Today, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis announced an investigation by the Florida Department of Financial Services’ (DFS) Division of Agent and Agency Services into nationwide vehicle service contract company CarShield for deceptive sales practices in Florida. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently fined CarShield $10 million to resolve charges of deceptive advertising and misrepresentations by celebrity endorsers. DFS regulates and licenses warranty and service contract sales representatives and agencies. Following the recent fines levied by the FTC, the Department will conduct a review of sales agents and agencies who promote and sell CarShield products.

Today, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis proposed the “Sunshine Freedom Bank,” a public bank of Florida that would establish state control over state funds. The Florida Treasury, which CFO Patronis oversees, processes over $150 billion annually but relies on banks in New York City and San Francisco to manage those funds. The Sunshine Freedom Bank would provide the opportunity to manage taxpayer dollars completely in the State of Florida, save on administrative costs, increase investment earnings, and improve Floridians’ bottom line by saving taxpayer dollars — as every investment dollar earned is one less that needs to be taxed.

Today, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis announced the Florida Unclaimed Property Auction next weekend in West Palm Beach, with the auction preview beginning on Friday, August 23 at 9 AM EST and the auction beginning on Saturday, August 24 at 9 AM EST.

Today, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis announced the arrest of Giorgio Giovanni Gonzalez, owner of Maximum Claims Recovery, Inc., on two counts of felony charges of Unlicensed Public Adjusting. Giorgio Giovanni Gonzalez allegedly secured public insurance adjuster contracts for adjusting, and appraisal services, without being licensed in the state of Florida, and then unlawfully withheld money belonging to two policyholders. Gonzalez defrauded the two policyholders out of $34,424.

Today, Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis issued a formal letter to Rep. Jim Jordan, chairman of the U.S. House Select Subcommittee on the Weaponization of the Federal Government, requesting an investigation into the insidious practice of “debanking.” Debanking involves denying, suspending or dropping law-abiding banking consumers from financial institutions or services over their political and religious beliefs, and it has exploded under the Biden-Harris administration. The letter also comes in response to the U.S. Treasury Department’s effort to target Florida for enacting House Bill 989, a law that protects consumers from debanking and other partisan financial abuses within the state. A senior Treasury official recently characterized Florida’s consumer protection law as supporting “terrorism,” when in fact it frustrates the administration’s ability to hide behind national security when weaponizing the federal government against law-abiding citizens and businesses.

Today, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis announced that more than $50 million in unclaimed property was returned to Floridians during the month of July. Since CFO Patronis took office in 2017, more than $2.5 billion in unclaimed property has been returned to Florida citizens.

Today, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis issued a consumer alert warning Floridians about unregulated consumer loan products and the impacts of excessive household debt affecting families across the country.

Today, Florida Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis issued a statement in support of Senator Rick Scott’s Homeowners Premium Tax Reduction Act. This proposed legislation will provide American homeowners an above-the-line tax deduction of up to $10,000 of premiums paid for homeowners’ insurance annually at their primary residence.

Today, Florida Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis issued an Emergency Order to protect insurance policyholders following the impacts of Hurricane Debby. Among other provisions, the order extends the recission period of a public adjusters contract from 10 days to 30 days, requires anyone working in the claims process on behalf of the carrier to respond to policyholders within seven days, and requires that all adjusters verbally identify themselves and who they work for before signing a contract with a policyholder.

Following the impacts of Hurricane Debby, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis issued the following consumer alert warning consumers of contracts designed to avoid Florida’s ban on assignment of benefits (AOBs). AOBs were used by contractors to transfer the homeowner’s property insurance rights to the contractor but have been prohibited in Florida since January 1, 2023.

Today, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis activated his Disaster Fraud Action Strike Teams (DFAST) which have been deployed to Levy, Dixie, Taylor, Lafayette, Suwannee, and Hamilton counties to protect Floridians from storm-related fraud following the impacts of Hurricane Debby.

Today, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis is urging Floridians to take the necessary precautions to prepare their homes and property ahead of the tropical wave forming in the Gulf of Mexico. The tropical wave could strengthen into a tropical storm and bring heavy rain and damaging winds to communities in the Florida peninsula then possibly moving into the panhandle. The storm could potentially bring a threat of coastal flooding, so Floridians should be up to date on recovery tips and resources offered by the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

Today, Florida Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis issued a directive to the Florida Department of Financial Services (DFS), which the CFO oversees, barring the use of censorship and blacklisting services, like NewsGuard Technologies, Inc., that attach “credibility ratings” to news sources. Adverse ratings can diminish a legitimate news source’s reputation and advertising revenue, often intentionally, and are known to apply according to subjective factors, like political bias, not factual inaccuracies. The directive bars both the Department and its contractors from utilizing censorship media-monitoring services when making ad-buys or marketing placements for Departmental services.

A growing number of states are forcing public employee pension funds to divest from China, pulling out of the world’s second-largest economy because of hostility toward Beijing and fear that U.S. assets could be frozen if conflict breaks out in the Indo-Pacific.

Today, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis announced that the Florida Department of Financial Services’ Division of Treasury generated a record $1.95 billion in interest earnings during Fiscal Year 2023-2024. These earnings derive from state funds and other monies that the Division of Treasury invests on behalf of taxpayers, while remaining effective stewards of resources that fund operational state duties and other financial assets entrusted to its care.

Today, Florida Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis issued an official letter to President Donald J. Trump outlining the nation’s insurance crisis and recommending specific actions to bring costs under control. Under the Biden-Harris administration, families and businesses have endured skyrocketing insurance costs that have put the American Dream out of reach for too many hard-working people. Since taking office, homeowners’ insurance rates have increased an estimated 37% nationally, and the Consumer Price Index has increased nearly 20%. CFO Patronis made it clear in his letter that the status quo is totally unacceptable, and that a Trump administration can rein in premiums for all Americans.

Today, Florida Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis announced the Florida Department of Financial Services (DFS) will host a ‘Fixing Problems for Floridians Fair’ in Orlando on Wednesday, July 24, 2024. The event is open to the public and will consist of experts from DFS to assist Floridians with their issues and educate consumers on resources available to them.

Today, Florida Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis announced the appointment of Tom Gallagher to the Florida Insurance Guaranty Association (FIGA) Board of Directors. FIGA is a nonprofit corporation created by the Florida Legislature in 1970 and services pending claims by Florida policyholders of member insurance companies that become insolvent and are ordered liquidated.

Today, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis announced that more than $26 million in unclaimed property was returned to Floridians during the month of June. Since CFO Patronis took office in 2017, nearly $2.5 billion in unclaimed property has been returned to Florida citizens.

Today, Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Jimmy Patronis announced the reopening of the My Safe Florida Home program's grant application portal tomorrow, Monday, July 1. The program will prioritize senior citizens and low-income homeowners with two special application periods before opening to the public. The initiative offers free home inspections and grants up to $10,000 for strengthening homes against storms with impact-resistant doors and windows, aiming to reduce insurance costs through mandatory mitigation discounts. Newly signed legislation provides an additional $200 million for the program, enhancing services for seniors and low-income homeowners. Since 2022, the program has conducted over 104,000 free inspections, approved 38,000 grant applications, and allocated nearly $390 million in home hardening grants.