TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - Florida's next insurance consumer advocate is going to be a former legislative employee.
Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater announced Tuesday that he was appointing Steve Burgess to the job. Burgess starts Nov. 18.
Burgess has previously worked twice as the state's insurance consumer advocate during the `90s and between 2004 and 2007. Burgess, who has degrees in accounting and law, was recently the staff director for the Senate Banking and Insurance Committee.
That committee earlier this year drew up contentious legislation dealing with Citizens Property Insurance that was eventually scaled back by the Florida House. Atwater himself was critical of the Senate bill.
But Atwater insisted Burgess's experience and understanding of insurance would help his efforts to hold insurance companies "accountable."
