Florida Supreme Court Rules on Insurers’ Legal Fees

The Florida Supreme Court said insurers don’t have to pay customers’ legal costs when they’re sued and lose.

Plaintiffs’ lawyers said the Thursday decision will have a chilling effect because lawyers 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 lawyers’ fees under her policy but the company went bankrupt. The court said legal fees weren’t within her coverage.

Find this article here:  http://www.theledger.com/article/20120119/NEWS/120119220/1003/NEWS00?Title=Florida-Supreme-Court-Rules-on-Insurers-Legal-Fees-