Financial Services, Department of

Agency Web Site: https://www.dfs.ny.gov/

Mission

Legislation enacted with the FY 2012 Budget established the Department of Financial Services, integrating the New York State Banking Department and the Insurance Department into a modern, consolidated financial regulator overseeing industries that are critical to the State's financial vitality. The mission of the Department consists of the following activities and objectives:

• Foster continued growth of the financial industry in New York and spur State economic development through judicious regulation and vigilant supervision;
• Ensure the continued solvency, safety, soundness, and prudent conduct of the providers of financial products and services;
• Ensure fair, timely, and equitable fulfillment of industry financial obligations;
• Ensure the current and continuing solvency of providers and practitioners;
• Ensure high standards of honesty, transparency, fair business practices, and public responsibility;
• Educate the public regarding the nature and use of financial products and services and ensure that consumers have access to understandable information so that they may make responsible decisions about financial products and services.

Organization and Staffing

The Superintendent of the Department of Financial Services is appointed by the Governor, with the consent of the Senate. The Department’s main offices are located in Albany and New York City with smaller offices located throughout the State.

Budget Highlights

The FY 2022 Executive Budget recommends $446.7 million for the Department, an increase of almost $7.4 million from the FY 2021 budget. This increase primarily reflects a projected increase to the DFS insurance fund for additional support of DOH's Family Planning Program.

The Executive Budget recommends a workforce of 1,296 FTEs for the Department, which is flat from revised FY 2021 levels.

Major budget actions include:

• Legislation to establish, "COVID-19 Emergency Eviction and Foreclosure Prevention for Tenants and Owners of Commercial Real Estate Property Act of 2021"
• Legislation to establish provisions for the discontinuance of London Interbanks Offered Rate (LIBOR)
• Legislation to grant the Superintendent greater authority to prohibit a provider of health services from demanding or requesting payment for health services rendered under the no-fault insurance law.
• Legislation to extend the covered period for residential mortgage relief through at least the end of 2021, or until the Executive Orders issued during the pandemic are no longer in effect.

Program Highlights

The Department’s main responsibilities are carried out through three major programs: administration, regulation, and consumer protection.

Administration

The Administration Program provides the basic executive direction, fiscal, personnel, legal, and electronic data processing activities that support the Department’s operations.

Regulation

To ensure the safety and soundness of all regulated entities, the Department monitors banks, insurance companies, and other financial institutions to identify problems, and works with management to promptly solve them. The Department carries out this responsibility through on-site examinations, regular review of institutional financial reports, and periodic site visits.

Consumer Protection

To ensure that State-chartered banking institutions are complying with State laws and regulations and that no individuals are unfairly denied credit, Department employees conduct consumer compliance examinations and resolve consumer complaints. Staff monitor whether institutions are helping to meet the credit and banking needs of local communities as required by various State laws. The Department strives for the fair treatment of insurance policyholders, claimants, and the public through the regulation of company claim payments and sales practices, responses to consumer complaints, and the timely review of insurance company denials of coverage. The Department promotes high standards of industry conduct and competence through testing, oversight, and pre-licensing and enforcing educational standards of licensees. The Department proactively educates consumers regarding unscrupulous financial industry practices and products, and advocates on behalf of consumers who have been defrauded or harmed by such abuses.

Note: Most recent estimates as of 01/19/2021