Gables Ins. Recovery v. State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co.

Full title: Gables Insurance Recovery, Inc., a/a/o Alberto Galvez, Appellant, v. State…

Court: Florida Court of Appeals, Third District

Date published: May 4, 2022

No. 3D21-0009 (Fla. Dist. Ct. App. May. 4, 2022)

Opinion

3D21-0009

05-04-2022

Gables Insurance Recovery, Inc., a/a/o Alberto Galvez, Appellant, v. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, Appellee.

The Billbrough Firm, and G. Bart Billbrough, for appellant. deBeaubien, Simmons, Knight, Mantzaris & Neal, LLP, and Kenneth P. Hazouri (Orlando), for appellee.

PER CURIAM

Not final until disposition of timely filed motion for rehearing.

An Appeal from the County Court for Miami-Dade County, Linda Singer Stein, Judge. Lower Tribunal Nos. 17-417 AP, 12-20035 SP

The Billbrough Firm, and G. Bart Billbrough, for appellant.

deBeaubien, Simmons, Knight, Mantzaris & Neal, LLP, and Kenneth P. Hazouri (Orlando), for appellee.

Before FERNANDEZ, C.J., and SCALES and GORDO, JJ.

PER CURIAM

Affirmed. See § 627.736(10)(a), Fla. Stat. ("As a condition precedent to filing any action for benefits under this section, written notice of an intent to initiate litigation must be provided to the insurer. Such notice may not be sent until the claim is overdue . . .") (emphasis added); MRI Assoc. of Am., LLC v. State Farm Fire & Cas. Co., 61 So.3d 462, 465 (Fla. 4th DCA 2011) ("[W]e agree with the [lower] court that the pre-suit demand letter was sent prematurely because payment was not overdue . . . . The statutory requirements surrounding a demand letter are significant, substantive preconditions to bringing a cause of action for PIP benefits.").