Petitioner: DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL SERVICES
Respondent: PAUL FRANCIS MCCARTHY
Judges: WILLIAM F. QUATTLEBAUM
Agency: Department of Financial Services
Locations: Sebastian, Florida
Filed: Feb. 17, 2006
Status: Closed
Settled and/or Dismissed prior to entry of RO/FO on Wednesday, May 24, 2006.
Latest Update: Nov. 18, 2024
FLORIDA
DEPARTMENT OF
FINANCIAL SERVICES
TOM GALLAGHER ,
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER i
STATE OF FLORIDA
IN THE MATTER OF: _ Gocketed by:
PAUL FRANCIS MCCARTHY
ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLAINT.
TO: PAUL FRANCIS MCCARTHY
2 River Oaks Dri (g . UL
2 River Oaks Drive Olo-O0le13P
You, PAUL FRANCIS MCCARTHY, are hereby notified that the Chief Financial
Officer of the State of Florida has caused to be made an investigation of your activities while
licensed as an insurance agent in this state, as a result of which it is alleged:
GENERAL ALLEGATIONS
Ll Pursuant to Chapter 626, Florida Statutes, you, PAUL FRANCIS MCCARTHY,
are currently licensed in this state as a resident Life & Variable Annuity (2-14), Life, Health and
Variable Annuity Agent (2-15), Life agent (2-16), Life and Health agent (2-18), and Health agent
(2-40). Your license I.D. number is A170327.
2. At all times pertinent to the dates and occurrences referred to herein, you, PAUL
FRANCIS MCCARTHY, were licensed in this state as an insurance agent.
3. Pursuant to chapter 626, Florida Statutes, the Florida Department of Financial
Services has jurisdiction over your insurance licenses and appointments.
4. During all times material to the dates and occurrences herein, you, PAUL
FRANCIS MCCARTHY, were doing business as Financial Resources Group (“FRG”).
5. During all times material to the dates and occurrences herein, Colonial
Counseling was a Florida business located at 6623 East Colonial Drive, Orlando, Florida 32802.
COUNT I
6. Paragraphs 1-5 are realleged and incorporated herein.
7. In or around May 2002, you, PAUL FRANCIS MCCARTHY, directly or
indirectly acted as an agent for, or otherwise represented or aided on behalf of Southern Plan
Administrators, Inc., Financial Insurance Services, a Michigan corporation, doing business in
Florida as Financial Healthcare Systems (“FHS”), Joseph Saigh, Lawrence Wells or another,
MarkeTrends Insurance Lid. (“MarkeTrends”) in transacting insurance in the State of Florida, in
relation to Colonial Counseling, by, including but not limited to: 1) distributing information, or
having information distributed, about MarkeTrends reinsurance contracts; 2) soliciting,
negotiating, procuring, or effectuating insurance contracts, or renewals; 3) disseminating
information as to coverage or rates; 4) forwarding applications; and/or 5) delivering policies
or contracts.
8. At no time material to the dates and occurrences herein did MarkeTrends possess
a Certificate of Authority from the Florida Department of Financial Services or the Office of
Insurance Regulation to engage in the business of insurance as an insurer.
IT IS THEREFORE CHARGED that you, PAUL FRANCIS MCCARTHY, have
violated or are accountable under the following provisions of the Florida Insurance Code and
Rules of the Department of Financial Services which constitute grounds for the suspension or
revocation of your licenses and appointments:
(a) No person shall transact in this state, or relative to a subject of insurance resident,
located, or to be performed in this state, without complying with the applicable provisions of this
Code. [Section 624.11, Florida Statutes];
(b) Demonstrated lack of fitness or trustworthiness to engage in the business of
insurance. [Section 626.611(7), Florida Statutes];
(c) Demonstrated lack of reasonably adequate knowledge and technical competence to
engage in the transactions authorized by the license or appointment. [Section 626.611(8), Florida
Statutes];
(d) Violation of any provision of this Code or any law applicable to the business of
insurance in the course of dealing under the licensure or appointment. [Section 626.621(2),
Florida Statutes}; and
(e) No person shall, from offices or by personnel or facilities located in this state. . .
directly or indirectly act as agent for, or otherwise represent or aid on behalf of another, any
insurer not then authorized to transact such insurance in this state in:
(1) The solicitation, negotiation, procurement, or effectuation of insurance or annuity
contracts, or renewals thereof:
(2) The dissemination of information as to coverage or rates;
(3) The forwarding of applications; or
(4) The delivery of policies or contracts;
or in any other manner represent or assist such an insurer in the transaction of insurance with
respect to subjects of insurance resident, located, or to be performed in this state. [Section
626.901(1), Florida Statutes].
COUNT II
9. Paragraphs 1-5 are realleged and incorporated herein.
10. In or around December 2002 or January 2003, you, PAUL FRANCIS
MCCARTRY, directly or indirectly acted as an agent for, or otherwise represented or aided on
behalf of Southern Plan Administrators, Inc., Financial Insurance Services, a Michigan
corporation, doing business in Florida as Financial Healthcare Systems (“FHS”), Joseph Saigh,
Lawrence Wells or another, CIC Insurance Company AVV (“Centennial”) in transacting
insurance in the State of Florida, in relation to Colonial Counseling, by, including but not limited
to: 1) distributing information, or having information distributed, about Centennial reinsurance
contracts; 2) distributing information, or having information distributed, on how to move
groups from MarkeTrends to Centennial; 3) soliciting, negotiating, procuring, or effectuating
insurance contracts, or renewals; 4) disseminating information as to coverage or rates;
5) forwarding applications; and/or 6) delivering policies or contracts,
11. At no time material to the dates and occurrences herein did Centennial possess a
Certificate of Authority from the Florida Department of Financial Services or the Office of
Insurance Regulation to engage in the business of insurance as an insurer,
IT IS THEREFORE CHARGED that you, PAUL FRANCIS MCCARTHY, have
violated or are accountable under the following provisions of the Florida Insurance Code and
Rules of the Department of Financial Services which constitute grounds for the suspension or
revocation of your licenses and appointments:
(a) No person shall transact in this State, or relative to a subject of insurance resident,
located, or to be performed in this state, without complying with the applicable provisions of this
Code. [Section 624.11, Florida Statutes};
(b) Demonstrated lack of fitness or trustworthiness to engage in the business of
insurance. [Section 626.611(7), Florida Statutes];
(c) Demonstrated lack of reasonably adequate knowledge and technical competence to
engage in the transactions authorized by the license or appointment. [Section 626.611(8), Florida
Statutes];
(d) Violation of any provision of this Code or any law applicable to the business of
insurance in the course of dealing under the licensure or appointment. [Section 626.621(2),
Florida Statutes]; and
(e) No person shali, from offices or by personnel or facilities located in this state. . .
directly or indirectly act as agent for, or otherwise represent or aid on behalf of another, any
insurer not then authorized to transact such insurance in this state in:
(1) The solicitation, negotiation, procurement, or effectuation of insurance or annuity
contracts, or renewals thereof;
(2) The dissemination of information as to coverage or rates;
(3) The forwarding of applications; or
(4) The delivery of policies or contracts;
or in any other manner represent or assist such an insurer in the transaction of insurance with
respect to subjects of insurance resident, located, or to be performed in this state. [Section
626.901(1), Florida Statutes).
WHEREFORE, you, PAUL FRANCIS MCCARTHY. , are hereby notified that the Chief
Financial Officer intends to enter an Order suspending or revoking your licenses and
appointments as an insurance agent or to impose such penalties as may be provided under the
provisions of Sections 626.611, 626.621, 626.551, 626.681, 626.691, and 626.901, Florida
Statutes, and under the other referenced sections of the Florida Statutes as set out in this
Administrative Complaint.
NOTICE OF RIGHTS
You have the right to request a proceeding to contest this action by the Department
pursuant to Sections 120.569 and 120.57, Florida Statutes, and Rule 28-106, Florida
Administrative Code. The proceeding request must be in writing, signed by you, and must be
filed with the Department within twenty-one (21) days of your receipt of this notice. Completion
of the attached Election of Proceeding form and/or a petition for administrative hearing will
suffice as a written request. The request must be filed with the General Counsel as acting
Agency Clerk, at the Florida Department of Financial Services, 612 Larson Building, 200 East
Gaines Street, Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0333. Your written response must be received by the
Department no later than 5:00 p.m. on the twenty-first day after your receipt of this notice,
Mailing the response on the twenty-first day will not preserve your right to a hearing.
YOUR FAILURE TO RESPOND IN WRITING WITHIN
TWENTY-ONE (21) DAYS OF YOUR RECEIPT OF THIS
NOTICE WILL CONSTITUTE A WAIVER OF YOUR
RIGHT TO REQUEST A PROCEEDING ON THE
MATTERS ALLEGED HEREIN AND AN ORDER OF
REVOCATION WILL BE ENTERED AGAINST YOU.
If you request a proceeding, you must provide information that complies with the
requirements of Rules 28-106.201 or 28-106.301, Florida Administrative Code. As noted above,
completion of the attached Election of Proceeding form conforms to these requirements.
Specifically, your response must contain:
(a) The name and address of the party making the request, for purpose of Service;
(bb) A statement that the party is requesting a hearing involving disputed issues of
material fact, or a hearing not involving disputed issues of material fact; and
(c) A reference to the notice, order to show cause, administrative complaint, or other
communication that the party has received from the agency.
Ifa hearing of any type is requested, you have the right to be represented by counsel or
other qualified representative at your expense, to present evidence and argument, to call and
cross-examine witnesses, and to compel the attendance of witnesses and the production of
documents by subpoena.
Ifa proceeding is requested and there is no dispute of material fact, the provisions of
Section 120.57(2), Florida Statutes, apply. In this regard, you may submit oral or written
evidence in opposition to the action taken by the Department or a written statement challenging
the grounds upon which the Department has relied. While a hearing is normally not required in
the absence of a dispute of fact, if you feel that a hearing is necessary, one will be conducted in
Tallahassee, Florida, or by telephonic conference call upon your request.
However, if you dispute material facts which are the basis for the Departments action,
you must request an adversarial proceeding pursuant to Sections 120.569 and 120.57(1), Florida
Statutes, These proceedings are held before a State administrative law judge of the Division of
Administrative Hearings. Unless the majority of witnesses are located elsewhere, the
Department will request that the hearing be conducted in Tallahassee, Florida.
Failure to follow the procedure outlined with regard to your response to this notice may
result in the request being denied. All prior oral communication or correspondence in this matter
shall be considered freeform agency action, and no such oral communication or correspondence
shall operate as a valid request for an administrative proceeding. Any request for an
administrative proceeding received prior to the date of this notice shall be deemed abandoned
unless timely renewed in compliance with the guidelines as set out above.
Mediation of this matter pursuant to Section 120.573, Florida Statutes, is not available.
No Department attorney will discuss this matter with you until the response has been received by
the Department of Financial Services.
mH
DATED and SIGNED this —)"" _ day of _{O¢Cempber 2005.
Cat OB
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N CHANDLER
Deputy Chief Financial Officer
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
I HEREBY CERTIFY that a true and correct copy of the foregoing ADMINISTRAT
COMPLAINT and ELECTION OF PROCEEDING has been furnished by Certified Mail this_.2_
day of cz f_, 2005 to PAUL FRANCIS MCCARTHY, 2 River Oaks Drive,
Sebastian, Florida 32958.
Robert Alan Fox
Division of Legal Services
200 East Gaines St.
612 Larson Building
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0333
(850) 413-4110
Docket for Case No: 06-000673PL
Issue Date |
Proceedings |
May 24, 2006 |
CASE STATUS: Hearing Held. |
May 24, 2006 |
Order Closing Files. CASE CLOSED.
|
May 24, 2006 |
Settlement Stipulation for Consent Order filed.
|
May 19, 2006 |
Order Denying Continuance of Final Hearing.
|
May 17, 2006 |
Letter to Judge Harrell from P. McCarthy with an additional consideration regarding the request for continuance filed.
|
May 17, 2006 |
Respondent`s Notice of Concurrence in Continuance of Final Hearing filed.
|
May 11, 2006 |
Letter to Judge Harrell from P. McCarthy regarding request for a continuance filed.
|
May 11, 2006 |
Notice of Filing Motion to Consolidate filed.
|
May 02, 2006 |
Department of Financial Services` Witness List filed.
|
May 02, 2006 |
Department of Financial Services` Exhibit List filed.
|
Mar. 14, 2006 |
Order Re-scheduling Hearing by Video Teleconference (video hearing set for May 24, 2006, at 9:00 a.m.; Orlando and Tallahassee, FL).
|
Mar. 10, 2006 |
Order of Consolidation (DOAH Case Nos. 06-0673PL was added to the consolidated batch).
|
Feb. 28, 2006 |
Notice of Filing Motion to Consolidate (Case Nos. 06-0147PL and 06-0148PL) filed.
|
Feb. 27, 2006 |
Joint Response to Initial Order filed.
|
Feb. 20, 2006 |
Initial Order.
|
Feb. 17, 2006 |
Administrative Complaint filed.
|
Feb. 17, 2006 |
Election of Proceeding filed.
|
Feb. 17, 2006 |
Agency referral filed.
|