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“WJXT: Florida CFO Patronis wants $5.5M to expand state’s Division of Consumer Services”

By Tarik Minor

December 19, 2023

Link HERE

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.

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.”

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About CFO Jimmy Patronis  
Chief Financial Officer and State Fire Marshal Jimmy Patronis is a statewide elected official and a member of Florida’s Cabinet who oversees the Department of Financial Services. CFO Patronis works each day to fight insurance fraud, support Florida’s firefighters, and ensure the state’s finances are stable to support economic growth in the state. Follow the activities of the Department on Facebook (FLDFS) and Twitter (@FLDFS).