McLain, Pierce and Associates remains open for business; however, our team members are working remotely.
If an appointment is needed, call us at 407-323-8142, or text us at 407-449-7186, and we’ll make arrangements to meet at the office.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis issued a statewide executive order requiring all citizens in the state to stay at home except for those doing essential business or activities.
According to the Florida Health Department, the move comes as the state has more than 8,000 cases of COVID-19.
“Even though we know there are a lot of places in Florida that have very low infection rates, it makes sense to make this move now,” DeSantis said.
The order states that essential services, which include certain businesses and activities, are allowed to continue, and the order does not prohibit individuals from working from home. Insurance is deemed an essential business, according to the federal guidelines the order follows, and insurance agencies and companies may remain open.
Most Florida insurance agencies and agents are already working remotely since the state of emergency was declared in March as COVID-19 began to spread. Given the current circumstances, Florida Chief Financial Officer, Jimmy Patronis, who oversees the Florida Department of Financial Services, issued a directive allowing Florida agency customer service representatives who would otherwise be restricted from conducting business outside of a licensed agency to do so.
“In order to afford flexibility to licensees who are quarantined or whose offices are subject to closure due to the COVID-19, the Department of Financial Services will not enforce provisions of [Florida Statutes] until May 8, 2020, unless this order is extended by subsequent Directive of the Chief Financial Officer,” the order states.
The governor’s stay-at-home order expires on April 30, 2020, unless extended.
Florida to Provide Workers’ Comp Coverage to State Workers Battling COVID-19
Under the CFO’s directive, Florida state employees working on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic will be eligible to receive workers’ compensation coverage. State agencies can choose to opt-out of coverage. The benefits will include coverage for a portion of lost wages, medical costs, death, and disability benefits.
“If we’re going to ask our public servants to fight this pandemic on our behalf, they have to know we’ve got their backs if they get sick. COVID-19 is taking some of our public servants off their feet for weeks. Workers’ compensation insurance was developed to provide our public servants a way to cover a portion of their lost wages and medical costs, so their families don’t have to worry as much,” Patronis said. “Providing this important coverage to our men and women on the front line is just the right thing to do.”
We proudly serve business owners throughout the area, including those in Sanford, Lake Mary, Deltona, as well as those across the state of Florida. We specialize in workers compensation insurance and employee benefits packages.