This post is dedicated to one thing: the Florida Consumer Claim Complaint form.
If you have property in Florida that is damaged and you feel the claim is not being handled in the correct way by your insurer or something is not quite right, please log your complaint with the State. Without filing a consumer complaint, our Insurance Commissioner and CFO do not have an accurate read of how carriers are responding, or the problems Floridians are facing when their property is damaged.
You should file this quick form even if you have a public adjuster. Policyholders represented by counsel should also log their complaints after consulting with their attorney.
The Director or Consumer Services, Tasha Carter, is an asset to our state. Her department will not only log and tabulate your problem, but a direct inquiry will also be made to your insurance company specifically about your claim, with a requirement that they respond within 20 days.
The Complaint form is not a substitute for a civil remedy notice and it is not something you should do instead of advocating for yourself or litigating. Many in Florida seem to skip this step and then at the end of the quarter, the report of insurance company complaints is not an accurate reflection of the problems policyholders are facing for property damage claims.
I have posted about the Department of Consumer Services and how difficult it is for policyholders to find this information with a Google Search. Florida doesn’t call the insurance department the Florida Department of Insurance; it is called the Department of Financial Services. But with Hurricanes Matthew and Hermine this year, there are more claims and more people need to be aware that there is an entire sub-department that is logging insurance company complaints for property damage. While this service and the information they offer should still be more visible and promoted, there are now some website updates and three easier ways to make your issues known:
