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Volume 4 Number 2
January 12, 2007 |
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CONSUMER
SERVICES HELPLINE
800-342-2762 |
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Paintings by Jim Draper, a Florida artist
represented by Signature Galleries in Tallahassee, are on loan to the
Capitol office of the CFO. |
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Dear Floridian:
The Florida Legislature will convene a special session
next week to address complex issues that are affecting the affordability
and availability of property insurance in Florida. We all are rooting
for our legislators to come up with a plan to ease the financial pain of
skyrocketing rates and cancellations, but as citizens we all have a
critical role in making sure that whatever the Legislature enacts will
work.
This week, the department’s Division of Insurance
Fraud has arrested dozens of individuals who allegedly took advantage of
the 2004 and 2005 hurricanes to scam their insurance companies. One man
filed a claim for damaged furniture, but the furniture was safely taken
to his ex-wife’s home as part of a settlement.
These stories would be laughable if they didn’t lead to real financial
pain for the rest of us policyholders left to pick up the tab through
higher premiums. There is no legitimate reason to commit insurance
fraud. If you suspect insurance fraud, please call our Fraud Fighters
hotline at 1-800-378-0445. We offer a reward of up $25,000 for
information directly leading to an arrest and conviction.
That’s how seriously we take insurance fraud, and that’s how seriously
all Floridians should take it.
Sincerely,
Alex Sink
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SINK ANNOUNCES NEW APPOINTMENTS
Alex Sink, Florida’s Chief Financial Officer, announced the appointments of
Dan Sumner as Interim General Counsel and Kathy Baughman McLeod as Deputy
Chief of Staff.
“I’m pleased to announce the appointments of Mr. Sumner and Ms. Baughman
McLeod, two highly talented professionals, to my administration,” said Sink.
“Their leadership experience and commitment to accountability will be an
asset to the Department of Financial Services and the people of Florida.”
Dan Sumner, Interim General Counsel— Bringing three decades of legal
expertise and public service, Mr. Sumner has accepted the position of
Interim General Counsel, serving as the chief legal advisor to CFO Sink. Mr.
Sumner will supervise the Divisions of Legal Services, Risk Management, and
Rehabilitation and Liquidation; and as Interim General Counsel will
represent the Chief Financial Officer in litigation in federal and state
courts and administrative tribunals. Mr. Sumner previously served as the
Assistant Director of the Division of Workers’ Compensation, and held
numerous legal and insurance roles under the former Department of Insurance
prior to Cabinet reorganization. In addition to his other duties, Mr. Sumner
is currently serving on a voluntary basis as the interim executive director
of the recently reactivated PCJUA.
Kathy Baughman McLeod, Deputy Chief of Staff—With a dozen years
experience in the private, public and non-profit sectors surrounding Florida
government, Ms. Baughman McLeod has accepted the position of Deputy Chief of
Staff. In her new role, Ms. Baughman McLeod will lead the development,
implementation, management and enforcement of policies governing the areas
of Cabinet Affairs, Legislative Affairs and Communications. In addition to
her private sector experience, Ms. Baughman McLeod has held prior positions
at the Florida Department of Community Affairs, the Trust for Public Land,
and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Like CFO Sink, Ms.
Baughman McLeod is a member of Leadership Florida.
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CFO SINK ANNOUNCES NEARLY $700,000 IN
HOMELAND SECURITY FUNDS AWARDED TO STATE BOMB TEAM, LABORATORY
Alex Sink, the chief financial officer of Florida and state fire marshal,
announced that the Division of State Fire Marshal’s Explosive Ordnance
Disposal (EOD) Unit and Forensic Laboratory have been awarded nearly
$700,000 in homeland security funds to buy equipment to protect Florida
communities.
“We can never let our guard down when it comes to being prepared for a
potential disaster, whether natural or manmade,” Sink said. “We are
committed to doing all we can to make sure we are trained, equipped and
ready, and I thank the Department of Homeland Security for supporting us in
that.”
CONTINUED
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SINK
ANNOUNCES FREE COURSES SCHEDULED FOR CONTRACTORS INTERESTED IN MY SAFE
FLORIDA HOME PROGRAM
Alex Sink, Florida’s chief financial officer, announced that free courses will be offered to licensed contractors who
are interested in participating in the My Safe Florida Home program.
The four-hour course will teach contractors the techniques and standards
for effective wind-resistant retrofit improvements.
“Our mission is to
strengthen homes in Florida against the devastating effects of storm
damage,” said Sink, who oversees the Department of Financial Services.
“Contractors who participate in this program will play a key role in
better protecting families and properties from catastrophic losses.”
CONTINUED
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CFO ALEX SINK
OFFICE OF CABINET AFFAIRS
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THE FLORIDA CABINET MEETS
JANUARY 18
Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink
will be onboard for her first Cabinet meeting on
Thursday, January 18. She
is one of three state-wide elected officials comprising the
Florida Cabinet with Attorney General Bill McCollum and Commissioner Charles
Bronson.
The governor is the
popularly elected chief executive of Florida, but the three members of the
Cabinet are elected by the people and serve as a collective decision- and rule-making body for the state along with the governor. Each Cabinet
member serves a four-year term with a two-term limit and is wholly
responsible for the administration of at least one state department. CFO
Sink oversees the Department of Financial Services. The Governor is
responsible for the administration of most other state agencies.
CONTINUED
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TAMPA MAN FACES
FELONY CHARGES FOR SELLING BOGUS PIP INSURANCE CARDS
Unlicensed agent sold fake
cards for $100 each
Alex Sink, Florida’s chief financial officer,
announced the arrest of a Tampa man accused of posing as an insurance
agent and selling bogus personal injury protection (PIP) auto insurance
cards.
Andre Coachman, 37, worked at Coat Used
Auto Sales, located at 4170 East Hillsborough Ave., and was arrested Tuesday
by detectives with the Department of Financial Services’ Division of
Insurance Fraud. Coachman is charged with providing false/fraudulent proof
of insurance and transacting insurance without a license, third-degree
felonies punishable by up to five years in prison and $5,000 in fines. He
was booked into the Hillsborough County Jail with bond set at $5,000.
Sink is urging anyone who suspects they may have bought a bogus insurance
card from Coachman or from anyone else to call the Division of Insurance
Fraud’s Tampa office at 813-972-8602 or, outside of Tampa, 1-800-378-0445.
CONTINUED
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