Court Opinion

ID: 9468291
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 02:11:20.134596+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:40:48.495994
License: Public Domain

HATCHETT, Circuit Judge,
specially concurring:
While I concur in the majority’s determination that the trial court erred in admitting evidence of a previous fire, I cannot subscribe to the comments in footnote two suggesting that a negligent misrepresentation will vitiate a policy.
As I interpret Life Insurance Co. of Virginia v. Shifflet, 201 So.2d 715 (Fla.1967), as narrowed by National Standard Life Insurance Co. v. Permenter, 204 So.2d 206 (Fla.1967), only a material willful or reckless misrepresentation will vitiate an insurance policy. No support exists for the proposition that a negligent material misrepresentation will invalidate a policy. Thus, on remand the jury should be instructed that only a material willful or reckless misrepresentation will vitiate a policy under Florida law.