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Staff ReportsMay 11, 2017

The state has returned $275 million in unclaimed property thus far this fiscal year, Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater announced Thursday — setting a new record with a month and a half yet to go. The returns represented more than 425,000 individual claims, and surpassed the previous record $271.8 million returned during 2015-16. “Month after […]

Staff ReportsMay 10, 2017

Jeff Atwater will remain in office as state chief financial officer until the state budget is completely settled, his office confirmed Wednesday. Atwater has announced plans to leave Tallahassee to become CFO at Florida Atlantic University upon the conclusion of the Legislative Session. That came last Friday, although the Legislature required another three days to […]

Michael MolineFebruary 10, 2017

Jeff Atwater announced Friday that, following the conclusion of the 2017 legislative session, he would leave office to become vice president for strategic initiatives and chief financial officer at Florida Atlantic University. The move will allow Gov. Rick Scott and Atwater’s remaining Cabinet colleagues to name someone to fill the remainder of his second term […]

Michael MolineFebruary 2, 2017

Jeff Atwater delivered some frank advice Thursday when he warned insurers they need to present hard facts to the Legislature before they can expect help in solving problems with the workers’ compensation system and other priorities. Speaking at the Florida Chamber of Commerce’s 2017 Insurance Summit in Miami, the state’s Chief Financial Officer called for “honesty and transparency with an […]

Michael MolineFebruary 2, 2017

With the Legislature poised to confront major challenges to Florida’s insurance industry and the businesses and consumers who rely on it, the Florida Chamber of Commerce will convene in Miami Thursday to map out possible solutions. On the agenda are mandatory personal-injury protection, or PIP, coverage for motorists; abuse of assignment-of-benefits agreements in property insurance; […]

Michael MolineDecember 23, 2016

An ill-advised boating excursion helped land an Orlando man behind bars for alleged workers’ compensation insurance fraud. Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater on Friday announced the arrest of Ricardo Aponte in “an elaborate scam” involving a purported neck injury that prevented him from bending his body or working. Aponte’s employer paid more than $500,000 in […]

Staff ReportsDecember 22, 2016

Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater on Thursday announced the arrest of a Miami man on charges that he posed as a licensed public adjuster to defraud Citizens Property Insurance Corp. of nearly $100,000 in inflated insurance claims. Julian Garcia-Sellek faces multiple felony fraud and grand theft charges following an investigation by the Department of Financial […]

Staff ReportsDecember 7, 2016

Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater has some consumer advice for Floridians during the holiday season: Don’t let your Christmas tree burn the house down. “Christmas tree fires do not happen often, but they have the potential to be serious fires when they do,” Atwater said in his Department of Financial Services newsletter Wednesday. “More often than […]

Michael MolineOctober 12, 2016

Homeowners filing insurance claims following Hurricane Matthew might want to consider obtaining an independent appraisal of their storm damage. That advice Wednesday from two plaintiffs lawyers, one of whom is handling insurance claims arising from the recent floods in Louisiana, which he said provides a “snapshot” of what Florida can expect during the Matthew claims […]

Staff ReportsSeptember 30, 2016

Florida Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater is the state’s “Consumer Champion” for 2016, an insurance industry watchdog organization announced this week, citing his support for legislative crackdowns on health and life insurers. The Florida Association for Insurance Reform bestowed the accolade Thursday night during its annual awards ceremony. The awards “recognize insurance and policy leaders whose […]

Tag: Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater

Jeff Atwater announces new record — $275 million — in returned property

Jeff Atwater sticking around as Florida CFO until state budget is nailed down

Jeff Atwater leaving office early to take job at Florida Atlantic University

Jeff Atwater delivers frank advice at Chamber’s Insurance Summit

Florida Chamber hosting summit in Miami to take on state’s insurance woes

Use of boat gets Orlando man arrested for workers’ comp fraud

Jeff Atwater: Arrest made in $100,000 fraud against Citizens Insurance

Jeff Atwater warns against killer Christmas trees

Plaintiffs lawyers advise independent appraisal of Matthew damage

FAIR names Jeff Atwater Florida’s ‘Consumer Champion’