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.

Financial Technology Sandbox. The 2020 Legislature enacted Ch. 2020-161, Laws of Florida, which creates the Financial Technology Sandbox within the Office of Financial Regulation to allow financial technology innovators to test new products and services in a supervised, flexible regulatory sandbox using exceptions to specified general law and waivers of the corresponding rule requirements under defined conditions.

Records of Insurers held by DFS. The 2020 Legislature enacted Ch. 2020-142, Laws of Florida, which creates a public records exemption for the personal financial and health information of insurance consumers, along with sensitive underwriting, personnel, payroll, and consumer claim information held by the Department of Financial Services pursuant to its receivership duties related to insolvent insurers.

Other Reports
The Auditor General reports on department operations are available on its website.
State of Florida Long-Range Financial Outlook, Fiscal Years 2019-20 through 2021-22, Senate Committee on Appropriations, House Appropriations Committee, and Legislative Office of Economic and Demographic Research, Fall 2018.
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