Opinion ID: 1821713
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: insurance agent's standard of care.

Text: The trial court dismissed the negligence claims against Strehlow because Atwater had not proved an insurance agent's standard of care through expert testimony. The creamery argues that expert testimony was unnecessary. We agree with the trial court. Where the acts or omissions complained of are within the general knowledge and experience of lay persons, expert testimony is not necessary to establish a standard of care, even in cases of alleged medical malpractice. Hestbeck v. Hennepin County, 297 Minn. 419, 212 N.W.2d 361 (1973). On the other hand, the rule for doctors and attorneys generally is that both the standard of care and the departure from it must be shown through expert testimony, because for a jury to decide negligence otherwise would be purely speculative. Smith v. Knowles, 281 N.W.2d 653 (Minn.1979). We have not ruled on the establishment of a standard of care for insurance agents. The rule applies, however, that if it would be speculative for the factfinder to decide the issue of negligence without having the benefit of expert testimony on the standard of care, the expert testimony is necessary. Insurance agents are professionals in a field that few lay persons know well. However, it is not a field that is so highly technical that the public cannot understand at least the general nature of an agent's responsibilities. The allegation of negligence on the part of Strehlow arises out of his 17-year relationship with Atwater Creamery, his alleged failure to notify the creamery of a large gap in its insurance coverage, and his alleged failure to ascertain whether insurance was available to cover that gap. The question of what standard applies is whether an insurance agent, generally authorized to procure insurance for a business, has an ongoing affirmative duty to carefully check over the current coverage, to notify the business of gaps, and to search out insurance to fill those gaps. The cases cited by Atwater Creamery on the issue of the establishment of the standard of care involve cases where what the agent did or did not do had been specifically requested by the insured or was a failure to act consistently with a clearly shown pattern of past practice. [3] The standard of care issue in this case really goes beyond what the agent should do when clearly requested; it goes to the broader issue of affirmative duties where no request has been made. Because the issue centers around the professional judgment of the agent in the absence of requests for action, we hold that the trial court was correct. The standard of care in this case needed to be established by expert testimony. The trial court properly directed a verdict for Strehlow. Affirmed in part and reversed in part.