Court Says Judgments Not Needed to Confirm Appraisals

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - A Florida appellate court has ruled in a series of recent opinions that courts need not issue judgments confirming uncontested damage appraisals, and speculated that the judgments are being sought as an avenue for attorney fee awards.

In two recent cases, Florida's 4th District Court of Appeal affirmed without opinion trial court decisions declining to confirm appraisals of hurricane damage after insurance carriers had already paid the damage claim. In each ruling, the court referenced its Aug. 23 opinion in Federated National Insurance Co. v. Esposito (937 So. 2d 199 [Fla. 4th DCA 2006]) …