Florida Supreme Court: No Legal Fees in Insurance Cases
The Florida Supreme Court says insurers don’t have to pay customers’ legal costs when they’re sued and lose.
Plaintiffs’ lawyers say the Thursday decision will have a chilling effect because attorneys won’t want to take cases against insurance companies.
The court decided unanimously in the case of a woman whose house was damaged by Hurricane Charley in 2004. Her insurance company only paid part of her claim and she had to sue for the rest.
She later claimed her attorneys’ fees under her policy but the company went bankrupt. The court says legal fees weren’t within her coverage.
The case is Petty v. Florida Insurance Guaranty Association, No. SC10-2097. The association is a backup fund that handles policies for insolvent insurers.
Copyright 2024 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Popular Today
- Jury Awards $80M to 3 Former Zurich NA Employees for Wrongful Termination
- Work Safety Group Releases List of ‘Dirty Dozen’ Employers
- Beyond the Claim: How Social Canvassing is Transforming Insurance Fraud Detection
- South Carolina Allows Out-of-State Adjusters After Massive Hail Storm
Popular This Month