Ramon International Insurance Brokers, Inc., Etc., and Iris Arden v. Chaucer Syndicates Limited, Etc., and Anova Marine Insurance Services, LLC
Court
District Court of Appeal of Florida
Decided
August 6, 2025
Jurisdiction
SA
Importance
41%
Practice Areas
Case Summary
Third District Court of Appeal State of Florida Opinion filed August 6, 2025. Not final until disposition of timely filed motion for rehearing. ________________ No. 3D24-0971 Lower Tribunal No. 21-7788-CA-01 ________________ Ramon International Insurance Brokers, Inc., etc., and Iris Arden, Appellants, vs. Chaucer Syndicates Limited, etc., and Anova Marine Insurance Services, LLC, Appellees. An Appeal from a non-final order from the Circuit Court for Miami-Dade County, Lisa S. Walsh, Judge. Fox Rothschild LLP, and Joseph A. DeMaria and Victor Sanabria, for appellants. Colodny Fass, and Maria Elena Abate and Fernando J. Valle (Sunrise), for appellees. Before FERNANDEZ, MILLER, and GOODEN, JJ. PER CURIAM. Appellants Ramon International Insurance Brokers, Inc. and Iris Arden appeal the trial court’s order on dueling motions to amend for punitive damages. The trial court denied Ramon International’s request, but granted Appellees Chaucer Syndicates Limited’s and Anova Marine Insurance Services, LLC’s request. We affirm the denial of Ramon International’s motion without further discussion. But we reverse the grant of Chaucer Syndicates’ and Anova Marine Insurance’s motion. In their complaint, Anova Marine Insurance and Chaucer Syndicates assert numerous causes of action sounding in both tort and contract. The trial court permitted punitive damages to be pled against Arden in Count V for fraud and against Ramon in Count VI for fraud in the inducement. Yet the Appellees seek the same damages as their contract claims—the difference in premiums collected and wrongly retained. For this reason, we reverse the order allowing amendment for punitive damages. See S. Bell Tel. & Tel. Co. v. Hanft, 436 So. 2d 40, 42 (Fla. 1983) (“In general, punitive damages may not be awarded in cases based upon breach of contract. In order for punitive damages to be recoverable in such a case, the breach of contract must be attended by some additional wrongful conduct amounting to an independent tort.”); Ghodrati v. Miami Paneling Corp., 770 So. 2d 181, 182–83 (Fla. 3d DCA 2000) (“Punitive damages are generally not 2 recoverable for a breach of contract unless it is accompanied by a separate and independent tort claim. Plaintiff argues that because her complaint pled tort claims of fraudulent inducement, deceit and negligent misrepresentation this case falls within the exception and she is entitled to punitive damages. A plaintiff, however, may not recover damages for fraud that duplicate damages awarded for breach of contract.”) (citations omitted); see also Peebles v. Puig, 223 So. 3d 1065, 1069 (Fla. 3d DCA 2017) (“Under such circumstances, Florida does not allow a party damaged by a breach of contract to recover the exact same contract damages via a fraud claim.”); Ginsberg v. Lennar Florida Holdings, Inc., 645 So. 2d 490, 494 (Fla. 3d DCA 1994) (“It is well established that breach of contractual terms may not form the basis for a claim in tort. Where damages sought in tort are the same as those for breach of contract a plaintiff may not circumvent the contractual relationship by bringing an action in tort.”). Reversed, in part; affirmed, in part. 3 Third District Court of Appeal State of Florida Opinion filed August 6, 2025. Not final until disposition of timely filed motion for rehearing. ________________ No. 3D24-0971 Lower Tribunal No. 21-7788-CA-01 ________________ Ramon International Insurance Brokers, Inc., etc., and Iris Arden, Appellants, vs. Chaucer Syndicates Limited, etc., Anova Marine Insurance Services, LLC, Appellees. An Appeal from a non-final order from the Circuit Court for Miami-Dade County, Lisa S. Walsh, Judge. Fox Rothschild LLP, and Joseph A. DeMaria and Victor Sanabria, for appellants. Colodny Fass, and Maria Elena Abate and Fernando J. Valle (Sunrise), for appellees. Before FERNANDEZ, MILLER, and GOODEN, JJ. PER CURIAM. Appellants Ramon International Insurance Brokers, Inc. and Iris Arden appeal the trial court’s order on dueling motions to amend for punitive damages. The trial court denied Ramon International’s request, but granted Appellees Chaucer Syndicates
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Date Decided
August 6, 2025
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Case Summary
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Case Overview
Case Name: Ramon International Insurance Brokers, Inc., Etc., and Iris Arden v. Chaucer Syndicates Limited, Etc., and Anova Marine Insurance Services, LLC
Court: District Court of Appeal of Florida
Date: August 6, 2025
Citation: Unknown
This case involves an appeal by Ramon International Insurance Brokers, Inc. and Iris Arden against Chaucer Syndicates Limited and Anova Marine Insurance Services, LLC regarding a trial court's order on motions to amend for punitive damages. The trial court's decision was split, denying one party's request while granting the other's.
Key Legal Issues
- Punitive Damages: The core issue revolves around the eligibility for punitive damages in cases involving both tort and contract claims.
- Fraud Claims: The appeal specifically addresses claims of fraud and fraudulent inducement made by the appellees against the appellants.
Court's Decision
The appellate court affirmed the trial court's denial of Ramon International's motion for punitive damages but reversed the grant of punitive damages to Chaucer Syndicates and Anova Marine Insurance.
Legal Reasoning
The court's decision was rooted in established Florida law regarding punitive damages. The court noted that punitive damages are generally not awarded in breach of contract cases unless accompanied by independent tortious conduct. The court referenced several precedents to support its ruling, emphasizing that:
- Punitive damages cannot be awarded for breaches of contract unless there is an additional wrongful act that constitutes an independent tort.
- The damages sought by the appellees were duplicative of those available under their contract claims, thus disallowing punitive damages.
Key Holdings
- Affirmed: The denial of Ramon International's motion for punitive damages.
- Reversed: The grant of punitive damages to Chaucer Syndicates and Anova Marine Insurance, as their claims did not meet the necessary legal standards.
Precedents and Citations
The court cited several key cases to substantiate its reasoning, including:
- Southern Bell Telephone & Telegraph Co. v. Hanft, 436 So. 2d 40 (Fla. 1983)
- Ghodrati v. Miami Paneling Corp., 770 So. 2d 181 (Fla. 3d DCA 2000)
- Peebles v. Puig, 223 So. 3d 1065 (Fla. 3d DCA 2017)
- Ginsberg v. Lennar Florida Holdings, Inc., 645 So. 2d 490 (Fla. 3d DCA 1994)
These cases collectively underscore the principle that punitive damages are not recoverable when the damages sought are the same as those for breach of contract.
Practical Implications
This ruling has significant implications for future cases involving insurance disputes and claims of fraud. Legal practitioners should note that:
- Claim Structuring: Plaintiffs must carefully structure their claims to avoid duplicative damages when pursuing both tort and contract claims.
- Punitive Damages Threshold: The threshold for awarding punitive damages remains high, requiring clear evidence of independent tortious conduct beyond mere breach of contract.
In summary, the Ramon International Insurance Brokers v. Chaucer Syndicates case reinforces the stringent requirements for punitive damages in Florida, particularly in the context of insurance and contractual disputes. Legal professionals should remain vigilant in distinguishing between tort and contract claims to ensure compliance with established legal standards.
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Case Details
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Status
Decided
Date Decided
August 6, 2025
Jurisdiction
SA
Court Type
district
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Additional information
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