Case Name: John Reed BAKER, Appellant, v. PROGRESSIVE EXPRESS INSURANCE COMPANY, Appellee
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 2001-07-05
Citations: 788 So. 2d 401
Docket Number: No. 3D00-3284
Parties: John Reed BAKER, Appellant, v. PROGRESSIVE EXPRESS INSURANCE COMPANY, Appellee.
Judges: Before GERSTEN and SHEVIN, JJ., and NESBITT, Senior Judge.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 788
Pages: 401–402

Head Matter:
John Reed BAKER, Appellant, v. PROGRESSIVE EXPRESS INSURANCE COMPANY, Appellee.
No. 3D00-3284.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Third District.
July 5, 2001.
Bill Hoppe and Eric M. Ellsley, Miami, for appellant.
Conroy, Simberg, Ganon, Krevans & Abel and Hinda Klein, Hollywood, for ap-pellee.
Before GERSTEN and SHEVIN, JJ., and NESBITT, Senior Judge.

Opinion:
PER CURIAM.
Affirmed. See State Farm Fire & Cas. Co. v. Zebrowski 706 So.2d 275, 277 (Fla.1997)(third party is authorized to "file a bad-faith claim directly against the liability insurer without an assignment by the insured upon obtaining a judgment in excess of the policy limits"); Cunningham, v. Standard Guar. Ins. Co., 630 So.2d 179 (Fla.1994)(excess judgment unnecessary when insurer and injured third party agreed to try bad-faith action before underlying negligence claim; if no bad faith found claim would be settled for policy limit, and insured would not be exposed to excess judgment).