Dania Leal v Universal Property & Casualty Insurance Company

On July 11, 2024, the Florida jury returned the verdict in favor of the Plaintiff and awarded her $28,000 in a breach of contract lawsuit. The cause of action arose when the Defendant Insurance Company denied reimbursement of a covered loss under the valid insurance policy.

Case Background

On April 26, 2022, Dania Leal filed the instant breach of contract lawsuit before the Florida State, Miami-Dade County, Eleventh Circuit Court. Judge Barbara Areces presided over this case. [Case number: 2022-007692-CA-01]

Cause

Dania Leal, residing in Miami-Dade County, Florida, and of legal age, brought forth a lawsuit against Universal Property Casualty Insurance Company, a Florida corporation authorized to operate in the state, conducting business in Miami-Dade County, Florida. During the relevant period, Universal Property Casualty Insurance Company issued an insurance policy to Dania Leal upon receipt of a premium payment. Dania Leal purchased and paid for a homeowner’s insurance policy, Policy Number 1501-1806-0918 (the “Policy”), covering her property located at 16609 NW 71st Avenue, Miami Lakes, Florida 33014 (the “Property”). Under the terms of the Policy, Universal Property Casualty Insurance Company agreed to insure Dania Leal against property losses. On or around May 9, 2020, while the Policy was in effect, the Property suffered a covered water loss (the “Loss”). Dania Leal reported the Loss to Universal Property Casualty Insurance Company, which assigned claim number FL21-0109600 to it. However, Universal Property Casualty Insurance Company later denied coverage for this covered loss. Despite demands, Universal Property Casualty Insurance Company refused to acknowledge coverage or compensate Dania Leal for the full value of her damages, as required by the Policy and Florida law. As a result of Universal Property Casualty Insurance Company's breach of the Policy, Dania Leal suffered damages.

Damages

Dania Le