logo
Florida insurance regulators question oversight by office run by newly elected U.S. rep

Florida insurance regulators question oversight by office run by newly elected U.S. rep

Miami Herald04-04-2025
In an extraordinary criticism of one state agency by another, Florida's Office of Insurance Regulation told legislators that a department led by then-Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis may have buried thousands of complaints Floridians made against property insurance companies.
Patronis' office referred 5.2% of the property insurance complaints it received over a five-year period to regulators for possible violations of state law, indicating 'potential underreporting,' Florida's Office of Insurance Regulation wrote in newly disclosed memos obtained by the Herald/Times.
That low referral rate made it harder for regulators to police the industry, the memos said. Consumers lodged more than 52,000 complaints against property insurers during the period.
The memos, given to legislative leaders, were produced as part of a tug-of-war between two agencies and a bid to consolidate insurance oversight under one roof. Florida is the only state that splits insurance regulation between two agencies.
The consolidation push began before this year's legislative session and after Patronis announced he was leaving to run for Congress. He won a special election to the Panhandle seat Tuesday after serving seven years as CFO.
'This bifurcation has hindered the state's ability to adequately protect consumers,' one of the memos states.
The memos questioned the training of Patronis' employees, said that his office was missing complaints against pharmacy benefit managers and argued that consolidation would allow the state to better police insurers' use of affiliate companies.
House and Senate leaders haven't endorsed the idea of consolidating insurance oversight, and it's not in legislation introduced this session. Spokespeople for House Speaker Daniel Perez, R-Miami, and Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, said they were open to the idea, however.
On one side is the Office of Insurance Regulation. It handles insurers' rate filings, polices their conduct and determines when companies are insolvent. It's led by the state's insurance commissioner, Mike Yaworsky, who is appointed by the governor and Cabinet.
On the other side is the Department of Financial Services. It oversees consumer insurance complaints, regulates insurance agents and takes over insolvent insurers. It's usually led by the elected chief financial officer, but that position is now vacant.
The split dates to 2003, and it has rankled insurance commissioners ever since.
Yaworsky for one is open to reform. He said he wanted 'a vigorous defense of consumers when they're approaching their state with an insurance problem.'
'I'm hoping that if there is discussion around this, whatever the outcome is, it leads to a really robust framework around ensuring that consumers are protected,' Yaworsky told the Herald/Times.
Yaworsky spelled out in the memos the downsides of splitting regulation, saying his office can see what insurers are doing but often doesn't hear about consumer complaints.
'It has hindered the state's ability to evaluate and regulate the entire insurance market,' the memos state.
Yaworsky has stepped up enforcement of the industry since DeSantis nominated him for the job in 2023. He's ordered insurers to stop gaming their rate increase requests to avoid public hearings, stopped them from hiring executives of failed companies and asked lawmakers for more enforcement powers.
Yaworsky's memos questioned the quality of the complaints his office was being sent by the Department of Financial Services.
The department is supposed to send complaints where companies might have violated state law. But of the complaints Yaworsky's office received, nearly half didn't name any violations, the memos said.
Such a low rate was a 'likely indicator' that staff in Patronis' office is 'not adequately trained to identify violations,' the memos state.
The 'issue is made even more stark,' the memos state, when looking at complaints pharmacists have made about pharmacy benefit managers, health care middlemen that have been blamed for skyrocketing drug prices.
In 2024, pharmacists made 142 complaints to Patronis' department about pharmacy benefit managers. The department closed 34 and referred 11 to the Office of Insurance Regulation. It's not clear what happened with the rest. Meanwhile, the memos asserted, the department wasn't capturing complaints made by patients because the department wasn't coding them properly.
Consolidating regulation would also give the Office of Insurance Regulation more oversight of insurers' affiliate companies, the office wrote. A 2022 analysis produced by the office and revealed by the Herald/Times last month found that insurance companies claimed to lose money between 2017 and 2019 while their affiliates made billions.
The Department of Financial Services did not respond to questions by the Herald/Times about the memos.
One reason why so few complaints are being forwarded to the Office of Insurance Regulation could be because Patronis' department doesn't investigate complaints if the homeowner has also sued their insurer. That fact isn't mentioned in the office's memos.
Patronis historically took a light touch to the insurance industry.
He did not come out in favor of Yaworsky fining an insurance company $1 million for Hurricane Ian violations last year. Patronis also pushed to seal records that would shed light about why insurance companies go out of business.
His office was supposed to investigate claims by insurance adjusters who said the companies they worked for manipulated their estimates to lowball homeowners. But Patronis' office never brought charges against the companies and never released the records about his office's investigations.
Two Republican state senators vying to replace Patronis said they saw the memos but had different conclusions.
Sen. Blaise Ingoglia, R-Spring Hill, called the lack of information-sharing 'very concerning.'
'By withholding some of that information, we're not doing what we are probably supposed to be doing,' he said. 'It's a disservice to the people who are making those complaints.'
Ingoglia said he didn't know enough to say whether insurance regulation should be consolidated.
Sen. Joe Gruters, R-Sarasota, said he spoke to Patronis about the idea, who 'thought it was a mistake, really, on numerous fronts.'
He said splitting regulation resulted in a 'checks and balances' of oversight.
He said the Office of Insurance Regulation was making a 'power move' by trying to assume control. He said the office already had access to the state's complaint data. (Yaworsky said the data is 'problematic' and makes it 'difficult' for his office to find violations of law.)
If anything, insurance regulation should be solely under the elected chief financial officer so 'that person can be held accountable,' Gruters said.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Reactions: Mike Johnson Avoids Voting On Epstein
Reactions: Mike Johnson Avoids Voting On Epstein

Buzz Feed

time10 minutes ago

  • Buzz Feed

Reactions: Mike Johnson Avoids Voting On Epstein

If there is anything Democrats and Republicans seem to agree on, it's that they believe files related to the crimes of Jeffrey Epstein should be released to the public, and justice be sought for his victims. Despite this, House Speaker Mike Johnson decided to cancel upcoming votes and send lawmakers home until Sept. 2 — all in an apparent effort to block a vote on the release of files related to Epstein. His reason? Johnson said it's to protect Epstein's victims: Meanwhile, when asked whether the president or his administration requested this delay, Johnson said in a press conference: "No. But as you all know, I speak to the president multiple times a day on a typical day. Often. Always... He agrees with everything I've said here today." Well! People on the left and right have a lot of thoughts. Here's what they're saying: "Maybe trump was right about 'the last time we'll ever have to vote again.' 'We the people' have representatives in the house that will not be able to vote on our behalf... No more voting. Promises kept." "Republicans in the House (and Senate) are and have been operating out of fear. Fear of one man. ONE MAN!. Republicans are letting trump break federal laws. Laws Congress passed. In 6 months trump has created more than enough evidence to be removed from office. But republicans are scared to sound off on it. And the Senate approving trumps cabinet picks? They all work for trump, not The People." "So they're delaying and hoping it all goes away. They are banking on the public having the attention span of a gnat and while that [is a] good bet this has been a critical rallying point for the Maga right." "They have determined that….: - OPENLY WORKING TO HIDE THE EPSTEIN INFORMATION IS LESS DAMAGING TO THEM THAN LETTING THE PUBLIC SEE THE FILES." "What's that word this administration likes to throw around? Oh yeah, TRANSPARENCY 🤭" "Explain to me like I'm 5: Why are our tax dollars going to them if they don't work? I've worked in HR for over 10yrs and, for an administration that claims to run government like a business, these individuals would have been termed years ago for gross mismanagement." "Is it a bad thing for Trump that [his] closest supporter in the House called a five week recess, just to block the release of the files? If the information exonerates him, would they let the information out as quickly as they could?" "The supposed party of 'family values' will even protect a potential pedophile. Trump once famously stated.... 'I could shoot someone in the the middle of 5th Avenue, and they would still support me'. I used to think that was a ridiculous claim, but I now believe it to be 100% true. There is clearly nothing Trump could do to alienate his base. They are that brainwashed." "By doing this they are just adding more fuel to the fire and making Trump look guiltier than ever. It's not going away and will just get bigger over the next few weeks. What's Maxwell going to say? All the pictures and stories we have of Epstein and Trump are fake news!?" "What a way to govern, [every] time your party is in trouble you shut down. One thing we should have learned through all this is, we need [an] upgrade to the constitution, governing rules, term limits for every elected position, clearer rules for law enforcement and the proper use of the military and it's leadership." "Why would you block the vote on releasing the Epstein file." "Without two functioning independent political parties our Democracy will inevitably devolve into one party rule. Or die." "All trump has to do is release the files. If you have nothing to hide just go ahead and release them to prove trumps innocence. Lets see trump and epsteins 'wonderful secret' they have together. Trump brought this on himself with his lies and past behavior with a convicted sex offender.." "So now, instead of doing ANY work for the people, they turn tail and scoot out of Washington. I thought trump was supposed to have 'the most transparent administration in history'! I guess not. Now, over the summer, we will have drops of Epstein/trump cozy time photos and whatnot daily. Maybe not the best strategy if you're trying to sweep it under the rug." "This is what complicity looks like." "Johnson told reporters he's fed up with Democrats' efforts to force votes on releasing Epstein's God forbid, we might have a bit of democracy in the House of Representatives..." "So Tiny Johnson runs away from the truth and suppresses the voices of our elected leaders, thereby suppressing the American people's voices. Tiny Johnson's nose is firmly up Trump's backside." "Wow ..I wish I could get 5 week off paid leave." "The cult should face it. Johnson is too scaared to have a vote on the bill because he knows it will pass. Not about right or wrong." "The GOP contribute NOTHING that benefits humanity. Vote BLUE!" And finally... "Up is down, right is wrong, truth is lies, and the downward arc of the fascists continues. They are getting more and more not see every day." What are your thoughts? Let us know in the comments. Want to know if Trump's economy is actually doing as well as he promised? Subscribe to the Economy Hate Watch newsletter and never miss our monthly update.

New York Republicans are placing faith in MAGA candidates
New York Republicans are placing faith in MAGA candidates

Politico

time12 minutes ago

  • Politico

New York Republicans are placing faith in MAGA candidates

Lawler, whose gubernatorial ambitions were an open secret in New York politics for more than a year, has been an acerbic Hochul critic. In a Fox News interview announcing his reelection plans, he called her 'the worst governor in America.' And he spoke with the president recently about the race in an hour-long Oval Office meeting. 'The president expressed his view to me about how important maintaining the House majority is,' Lawler told News 12 . Democrats crowed over Trump's intervention. Hochul's campaign tweeted a photo of dog biscuits with Lawler's name on a sticky note and the caption 'A treat for Donald Trump's Good Boy.' The governor doubled down on that theme to reporters later in the day, mocking Lawler for being unable to fight Trump over his political future. 'Apparently, he doesn't have the courage to stand up to me or to Donald Trump,' Hochul said. 'I'm not surprised, but all I know is that not only will he not be governor, he won't be a congressman for much longer.' Lawler's decision is also reflective of how the New York Republican Party — once the home of all-but-extinct moderates like Nelson Rockefeller — has evolved under Trump's shadow in the last decade. The Hudson Valley House lawmaker has scored wins during the Trump era, most notably a quadrupling of the state and local tax deduction in the massive tax-and-spend package the president signed this month. Lawler has also warred with MAGA figures like former Rep. Matt Gaetz, an antagonist of ex-House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a Lawler ally. Stefanik and Blakeman are comparatively better fits with the MAGA base, though neither have declared their candidacies. ( A GrayHouse poll this month found Stefanik handily leading a hypothetical Republican primary.) The silver haired and impeccably dressed Blakeman, who runs for a second term this year in Long Island's bellwether Nassau County, would fit Trump's oft-stated desire to find someone out of 'central casting.' Blakeman has embraced a ban on public mask wearing and has closely aligned local police with federal immigration authorities. He's made the New York Post — a conservative tabloid — Nassau County's official newspaper.

Obama to headline fundraiser in response to GOP redistricting efforts
Obama to headline fundraiser in response to GOP redistricting efforts

Politico

time12 minutes ago

  • Politico

Obama to headline fundraiser in response to GOP redistricting efforts

Obama's involvement in the fundraiser underscores the importance of the issue for Democrats, who have a chance to retake control over the House next year, after losing both chambers of Congress and the White House in 2024. Trump, recognizing his party's slim hold on the House, is pressuring Republicans to take an aggressive approach to redrawing congressional maps in at least two states. In addition to Texas, the president is insisting Republicans in Ohio — which is legally required to redraw its maps — aggressively redistrict the state to maximize GOP majority districts. The NDRC and its affiliated 501(c)(3) has worked to implement a nationwide redistricting strategy for Democrats and has backed lawsuits in a number of states to stop Republican gerrymanders. The group plans to back state-level electoral campaigns in 13 states through 2026. It's also funded legal challenges related to redistricting since Holder founded it in 2017. A spokesperson for the organization would not provide a fundraising target for the upcoming Obama soiree. Obama has long shown an interest in redistricting — minimally a once-per-decade process to respond to population shifts recorded in the U.S. Census, and one that is rife with partisan politics. He has deep ties to the NDRC and remains close with Holder. His first fundraiser after leaving office was for the group, as was his first fundraiser after the 2020 election. Obama hosted an event that netted $1.5 million for the group in 2023, POLITICO reported at the time. The former president has so far made few public appearances during Trump's second term, and the Aug. 19 fundraiser is just his second fundraiser this year. It comes as Trump has urged Texas GOP Gov. Greg Abbott to get the legislature to improve the number of GOP-held seats in the state to as many as five additional ones as Democrats make a play to protect their turf and fight for a Senate seat in the Lone Star State. State lawmakers began a special legislative session aimed at doing so earlier this week, and it's still unclear what map they will adopt.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store