Transforming Insurance Oversight in Florida: A Bold Vision for Reform
As a candidate for Chief Financial Officer of Florida, I am committed to restoring public trust in our state’s insurance system and delivering real, enforceable protections for Florida families. The current structure of our insurance regulation has failed. Rates continue to rise, claims are delayed or denied, and industry insiders benefit from a system that lacks accountability. My plan will change that on day one. I am proud to introduce a bold, transparent, and enforceable insurance reform framework centered around the creation of the Florida Insurance Licensing & Oversight Board (FILOB). This new board, along with strategic reforms to the existing Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR), will usher in a new era of accountability, balance, and consumer-first governance.
I. Florida Insurance Licensing & Oversight Board (FILOB)
FILOB will be established as an independent regulatory authority within the Department of Financial Services. It will be responsible for licensing, rulemaking, ethical oversight, and enforcement actions related to public adjusters, independent adjusters, appraisers, umpires, and other regulated insurance professionals. The board will be composed of nine voting members, selected to ensure representation from various sectors of the insurance landscape. These include two licensed Public Adjusters with a minimum of ten years’ experience, two Independent Adjusters (one of whom must be actively working with a carrier), two attorneys with expertise in first-party property insurance (one representing policyholders and the other representing insurance carriers), and two consumer advocates or qualified laypersons with no professional ties to the insurance industry. The Chairperson, appointed by the CFO, will serve as the tie-breaking vote and represent the CFO’s position when the CFO is unavailable.
All members will serve staggered two-year terms, with a maximum service limit of three terms, or six years total. Vacancies will be filled within 60 days using a nomination and vetting process modeled after the Construction Industry Licensing Board (CILB) and Electrical Contractors’ Licensing Board (ECLB) under the Department of Business and Professional Regulation, but tailored specifically for DFS. A strict four-year lobbying ban will apply to all members after their service ends. Ethical integrity will be maintained through mandatory conflict-of-interest disclosures, with mandatory recusals when necessary. Oversight of board activities and member conduct will fall under the jurisdiction of the DFS Inspector General, who will have the authority to audit decisions, investigate violations, and enforce compliance.
II. Restructuring the Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR)
The existing Office of Insurance Regulation will be restructured into the Office of Insurance Review. While its technical and analytical staff will remain valuable, the office’s role will shift to a non-voting, advisory body within DFS. Rather than approving or denying rate filings, policy forms, or licensing applications outright, the Office of Insurance Review will produce written recommendations for each matter. These recommendations will be presented to FILOB for public deliberation and vote. The board will have final decision-making authority, subject to override by the elected CFO. This structure preserves OIR’s technical capacity while placing final authority in a body that is accountable to both the public and the elected CFO.
III. Empowering the DFS Consumer Advocate
The Consumer Advocate will be transformed into an active and empowered watchdog for policyholders. This office will no longer serve in a symbolic capacity but will become a central enforcement and policy tool within DFS. The Advocate will be granted statutory authority to issue administrative subpoenas, allowing the office to compel the production of documents and testimony from insurance companies, contractors, and other regulated entities. FILOB may formally request the issuance of subpoenas through the Advocate when investigations or disciplinary reviews require legal compulsion. Additionally, the Consumer Advocate will publish monthly public reports identifying trends in complaints, systemic abuses, or harmful practices. The Advocate will represent the interests of Florida policyholders during rate hearings, policy reviews, rulemaking, and other regulatory forums.
IV. Transparency and Public Accountability
Transparency will be the cornerstone of this regulatory overhaul. All FILOB meetings will be conducted in compliance with Florida’s Sunshine Law, ensuring the public has access to board deliberations and decisions. Voting records, written recommendations from the Office of Insurance Review, and all disciplinary actions taken by FILOB will be posted on a centralized DFS portal. The Inspector General will ensure adherence to ethical standards and provide whistleblower protections to any individual reporting misconduct or abuse. The entire complaint and disciplinary process will be transparent and trackable from initiation through resolution.
V. Implementation Timeline
Following my election as Florida’s Chief Financial Officer on November 3, 2026, I will work directly with legislative partners to introduce a comprehensive reform package during the 2027 legislative session. This package will include:
Statutory creation of the Florida Insurance Licensing & Oversight Board
Reclassification of the Office of Insurance Regulation as the Office of Insurance Review
Expansion of the statutory authority and functional scope of the DFS Consumer Advocate
Establishment of term limits, conflict-of-interest rules, and post-service lobbying restrictions for FILOB members
By mid-2027, this framework will be fully operational and publicly visible.
VI. Investigations and Enforcement: The Role of DIFS
All investigative and enforcement functions arising from consumer complaints, regulatory violations, and board referrals will be housed within the Division of Investigative & Forensic Services (DIFS) under DFS. This integration allows for streamlined operations, maintains neutrality, and leverages the existing law enforcement authority of DIFS personnel. DIFS will be responsible for conducting thorough and impartial investigations based on referrals from FILOB, the Consumer Advocate, the Inspector General, or public complaints submitted through the DFS portal. Investigative actions may include witness interviews, document analysis, claims file audits, and coordination with other state or federal agencies. Where criminal conduct is suspected, DIFS will refer cases to appropriate prosecutorial authorities.
Upon conclusion of an investigation, DIFS will compile a detailed report and submit its findings to FILOB for disciplinary review and final action. FILOB will not conduct investigations directly but will rely on the expertise and independence of DIFS to provide the evidentiary basis for board decisions. The Inspector General will retain authority to audit investigations to ensure process integrity, and the Consumer Advocate may request subpoena support as necessary to facilitate the work of DIFS. This structure guarantees clear separation of duties, proper due process, and independent fact-finding , all of which are essential to rebuilding trust in Florida’s insurance regulatory environment.
Florida deserves a regulatory structure that puts people before profits and accountability above politics. With the creation of FILOB, the restructuring of the Office of Insurance Regulation, the elevation of the Consumer Advocate, and the consolidation of enforcement under DIFS, we will finally have a system that is not only built to work, but built to protect. These reforms are comprehensive, enforceable, and ready for implementation. As Florida’s next Chief Financial Officer, I will bring this plan to Tallahassee on day one.
Accountability. Integrity. Florida First.