The Department of Financial Services (DFS) regulates the state's banking, securities, insurance, and funeral and cemetery businesses, and serves consumers who need assistance or information related to these businesses. The department also keeps track of all money coming into and going out of Florida state government and helps to reduce the loss of life and property due to fire.
OPPAGA has summaries that provide detailed information about several programs within the department.

• Agent and Agency Services
• Consumer Services
• Financial Accountability for Public Funds
• Financial Services Commission
• Office of Financial Regulation
• Office of Insurance Regulation
• Fire Marshal
• Funeral, Cemetery, and Consumer Services
• Investigative and Forensic Services
• Rehabilitation and Liquidation
• State Property and Casualty Claims
• Treasury
• Workers' Compensation

The elected Chief Financial Officer (CFO) is the head of the Department of Financial Services. The CFO is directly responsible for

• ensuring that businesses have workers' compensation coverage in place for employees;
• investigating fraud, including securities and insurance fraud;
• licensing and overseeing insurance agents and agencies;
• monitoring the investment of state funds and managing the deferred compensation program for state employees;
• overseeing cemeteries and funeral homes; and
• overseeing the state's accounting and auditing functions and unclaimed property.

The Financial Services Commission includes the Governor and Cabinet, which appoint the officials who oversee the Office of Insurance Regulation and Office of Financial Regulation.

The Office of Insurance Regulation has primary responsibility for regulation, compliance, and enforcement of statutes related to the business of insurance and the monitoring of industry markets. The office protects the public by providing regulatory oversight of company solvency, policy forms and rates, market conduct performance, and new company entrants to the Florida market.

The Office of Financial Regulation is responsible for supervising state-chartered banks, credit unions, savings associations, and international bank agencies, and licenses and regulates non-depository finance companies and the securities industry. The office defends the public from investment and securities fraud and protects citizens against entities that violate state laws and rules.

These two offices are administratively housed in the Department of Financial Services but report directly to the commission.

The department has a consumer resources webpage that answers frequently asked questions about a wide variety of issues, including how to report insurance fraud and obtain answers about funeral and cemetery issues. In addition, the webpage provides users online access to consumer guides and to current insurance market monitoring initiatives.

The department hosts a website, Transparency Florida, which allows Florida taxpayers to track government spending. The website provides citizens access to finance reports, fund balances, state and local receipts and disbursements, and contracts.

 The 2021 Legislature enacted Chapter 2021-77, Laws of Florida, which amends statutes relating to property insurance. Among its provisions, the law

• prohibits contractors, or persons acting on behalf of contractors, from offering residential property owners consideration for performing roof inspections or filing insurance claims, or offering or receiving consideration for referrals when property insurance proceeds are payable;
• prohibits contractors and subcontractors from advertising, soliciting, handling, offering to handle, or performing public adjuster services without a license;
• prohibits a public adjuster, apprentice, or person acting on their behalf from offering financial inducements for allowing a roof inspection on residential property or making an insurance claim for roof damage, or offering or accepting consideration for referring services related to a roof claim;
• increases the 10% cap on Citizens Property Insurance rate increases by 1% a year starting in 2022 at 11%, and up to 15% for 2026;
• reduces the timeframe for providing property insurance claims or reopened claims to insurers from three years to two years after the date of loss;
• addresses lawsuits not brought by an assignee arising under a residential or property insurance policy in several ways, including requiring claimants to file a notice of intent to initiate litigation with the department 10 business days prior to filing suit, specifying the information to be included in such notice, requiring the insurer to investigate each claim in the notice and respond to the notice within 10 business days, and specifying how attorney fees and costs are to be calculated and awarded.    

Other Reports
The Auditor General reports on department operations are available on its website.

Websites of Interest
Department of Financial Services Consumer Guides
Government Finance Officers Association
Performance Information
Performance measures and standards for the department may be found in its Long Range Program Plan.

Chapters 17, 624, and 655, and ss. 20.121 and 215.5586, Florida Statutes.

Department of Financial Services, Division of Consumer Services, 1-877-MY-FL-CFO (1-877-693-5236), 850-413-3030 (outside Florida), or Contact Form

Website