Florida Court Sides With Homeowner After Denied Property Insurance Claim

Victories for homeowners in Florida are always encouraging. If you’re thinking about appealing a denied property insurance claim in Fort Lauderdale, you might be particularly interested in hearing about court victories for homeowners in the Sunshine State. A recent victory of this type provides insights into how Florida courts view property insurance claims in the modern era.

The Background of the Case

In December of 2025, Insurance Business Magazine reported that Citizens had lost a legal dispute over an assignment of benefits (AOB) in Florida. The case stems from property damage incurred by a homeowner in the amount of $3,000. The property owner then turned to an air quality assessment company and signed an assignment of benefits agreement with them for an engineering report and a repair plan.

The air quality company then turned to Citizens and submitted its invoice under the AOB. However, Citizens refused to pay the invoice. This caused the air quality company to sue citizens for breaching its agreement with the homeowner.

In attempting to have the case dismissed, Citizens argued that all AOBs must contain itemized estimates with per-unit costs. The invoice in question only listed the service as an engineering report with a quantity of “1.” After some back and forth, the court agreed to dismiss the case and agreed didn’t conform to formatting requirements.

The Successful Appeal

The Fifth District heard the case and concluded that the trial court erred. According to the appellate court, the invoice provided all the necessary details, including the single cost of an engineering report. The appellate court also noted that the trial court failed to follow a binding precedent that had occurred earlier with the exact same situation and the exact same company.

What This Precedent Means for AOBs in the Future

Under this precedent, insurers and trial courts can no longer deny claims due to minor issues with formatting requirements. One does not necessarily need to be extremely detailed when preparing AOBs, and a relatively basic description of the services or products should be more than enough.

Many companies in Florida deal with this issue fairly regularly. Although filing a lawsuit might not seem like the most productive business decision, it sometimes becomes necessary. Consider working with a property insurance lawyer if you need to take this type of action.

AOBs are important tools for both contractors and homeowners. With this system in place, homeowners can repair damage immediately and without waiting for needless delays. 

Contact Our Fort Lauderdale Property Insurance Lawyers Today

At Geyer Fuxa Tyler, our legal team is made up of a diverse combination of attorneys who are well-positioned to protect the legal rights and financial interests of policyholders. If your property insurance claim was denied, we can help. For a free consultation, please call us today at (954) 990-5251. With an office in Sunrise, we represent policyholders in Broward County and throughout the state of Florida.

Source:

 insurancebusinessmag.com/us/news/legal-insights/florida-court-reverses-citizens-dismissal-in-assignment-of-benefits-fight-560857.aspx