AMERICAN COASTAL INSURANCE COMPANY
v.
LA RIVE GAUCHE CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION, INC.

Fla. 3d DCA | 2024-09-18
No. 3D2023-0938
388 So. 3d 912 Florida District Court of Appeal, Third District (2024) Positive Treatment
Cited by 2 cases

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Synopsis

This per curiam affirmance addresses multiple interrelated issues in an insurance dispute, including the entitlement to prejudgment interest on liquidated damages, the standards for determining when damages are liquidated, the requirement of knowing or intentional fraudulent conduct to void a policy under concealment or fraud provisions, and the distinction between mere overvaluation and actionable fraud.


Holding

The court affirmed the lower court decision, holding that when a verdict liquidates damages on a plaintiff's out-of-pocket pecuniary losses, plaintiff is entitled to prejudgment interest at the statutory rate from the date of loss. The court further held that to trigger application of a concealment or fraud policy provision to void the policy, there must be proof of knowing or intentional fraudulent conduct, and mere overvaluation does not constitute such fraud absent additional misrepresentation.


Headnotes

[1] Damages are liquidated when the proper amount to be awarded can be determined with exactness from the cause of action as pleaded, from a pleaded agreement between parties…

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Facts & Procedural History

The opinion does not set forth specific facts, as it is a per curiam affirmance citing multiple precedential authorities. The case involves an insuran…

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Opinion of the Court

PER CURIAM.

Affirmed. See Argonaut Ins. Co. v. May Plumbing Co., 474 So. 2d 212, 215 (Fla. 1985) (“[W]hen a verdict liquidates damages on a plaintiff's out-of-pocket, pecuniary losses, plaintiff is entitled, as a matter of law, to prejudgment interest at the statutory rate from the date of that loss.”);

Bowman v. Kingsland Dev., Inc., 432 So. 2d 660, 662 (Fla. 5th DCA 1983) (“Damages are liquidated when the proper amount to be awarded can be determined with exactness from the cause of action as pleaded, i.e., from a pleaded agreement between the parties, by an arithmetical calculation or by application of definite rules of law.”); Anchor Prop. & Cas. Ins. Co. v. Trif, 322 So. 3d 663, 671 (Fla. 4th DCA 2021) (“[W]e hold that, for post-loss conduct, the policy requires proof of knowing or intentional fraudulent conduct by the insureds to trigger the application of the ‘Concealment or Fraud’ provision to void the policy.”); Citizens Prop. Ins. Co. v. Zamanillo, 388 So. 3d 912, 914 (Fla. 3d DCA 2024) (argument of counsel is not evidence); Trif, 322 So. 3d at 673 (“[C]ontractors or adjusters may significantly differ in their estimates, and [the court] cannot presume that one estimate, merely because it is excessively higher, is rife with fraud.” . . . “Mere overvaluation is not, in the absence of fraud, such a misrepresentation as will avoid the policy.” (internal citations omitted); RV-7 Prop., Inc. v. Stefani De La O, Inc., 187 So. 3d 915, 916-17 (“Amendments to pleadings ought to be allowed freely unless there is a clear danger of prejudice, abuse, or futility.” (Emphasis supplied).


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Citator

Cited By

  • …awarded can be determined with exactness from the cause of action as pleaded, i.e., from a pleaded agreement between the parties, by an arithmetical calculation or by application of definite rules of law.”); Anchor Prop. & Cas. Ins. Co. v. Trif, 322 So. 3d 663, 671 (Fla. 4th DCA 2021) (“[W]e hold that, for post-loss conduct, the policy requires proof of knowing or intentional fraudulent conduct by the insureds to trigger the application of the ‘Concealment or Fraud’ provision to void the policy.”); Cit…
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