Agents should check with which authority to ensure the insurer they represent is authorized?

To ensure that the insurer they represent is authorized to operate, agents should consult the Department of Financial Services. This department oversees the insurance industry in Florida, ensuring that insurance companies meet the necessary regulations and licensing requirements to do business in the state. It maintains a list of licensed insurers, allowing agents to verify that the companies they work with are duly authorized to provide insurance coverage in Florida.

The other options do not serve this purpose. The Department of Revenue focuses on tax collection and enforcement rather than insurance authorizations. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners, while influential as a standard-setting organization, does not have jurisdiction over licensing at the state level. The Federal Insurance Office, on the other hand, deals with systemic risk and financial stability in the insurance sector but does not regulate or license individual insurance companies, particularly at the state level. Therefore, referring to the Department of Financial Services is the correct method for agents to confirm an insurer's authorization.