Fla. Appeals Court Reverses $120,000 Attorneys’ Fees Award in Hurricane Coverage Dispute

MIAMI — A Florida appeals court has reversed an award of $120,000 in attorneys’ fees to policyholders in a Hurricane Wilma insurance coverage case, agreeing with the insurer that 200 hours billed for the “unremarkable property damage” case was excessive.

In a Sept. 16 opinion, the Florida Court of Appeal, 3rd District, further held that a multiplier was not warranted, finding the policyholders “did not present evidence of substantial difficulty in obtaining competent counsel in this market.”

A home owned by Jose and Martha Alvarez sustained property damage in 2005 during Hurricane Wilma. Their homeowners’ insurer, State Farm Florida Insurance …