UNITED SERVICES AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION, PETITIONER,
v.
STACIE L. GRANT AND BRIAN GRANT, HER HUSBAND, RESPONDENTS
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USAA sought a writ of certiorari to review a trial court order denying its motion to abate bad faith insurance claims pending resolution of underlying breach of contract and uninsured motorist coverage claims. The appellate court denied the petition, holding that joinder of bad faith claims with claims for insurance benefits is permitted under Florida law.
The trial court did not depart from the essential requirements of law by denying USAA's motion to abate. Joinder of bad faith claims with claims for insurance benefits is provided for in Florida Statutes, and bad faith claims need not be abated pending resolution of underlying coverage claims.
[1] A petition for writ of certiorari is denied when the petitioner fails to meet the standard for review enunciated in Combs v. …
[2] A motion to abate a bad faith insurance claim pending the resolution of underlying breach of contract and tort claims may be denied.
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligence“the joinder of bad faith claims with claims for uninsured motorist coverage appear to be provided for in Chapter 624, Florida Statutes”
Establishes the legal basis for allowing concurrent prosecution of bad faith and coverage claims under Florida law
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceThe Grants filed a second amended complaint against USAA containing three counts: (1) failure to pay uninsured motorist benefits, (2) intentional infl…
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PER CURIAM.
United Services Automobile Association (USAA) seeks a writ of certiorari to review the order of the trial court which denied its motion to abate. The petition for writ of certiorari is denied as USAA has failed to meet the standard for review enunciated in Combs v. State, 436 So. 2d 93 (Fla.1983).
The Grants, plaintiffs below and respondents here, filed their second amended complaint against USAA seeking insurance benefits. Count I sought damages for failure to pay uninsured motorist benefits and Count II alleged intentional infliction of emotional distress. In Count III, the Grants claimed damages alleging “unfair claims settlement practices” in violation of Sections 624.155(l)(b)(l) and 626.-9541(l)(i)(3)(c), Florida Statutes. In the trial court, USAA filed a motion to abate, requesting the trial court to enter an order prohibiting the Grants from proceeding with their bad faith claim until the conclusion of the breach of contract and tort claims. USAA argued that it would be prejudicial to allow the Grants to proceed on the bad faith claim at the same time they presented their contract and tort claims.
The trial court denied the motion to abate and USAA filed its petition for writ of certiorari.
USAA argues that the order denying abatement is a departure from the essential requirements of law and that an appeal following judgment would be inadequate. USAA cites in support of its argument the case of Colonial Penn Ins. Co. v. Mayor, 538 So. 2d 100 (Fla. 3d DCA 1989).
We note the District Court of Appeal, Third District, has recently receded from its holding in Mayor, finding that the reasoning for the decision is no longer viable in light of the holding of the supreme court in Kujawa v. Manhattan Nat'l Life Ins. Co., 541 So. 2d 1168 (Fla.1989).
See Royal Ins. Co. of America v. Zayas Men’s Shop, Inc., 551 So. 2d 553 (Fla. 3d DCA 1989).
As the reasoning in Mayor no longer states the law, we adopt the position set forth in State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co. v. Kelly, 533 So. 2d 787 (Fla. 4th DCA 1988).
In State Farm, petitioner sought a writ of certiorari to review an order of the trial court which denied abatement of bad faith claims pending resolution of the underlying claim for benefits. The Fourth District Court determined that the joinder of bad faith claims with claims for uninsured motorist coverage appear to be provided for in Chapter 624, Florida Statutes, and denied the petition for writ of certiorari. Here USAA argues that unauthorized discovery may be requested, but petitioner does not allege that any such requests are pending.
In light of State Farm, Kujawa and Zayas Men’s Shop, USAA has failed to show that the trial court has departed from the essential requirements of law. The petition for writ of certiorari is DENIED.
SHIVERS, C.J., and ERVIN and NIMMONS, JJ., concur.
Cases With Similar Vibessemantic neighbors from the corpus
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Rubio v. State Farm Fire & Cas. Co. & Michele Vincent-Belizaire, 662 So. 2d 956 (Fla. 3d DCA 1995)…la.1989). That being so, it is plain that the underpinnings for the Mayor, Lovell, and Lugassy decisions are no longer viable, and that such decisions no longer state the law. Id. at 554 (emphasis added). See also United Serv. Auto. Asso. v. Grant, 555 So. 2d 892, 893 (Fla. 1st DCA 1990) (“As the reasoning in Mayor no longer states the law, we adopt the position set forth in State Farm Mut. Auto Ins. Co. v. Kelly, 533 So. 2d 787 (Fla. 4th DCA 1988).”) (uninsured motorist case). [*959] In State Farm Mut. Auto…
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Blanchard v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co., 903 F.2d 1398 (11th Cir. 1990)…613 F. 2d 1385, 1388 (5th Cir.) (per curiam), cert. denied, 449 U.S. 836, 101 S.Ct. 109, 66 L.Ed.2d 42 (1980). We note, however, a division in the reasoning among the Florida district courts of appeal. See, e.g., United Servs. Auto. Ass’n v. Grant, 555 So. 2d 892 (Fla. 1st DCA 1990) (per curiam) (denying abatement of bad faith claim until conclusion of contract and tort claims, relying on Kujawa v. Manhattan Nat’l Life Ins. Co., 541 So. 2d 1168 (Fla.1989) (per curiam), Royal Ins. Co. of America v. Zayas Men’…
Authorities Cited
- Combs v. State, 436 So. 2d 93 (Fla. 1983)
- Penelope R. Kujawa v. Manhattan Nat'l Life Ins. Co., 541 So. 2d 1168 (Fla. 1989)
- State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co. v. Kelly, 533 So. 2d 787 (Fla. 4th DCA 1988)
- Colonial Penn Ins. Co. v. Roslyn Mayor, 538 So. 2d 100 (Fla. 3d DCA 1989)
- Royal Ins. Co. OF Am. v. Zayas Men's Shop, Inc., 551 So. 2d 553 (Fla. 3d DCA 1989)