The Florida Supreme Court has resolved a conflict between differing appeals court decisions, deciding that property insurers can be compelled to submit to the appraisal process long before causation, coverage and misrepresentation issues are settled in claims disputes.
“For the reasons explained below, we approve the Second District’s decision and disapprove the certified conflict cases to the extent they are inconsistent with this opinion,” the high court said Thursday.
The opinion in American Coastal Insurance Co. vs. San Marco Villas Condominium Association could be seen as a setback for insurance carriers that have relied on 2010 and 2014 appellate rulings to refuse appraisals in certain