Case Name: Julia Hong TRAN, Appellant, v. STATE FARM FIRE AND CASUALTY COMPANY, Appellee
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 2003-10-28
Citations: 860 So. 2d 1000
Docket Number: No. 1D02-3678
Parties: Julia Hong TRAN, Appellant, v. STATE FARM FIRE AND CASUALTY COMPANY, Appellee.
Judges: BARFIELD, BENTON, and VAN NORTWICK, JJ., concur.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 860
Pages: 1000–1001

Head Matter:
Julia Hong TRAN, Appellant, v. STATE FARM FIRE AND CASUALTY COMPANY, Appellee.
No. 1D02-3678.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, First District.
Oct. 28, 2003.
Rehearing Denied Dec. 11, 2003.
David Lee Sellers, Pensacola, for Appellant.
Charles F. Beall, Jr., of Moore, Hill & Westmoreland, P.A., Pensacola, for Appel-lee.

Opinion:
PER CURIAM.
Section 768.79, Florida Statutes, applies to cases brought pursuant to section 627.736, Florida Statutes, and to cases pending in small claims court. Nichols v. State Farm Mutual, 851 So.2d 742 (Fla. 5th DCA 2003); U.S. Security Insurance Co. v. Cahuasqui, 760 So.2d 1101 (Fla. 3d DCA 2000), review dismissed, 796 So.2d 532 (Fla.2001). We accordingly answer the certified questions in the affirmative. We certify to the Florida Supreme Court, however, the following question as one of great public importance: May an insurer recover attorney's fees under rule 1.442, Florida Rules of Civil Procedure, and section 768.79, Florida Statutes, in an action by its insured to recover under a personal injury protection policy?
AFFIRMED.
BARFIELD, BENTON, and VAN NORTWICK, JJ., concur.