Florida CFO Voices Concerns to FEMA Over Policy Management Vendor Transition

Florida’s Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis is urging the Federal Emergency Management Agency to reconsider an upcoming vendor transition that he says could delay the processing of federal flood claims in Florida.

In a letter dated Oct. 18 to FEMA Administrator William “Brock” Long, Patronis said that the planned transition to a new policy management vendor could delay the processing of federal flood claims in Florida. Patronis said the move would impact more than 600,000 policyholders, with many of those residing in Florida.

“I fear that Floridians may be forced to bear costly consequences by this change,” Patronis said in his letter.

“With an estimated 18,000 damage claims resulting from Hurricanes Irma, Maria and Harvey currently pending, scheduled changes to claims processing and payment procedures stand to create delays and potentially derail Florida families from getting back to normal life during these high-stress times,” he wrote.

Instead, Patronis requested FEMA officials release a transition plan that ensures no pending claims would face delays or to consider delaying the transition until the end of the 2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season.

Patronis also asked that FEMA make any transition plans public, “so that policyholders can be confident in current transitions with the NFIP.”

He added, “If these assurances cannot be made, I strongly encourage you to reconsider the timeline of this transition.”

Source: Florida Department of Financial Service

Topics Florida Claims