Unit (3) Three: The Department of Financial Services
The Department (DFS), Florida’s Regulatory Home Base
The Department of Financial Services, also known as the Department, was *created in 1998 to streamline our local Florida Government by merging the Department of Insurance, Department of Banking and Finance, Treasury and State Fire Marshal into one (1) Department of Financial Services. Effective January 2003, thirteen (13) different divisions became administratively placed within the Department.
- Department of Financial Services*13A
200 East Gaines Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0301
The Department of Financial Services which is head by the Chief Financial Officer (also at times referred to as the Treasurer or Fire Marshal) is the regulatory hub for our state marketplace.
By going to www.MyFloridaCFO.com you can find links to every department administratively contained within, from the Division Agent and Agency Services where licensees can check an insurers certificate of authority to the Division of Unclaimed Property where people can search an up to date database of unclaimed insurance benefits among other things.
The following are the thirteen divisions are under the direct supervision of the CFO’s Department of Financial Services.
- Accounting and Auditing,
- The Division of Consumer Services,
- Funeral, Cemetery and Consumer Services,
The Board of Funeral, Cemetery, and Consumer Services is created within the Division of Funeral, Cemetery, and Consumer Services of the Department of Financial Services.
- Insurance Agent and Agency Services,
- *The Division of Investigative and Forensic Services *13B
This entity functions as the criminal justice agency for the Department and has the authority to conduct investigations wherever it deems necessary regardless if the investigation is beyond state lines when necessary.
When investigative evidence supports the presence of a crime, the matter may be forward to the local or federal law authorities. Thereafter the Division will provide investigative assistance wherever required.
The entities administratively contained within the include the Bureau of Forensic Services, *Bureau of Fire and Arson Investigations & Office of Fiscal Integrity (Separate Budget)
- The Division of Public Assistance Fraud,
- The Division of Rehabilitation and Liquidation,
- The Division of Risk Management,
- The Division of State Fire Marshal,
- Fire Prevention
- Fire Standards & Training
- The Division of Treasury,
- Includes a Bureau of Deferred Compensation.
- The Division of Unclaimed Property,
- The Division of Workers’ Compensation,
- The Division of Administration & The Office of Insurance Consumer Advocate,