Custody by state; holder liability; reimbursement of holder paying claim; reclaiming for owner; payment of safe-deposit box or repository charges.

(1) Upon the good faith payment or delivery of abandoned property to the department, the state assumes custody and responsibility for the safekeeping of the property. Any person who pays or delivers abandoned property to the department in good faith is relieved of all liability to the extent of the value of the property paid or delivered for any claim then existing or which thereafter may arise or be made with respect to the property.

(a) A holder’s substantial compliance with the due diligence provisions in s. 717.117 and good faith payment or delivery of abandoned property to the department releases the holder from liability that may arise from such payment or delivery, and such delivery and payment may be pleaded as a defense in any suit or action brought by reason of such delivery or payment. This section does not relieve a fiduciary of his or her duties under the Florida Trust Code or Florida Probate Code.

(b) If the holder pays or delivers property to the department in good faith and thereafter any other person claims the property from the holder paying or delivering, or another state claims the money or property under that state’s laws relating to escheat or abandoned or unclaimed property, the department, upon written notice of the claim, shall defend the holder against the claim and indemnify the holder against any liability on the claim, except that a holder may not be indemnified against penalties imposed by another state.

(2) For the purposes of this section, a payment or delivery of abandoned property is made in good faith if:

(a) The payment or delivery was made in conjunction with an accurate and acceptable report.

(b) The payment or delivery was made in a reasonable attempt to comply with this chapter and other applicable general law.

(c) The holder had a reasonable basis for believing, based on the facts then known, that the property was abandoned and subject to this chapter.

(d) There is no showing that the records pursuant to which the delivery was made did not meet reasonable commercial standards of practice in the industry.

(3) Any holder who has paid money to the department pursuant to this chapter may make payment to any person appearing to be entitled to payment and, upon filing proof that the payee is entitled thereto, the department shall forthwith repay the holder without deduction of any fee or other charges. If repayment is sought for a payment made on a negotiable instrument, including a traveler’s check or money order, the holder must be repaid under this subsection upon filing proof that the instrument was duly presented and that the payee is entitled to payment. The holder shall be repaid for payment made under this subsection even if the payment was made to a person whose claim was barred under s. 717.129(1).

(4) Any holder who has delivered property, including a certificate of any interest in a business association, other than money to the department pursuant to this chapter may reclaim the property if still in the possession of the department, without payment of any fee or other charges, upon filing proof that the person entitled to the property has claimed it from the holder.

(5) The department may accept an affidavit of the holder stating the facts that entitle the holder to recover money and property under this section as sufficient proof.

(6) Property removed from a safe-deposit box or other safekeeping repository is received by the department subject to the holder’s right under this subsection to be reimbursed for the actual cost of the opening and to any valid lien or contract providing for the holder to be reimbursed for unpaid rent or storage charges. The department shall make the reimbursement to the holder out of the proceeds remaining after the deduction of the department’s selling cost.

(7) If it appears to the satisfaction of the department that, because of some mistake of fact, error in calculation, or erroneous interpretation of a statute, a person has paid or delivered to the department pursuant to any provision of this chapter any money or other property not required by this chapter to be so paid or delivered, the department may, within 5 years after such erroneous payment or delivery, refund or redeliver such money or other property to the person, provided that such money or property has not been paid or delivered to a claimant or otherwise disposed of in accordance with this chapter.