Florida Jury Awards $87K in Home Insurance Dispute

Table of Contents
Case Background
Denise Siceron and Joreste Joseph owned a single-family home at 1490 NE 136th Street in North Miami, Florida. They insured the property under a homeowners policy issued by Homeowners Choice Property & Casualty Insurance Company, Inc., effective from June 16, 2019, to June 16, 2020.
The policy offered “all risk” coverage for the dwelling and other structures, which meant it covered direct physical loss from any cause not specifically excluded. It also covered certain personal property and loss-of-use expenses if a covered event made the home uninhabitable.
On February 10, 2020, the couple claimed they suffered a sudden plumbing leak inside their home. They reported that the leak caused significant interior damage, affecting floors, walls, and other finishes. They believed the loss fell squarely under the covered perils listed in their policy.
The insurer investigated and assigned claim number 901909. However, after reviewing the claim, Homeowners Choice denied coverage. The denial letter stated that the damage was excluded under the policy. The company argued that the cause of loss fell under categories such as faulty workmanship, wear and tear, corrosion, or inherent defects, none of which were covered.
The homeowners disputed the denial and filed a lawsuit seeking a court declaration that the loss was covered under their policy.
Cause
The Plaintiffs alleged that a sudden plumbing leak had occurred on February 10, 2020, while their policy was active. They claimed the leak caused immediat
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