Freedom Life Ins. Co. of America v. Wallant

891 So. 2d 1109, 2004 WL 2996898
CourtDistrict Court of Appeal of Florida
DecidedDecember 29, 2004
Docket4D03-866
StatusPublished
Cited by13 cases

This text of 891 So. 2d 1109 (Freedom Life Ins. Co. of America v. Wallant) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court of Appeal of Florida primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Freedom Life Ins. Co. of America v. Wallant, 891 So. 2d 1109, 2004 WL 2996898 (Fla. Ct. App. 2004).

Opinion

891 So.2d 1109 (2004)

FREEDOM LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY OF AMERICA, a Texas corporation, Appellant,
v.
Kim WALLANT and Louis Borek, on behalf of themselves and all other similarly situated, Appellees.

No. 4D03-866.

District Court of Appeal of Florida, Fourth District.

December 29, 2004.
Rehearing Denied February 17, 2005.

*1112 Elliot H. Scherker and Julissa Rodriguez of Greenberg Traurig, P.A., Miami, for appellant.

Philip M. Burlington of Philip M. Burlington, P.A., West Palm Beach, and Jeffrey M. Liggio of Liggio, Benrubi & Williams, P.A., West Palm Beach, for appellees.

PER CURIAM.

Freedom Life Insurance Company of America appeals a non-final order certifying a class of "All persons that have been issued a certificate in the State of Florida by Freedom Life, through the Consumer Independent Association (CIA), under policy form GPPO(A) from July 1, 1996" to February 3, 2003. Freedom Life contends on appeal that the trial court improperly considered the merits of the procedural unconscionability claim raised by the suit in certifying the class, improperly found that Kim Wallant and Louis Borek were adequate class representatives, and erred by certifying the class under Florida Rules of Civil Procedure 1.220(b)(2) and 1.220(b)(3). We agree with Freedom Life's contentions regarding Rule 1.220(b)(2) certification, but affirm in all other respects.

FACTUAL BACKGROUND

Wallant and Borek purchased GPPO(A) health insurance policies from Freedom Life under an out-of-state group health insurance program, administered by CIA, under Florida Statutes section 627.6515. Both later obtained coverage through other insurance plans due to their dissatisfaction *1113 with Freedom Life. In fact, the vast majority of GPPO(A) policyholders, all but 375 of 7,836, are no longer insured by Freedom Life.

Wallant, as a purported class representative, sued Freedom Life due to denied and delayed claims under her policy. Borek later joined the suit as a class representative. The class as defined by the representatives included: "All insured persons who were issued illegal certificates that did not comport with the clear requirements of Fla. Stat. § 627.6515(2) and whose certificates contained adhesion language pertaining to dispute resolution that was both procedurally and substantively unconscionable for five(5) years prior to the filing of the initial complaint." The representatives also alleged that Freedom Life improperly denies and delays claims in contravention of Florida law and the terms of the policies.

In the first count of the complaint, the representatives alleged breach of contract, based on Florida Statutes sections 627.6515 and 627.65625, resulting in monetary loss. This claim includes a request for damages, pre-judgment interest, and penalty interest under Florida Statute sections 627.6698 and 627.428. The second count was for declaratory judgment, seeking that Freedom Life be mandated to comply with Part VII of the Florida Insurance Code regarding claim payment due to noncompliance with section 627.6515(2), which includes a mandate to provide conversion rights as set forth by Florida Statutes section 627.6675, that the dispute resolution provision be rendered unenforceable, and that class members be compensated for violations of Part VII. This claim includes a request for damages, declaratory relief, pre-judgment interest, and penalty interest under sections 627.6698 and 627.428.

Freedom Life responded with a Motion to Abate Pending Alternative Dispute Resolution. Following a hearing on the motion, the trial court denied the motion. The trial court found that the dispute resolution provision on the contract was substantively unconscionable based on its Orlando venue provision, status as an adhesion contract, prohibition on class actions and punitive damages, provision for the selection of arbitrators employed by insurance carriers, and preclusion of any legal action in court. The trial court also indicated that an evidentiary hearing is typically required to determine procedural unconscionability, but that one would be unnecessary in the case at bar because Freedom Life waived its right to arbitration by undertaking extensive discovery.

The representatives then filed a Motion for Class Certification. Following a hearing on the motion, the trial court entered a written order granting the motion. The trial court found that Wallant and Borek established the prerequisites for class certification under Florida Rule of Civil Procedure 1.220(a). The trial court then considered the dispute resolution provision, reiterating that it had previously found the provision to be unconscionable (actually, only substantively so). In the certification order, the trial court wrote that the insureds had little bargaining power, the policy was a classic adhesion contract, and that procedural unconscionability is capable of determination on a class basis. Although the trial court indicated that ample evidence was presented to establish procedural unconscionability, it did not rule that the dispute resolution provision was unconscionable. Finally, the trial court certified the class under both Rules 1.220(b)(2) and 1.220(b)(3).

ANALYSIS

The standard of review applicable to an order certifying a class is abuse of discretion. Renaissance Cruises, Inc. v. *1114 Glassman, 738 So.2d 436, 438 (Fla. 4th DCA 1999).

It is the burden of the party seeking class certification to establish each prerequisite of Rule 1.220(a): numerosity, commonality, typicality, and adequacy of representation. Stone v. Compuserve Interactive Servs., Inc., 804 So.2d 383, 387 (Fla. 4th DCA 2001). In determining whether these prerequisites have been established, a "rigorous analysis" must be conducted. Id. Such an analysis entails the court "look[ing] beyond the pleadings and, without resolving disputed issues, determin[ing] how disputed issues might be addressed on a class-wide basis." Id. (citing Rutstein v. Avis Rent A Car Sys., Inc., 211 F.3d 1228, 1234 (11th Cir.2000)). It is to be determined whether "`the purported class representatives can prove their own individual cases and, by doing so, necessarily prove the cases for each one of the ... other members of the class.'" Bouchard Transp. Co. v. Updegraff, 807 So.2d 768, 771 (Fla. 2d DCA 2002) (citation omitted).

In addition to determining whether the prerequisites of Rule 1.220(a) have been established by the party seeking class certification, the court also must assess whether that party has carried its burden to establish that it its claims are maintainable under at least one basis for class certification under Rule 1.220(b). See Jackson v. Motel 6 Multipurpose, 130 F.3d 999, 1005 (11th Cir.1997); In re Fla. Microsoft Antitrust Litigation, 2002 WL 31423620, at *5 (Fla. 11th Cir.Ct.2002). In undertaking both analyses, the court may refer to federal case law based on analogous Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23. See Concerned Class Members v. Sailfish Point, Inc., 704 So.2d 200, 201 (Fla. 4th DCA 1998).

Procedural Unconscionability

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Bluebook (online)
891 So. 2d 1109, 2004 WL 2996898, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/freedom-life-ins-co-of-america-v-wallant-fladistctapp-2004.