After 1 year, still no penalties or fines for Florida insurers accused of altering damage estimates

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — It's been one year since three insurance adjusters dropped a bombshell, telling lawmakers their storm damage estimates were manipulated to reduce payouts to victims.

Florida launched two inquiries. 8 On Your Side has learned so far, the investigation has not resulted in any penalties or fines.

If these allegations are true, it would mean that homeowners paid premiums, but then, when it came time to collect after a disaster, they were shortchanged, secretly.

It was Dec. 13, 2022 when the three insurance adjusters testified before the Florida House Commerce Committee, telling lawmakers their estimates had been manipulated to reduce payouts to victims of Hurricane Ian.

"The insurance companies were directing the file reviewers to change my estimates to repair the roofs," said Ben Mandell, a Florida-licensed all-lines adjuster.

If true, State Rep. Bob Rommel, the chairman of the committee, said the allegations amounted to fraud.

"Alright, so first of all, since you're a licensed public adjuster and you just told us some licensed insurance comm...uh...have committed fraud. If you can come to my office with that information later," said Rep. Rommel.

For months, 8 On Your Side has stayed in contact with two of the three adjusters, Mandell and Mark Vinson. They showed us documents and photos of one case where their estimate had allegedly been changed.

Now, one year after the bombshell testimony, they say state investigators have made little progress.

According to Gov. Ron DeSantis, Insurance Commissioner Michael Yaworsky and CFO Jimmy Patronis' office are both looking into the accusations.

"Absolutely nothing has happened from what I can tell," Vinson told 8 On Your Side Monday morning.

When asked if investigators with Patronis's Office had reached out to him, Vinson said "no, not at all, not text, not phone call, not email, not anything."

Vinson said he's willing to cooperate with OIR and the CFO's Office.

"Yes, 100% anytime, I mean anytime, I'll come back to Florida anytime and help those guys out," said Vinson.

Patronis' office tells 8 On Your Side that they're looking into this case, plus a separate case where a similar allegation was made. That case is closed but this "investigation remains active and ongoing."

The CFO's office has spent roughly "200 investigative hours" on both cases. Thus far, they say, they've interviewed "35 of the roughly 50 witnesses."

On Monday morning, Vinson said no one has spoken with him and he doesn't understand why. He says the delay is unacceptable.

"The next storm that happens, if there's no consequence to what they're doing," he said. "Look out Floridians, it's going to be bad, it's not going to stop it's going to get worse?"

The adjusters say the state's top insurance regulator hasn't spoken with them either.

Commissioner Yaworsky's office would only say they continue to conduct investigations for Hurricane Ian and this type of work can take years.