

Today, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) & State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis provided an update on the pre-staging and response efforts of Florida's Urban Search & Rescue (US&R) Task Forces ahead of the impacts of Hurricane Milton.

Today, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis issued a warning to residents and first responders about an alarming fire hazard with Lithium-ion batteries, Electric Vehicles (EV), as well as hybrid and fuel cell vehicles in preparation of Hurricane Milton, now a Category 5 storm. The CFO's Division of State Fire Marshal has confirmed 48 lithium-ion battery fires related to storm surge from Hurricane Helene, with 11 of those fires associated with EVs. Consumer items containing lithium-ion batteries include cars, scooters, hover boards, golf carts or children's toys. The CFO also called on EV manufacturers to be pro-active by alerting consumers to place their EVs to higher ground. Finally, the CFO provided tips on Lithium-Ion Battery safety and how to prepare similar devices in areas prone to storm surge flooding.

Today, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis urges Floridians to take the necessary precautions to prepare their homes and property ahead of Hurricane Milton. Currently a major Category 5 storm, Milton is expected to bring devastating wind, rain, and widespread flooding to communities along the Florida Peninsula. The storm could potentially bring enormous coastal flooding, so Floridians should be aware of recovery tips and resources offered by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Currently, 51 Florida counties are under a declared state of emergency , and some communities are currently under evacuation orders.

Today, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis announced that the Florida Department of Financial Services' Division of Consumer Services is hosting an Insurance Village Friday, October 4th through Sunday, October 6th from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Eastern

Today, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis announced that grant funds associated with the “My Safe Florida Home” program have been fully obligated and that he will ask the Florida Legislature to direct sales tax dollars generated from hurricane recovery efforts to be reinvested into the program to support more homeowners.

Today, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) & State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis issued a warning to residents and first responders about an alarming fire hazard with Lithium-ion batteries, Electric Vehicles (EV), as well as hybrid and fuel cell vehicles developing in the wake of Hurricane Helene. The CFO's Division of State Fire Marshal has confirmed 16 lithium-ion battery fires related to storm surge from Helene, with six of those fires associated with EVs. State fire officials believe these statistics to be conservative figures and are working with fire departments statewide to gather more data and determine any structural impacts related to EVs and lithium-battery fires following this storm. The State Fire Marshal Office is also coordinating with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection for guidance on proper lithium-ion battery disposal.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.— Today, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis activated his Disaster Fraud Action Strike Teams (DFAST), which have been deployed to the affected counties to protect Floridians from storm-related fraud following the impacts of Hurricane Helene.

Today, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis issued a directive, which bolsters his anti-fraud fighting teams in the affected counties following Hurricane Helene. Currently, there are 80 law enforcement officers from the CFO’s Criminal Investigations Division (CID) who have been deployed. These law enforcement officers will take appropriate legal action, including arrest, prosecution, and/or issuance of civil penalties for anyone who is engaging in fraudulent insurance practices.

In response to Hurricane Helene, the Department of Financial Services (DFS) reminds all insureds and industry licensees of certain rights and obligations that arise during a declared state of emergency, including:

Today, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis provides important recovery information and resources for Florida residents impacted by Hurricane Helene.

Today, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis urges Floridians to take the necessary precautions to prepare their homes and property ahead of Tropical Storm Helene. This tropical storm is expected to strengthen into a major hurricane and bring devastating wind, rain, and flooding to communities along the Florida Gulf Coast.

Today, Florida Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis announced the appointment of David Chapman, Andrew Clark, Sanjena Clay, Christian Jensen, and William Quinn to the Board of Funeral, Cemetery, and Consumer Services. The Board of Funeral, Cemetery, and Consumer Services was created within the Department of Financial Services and consists of 10 members, 9 of whom are appointed by the Chief Financial Officer and confirmed by the Senate. The remaining member of the Board is the State Health Officer or his/her designee.

Today, Florida Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis issued a statement supporting Governor Ron DeSantis’ Executive Order to investigate the second assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump. As a member of the Florida Cabinet, CFO Patronis helps oversee the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. CFO Patronis’ statement was first posted on X, HERE.

Today, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis proclaimed September 15 – September 21, 2024 as National Truck Driver Appreciation Week and acknowledged the contributions American truckers make towards our national and state economy. Trucking careers serve as one out of every 18 jobs in the state of Florida, with more than 453,000 Floridians employed in the trucking industry. Florida’s truckers are essential to Florida commerce and ensuring that Floridians receive the goods and services they need to live or start and grow a business.

Today, Florida Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis gave opening remarks at the 2024 Lithium Ion Battery Symposium hosted at the Florida State Fire College in Ocala. The two-day symposium covers a broad range of lithium ion battery related topics and included a battery burn demonstration to highlight the serious fire risk they pose to Florida communities.

Today, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis announced the arrest of Jasiel Mena, a previously licensed home inspector, for allegedly falsifying home inspections in various Florida counties and defrauding Citizens Property Insurance Corporation (Citizens) out of approximately $88,000. Mena was charged with one count of Scheme to Defraud, a first-degree felony.

Today, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis highlighted efforts to bolster Florida’s apprenticeship programs and the work-based learning programs for students 18 years old or less throughout the state by reimbursing the cost of workers’ compensation insurance to participating employers. During the 2024 Legislative Session, lawmakers provided $2 million to the Florida Department of Financial Services (DFS) to permit employers, including eligible school districts and Florida College System institutions, to apply to DFS for reimbursement of the proportionate cost of workers’ compensation premium paid during the fiscal year for students participating in work-based learning programs.