Vazquez v. S. Fid. Prop. & Cas., Inc., 230 So. 3d 1242 (Fla. 3d DCA 2017). · Go Syfert
Vazquez v. S. Fid. Prop. & Cas., Inc., 230 So. 3d 1242 (Fla. 3d DCA 2017). Cases Citing This Book View Copy Cite
3 citation events across 2 distinct courts.
Strongest positive: Island Roofing and Restoration LLC, a/a/o Enclave at Naples Condominium Association, Inc. v. Empire Indemnity Insurance Company (flmd, 2026-01-16)
Top citers, strongest first. 2 distinct citers. How cited ↗
cited Cited as authority (rule) Island Roofing and Restoration LLC, a/a/o Enclave at Naples Condominium Association, Inc. v. Empire Indemnity Insurance Company
M.D. Fla. · 2026 · confidence medium
Prop. & Cas., Inc., 230 So. 3d 1242, 1243 (Fla. Dist.
discussed Cited as authority (rule) BRANDON GOLDBERG v. UNIVERSAL PROPERTY AND CASUALTY INSURANCE COMPANY
Fla. Dist. Ct. App. · 2020 · confidence medium
Subsection (3)(a), which applies to replacement-cost homeowner’s policies, states that “[f]or a dwelling, the insurer must initially pay at least the actual cash value of the insured loss, less any applicable deductible.” In applying this statute, we agree with the approach taken by the Third District, which that court summarized in Vazquez v. Southern Fidelity Property & Casualty, Inc., 230 So. 3d 1242, 1243 (Fla. 3d DCA 2017): Section 627.7011(3) requires payment of actual cash value—not merely the insurance company’s estimate of actual cash value.
Retrieving the full opinion text from the archive…
Servando VAZQUEZ and Silvia Vazquez, Appellants,
v.
SOUTHERN FIDELITY PROPERTY & CASUALTY, INC., Appellee
16-0915.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Third District.
Oct 11, 2017.
230 So. 3d 1242
Mintz Truppman, P.A., and Timothy H. Crutchfield, for appellants., Font & Nelson, LLC, and Jose P. Font and Frantz C. Nelson (Fort Lauderdale), for appellee., Ver Ploeg & Lumpkin, P.A., and Stephen A. Marino, Jr., Benjamin C. Hasse-brock, and Andrew M. Shapiro, for United Policyholders, as amicus curiae.
Logue, Scales, Lindsey.
Cited by 2 opinions  |  Published
LOGUE, J.

Servando and Silvia Vazquez are homeowners who brought actions for breach of contract and declaratory relief against their insurance company, Southern Fidelity Property & Casualty, Inc. The trial court entered a final summary judgment against the homeowners and in favor of the insurance company. We reverse under the authority of Siegel v. Tower Hill Signature Insurance Co., No. 3D16-1861, 225 So.3d 974, 2017 WL 3722502, 2017 Fla. App. LEXIS 12424 (Fla. 3d DCA Aug. 30, 2017), Francis v. Tower Hill Prime Insurance Co., 224 So.3d 259 (Fla. 3d DCA 2017), and Milhomme v. Tower Hill Signature Insurance Co., No. 3D16-2089, 227 So.3d 724, 725, 2017 WL 4158850 at *1, 2017 Fla. App. LEXIS 13322 at *3 (Fla. 3d DCA Sept. 20, 2017). In doing so, we note the trial court did not have the benefit of these decisions when it entered the final judgment at issue.

Based on the 2011 amendments to section 627.7011(3), Florida Statutes, if the homeowner files a claim under a replacement value policy, the insurance company is required to initially pay the actual cash value and is required to pay additional amounts up to replacement value only as work is performed and repair expenses incurred. Ch. 2011-39 § 19, Laws of Fla.

Here, the insurance company estimated the actual cash value of the losses to be $773.37. Meanwhile, the homeowners’ public adjustor estimated the actual cash value of the losses to be over $30,000. The insurance company paid the homeowners $773.37 and sent a letter indicating that no further payments would be made unless and until repairs were made in excess of the amount paid. At that point, the homeowners sued. The insurance company moved for summary judgment arguing it had performed its responsibilities under the policy and the statute by paying its estimate of actual cash value. In opposition, the homeowners filed the affidavit and estimate of their public adjustor. The trial court agreed with the insurance company and entered final judgment against the homeowners. This was error.

Section 627.7011(3) requires payment of actual cash value—not merely the insurance company’s estimate of actual cash value. Where, as here, there is a genuine issue of material fact as to the amount of actual cash value, the insurance company has sent the homeowners a letter indicating it does not intend to make any additional payments unless and until repairs are made, and the homeowners have brought an action challenging whether the insurance company paid actual cash value as required by the policy and statute, summary judgment may not be granted in favor of the insurance company. See Siegel, No. 3D16-1861, 225 So.3d 974, 2017 WL 3722502, 2017 Fla. App. LEXIS 12424; Francis, 224 So.3d 259 (Fla. 3d DCA 2017); Milhomme, No. 3D16-2089, 227 So.3d at 725, 2017 WL 4158850 at *1, 2017 Fla. App. LEXIS 13322 at *3.

Reversed.