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Office of Insurance Regulation staff member deploying to Puerto Rico to provide assistance

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Florida Insurance Commissioner David Altmaier announced today that staff from the Office of Insurance Regulation (OIR) will travel to Puerto Rico to assist those impacted by Hurricane Maria. In partnership with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), an OIR team member will deploy on May 12, 2018 to assist families and individuals with claims and other insurance issues.

Governor Scott said, “Since Hurricane Maria, Florida has provided steadfast support to our neighbors in Puerto Rico and I am proud to continue this aid by sharing an insurance expert from Florida to provide claims assistance to homeowners and business owners as they work to rebuild their lives. I am proud of the work Florida has done to help families from Puerto Rico and we will continue to do all we can to make sure they have the resources needed to get back on their feet.”

CFO Jimmy Patronis said, “Access to insurance help and resources is critical for consumers and businesses in Puerto Rico impacted by Hurricane Maria. As we gear up for the 2018 Hurricane Season, it’s important that we do all we can to provide resources to the people of Puerto Rico to help recover and now prepare ahead of June 1. My office’s bi-lingual insurance experts stand ready to assist with any consumer concerns.”

Florida Insurance Commissioner David Altmaier said, “OIR’s mission is to protect insurance consumers and cultivate a stable insurance marketplace in Florida, and we’ve worked closely with Governor Scott, CFO Patronis, Commissioner Putnam, and Attorney General Bondi to carry out this mission before, during, and after storms. I am proud that our team will now have the opportunity to extend our efforts by providing direct assistance in Puerto Rico.”

Julie McPeak, Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance Commissioner and National Association of Insurance Commissioners President, said, “Having OIR staff available to assist with policyholders with claims processing will be an invaluable service, and the NAIC is thrilled to partner with Governor Scott and Commissioner Altmaier on this initiative.”

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners will provide financial support for travel costs associated with the initiative.

PSC Report Shows Lifeline Assistance Program Continues to Benefit Florida Consumers

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Approximately one out of every eleven Florida households–or 852,255 eligible telecommunications customers–participate in the federal Lifeline Assistance (Lifeline) discount telephone program, according to the Florida Public Service Commission’s (PSC) annual Lifeline report released today.
“Lifeline provides the assistance many Floridians need to afford phone service to connect with family, friends, doctors, and employers,” said PSC Chairman Julie Brown. “With the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) new Lifeline rules, effective earlier this month, consumers can now apply their monthly Lifeline benefit toward broadband service, connecting them to voice and broadband services.”
In Florida, 19 telecommunication companies participate in the federal Lifeline program. Consumers who receive certain public assistance programs qualify for a minimum discount credit of $9.25 per month, or a free Lifeline cell phone with monthly minutes from certain wireless providers.
As in past years, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the largest qualifying program for Lifeline Assistance in Florida. Based upon June 2016 SNAP participants, eligible households in need of Lifeline decreased by 14.8 percent compared to last year’s data.
Eligibility requirements and application access are highlighted at monthly PSC outreach events to increase Lifeline program awareness. The new FCC broadband rules and its existing rules limit benefits to one Lifeline discount per eligible household and require annual recertification. The PSC encourages Lifeline customers seeking broadband discounts to contact their carrier for availability.
Applying for Lifeline is easy — Florida residents can call their local phone company, the PSC at 1-800-342-3552, or the Office of Public Counsel (OPC) at 1-800-540-7039 for assistance. Information is also available on the PSC’s website: www.floridapsc.com, OPC’s website: http://www.floridaopc.gov/Pages/Lifeline.aspx and the FCC’s website: https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/lifeline-support-affordable-communications.
For more information, visit www.FloridaPSC.com.
Follow the PSC on Twitter, @floridapsc.