Reporting and handling of claims.

(1) All departments covered by the State Risk Management Trust Fund under this part shall immediately report all known or potential claims to the Department of Financial Services for handling, except employment complaints that have not been filed with the Florida Human Relations Commission, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, or any similar agency. When deemed necessary, the Department of Financial Services shall assign or reassign the claim to counsel. The assigned counsel shall report regularly to the Department of Financial Services or to the covered department on the status of any such claims or litigation as required by the Department of Financial Services. Such claims may not be compromised or settled for monetary compensation without the prior approval of the Department of Financial Services and prior notification to the covered department. All departments shall cooperate with the Department of Financial Services in its handling of claims. The Department of Financial Services and the Department of Management Services, with the cooperation of the state attorneys and the clerks of the courts, shall develop a system to coordinate the exchange of information concerning claims for and against the state, its agencies, and its subdivisions, to assist in collection of amounts due to them. The covered department is responsible for the settlement of any claim for injunctive or affirmative relief under 42 U.S.C. s. 1983 or similar federal or state statutes. The payment of a settlement or judgment for any claim covered and reported under this part may be made only from the State Risk Management Trust Fund.

(2) Benefits provided under s. 112.1816(2) may not be paid from the fund until each request for any out-of-pocket deductible, copayment, or coinsurance costs and one-time cash payout has been validated and approved by the Department of Management Services.