Casas v. Farmers Insurance Exchange

130 P.3d 1201, 35 Kan. App. 2d 223, 2005 Kan. App. LEXIS 1278
CourtCourt of Appeals of Kansas
DecidedOctober 28, 2005
DocketNo. 92,790
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 130 P.3d 1201 (Casas v. Farmers Insurance Exchange) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals of Kansas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Casas v. Farmers Insurance Exchange, 130 P.3d 1201, 35 Kan. App. 2d 223, 2005 Kan. App. LEXIS 1278 (kanctapp 2005).

Opinion

Green, J.:

The plaintiff, Manuel Fernando Casas, sued the defendant, Marty Robbins Insurance Agency, Inc., (Agency) for failure to procure a homeowner s insurance policy. A jury trial resulted in a verdict in favor of the Agency. Casas brought his action against the Agency based upon both a contract and a tort theory. The Agency moved for dismissal of Casas’ negligence claim on grounds that Casas neglected to produce expert testimony to establish that Robbins had breached his duty of care as an insurance agent. The trial court granted this motion. In addition, the Agency sought dismissal of Casas’ contract claim on grounds that Casas failed to establish an oral contract to procure insurance. The trial court denied this motion.

Casas appeals the trial court’s granting of the Agency’s motion to dismiss his negligence claim. The Agency cross-appeals the trial court’s denial of its motion to dismiss Casas’ oral contract claim. We conclude that the trial court properly dismissed Casas’ negligence claim. We further determine that the trial court erred in failing to grant the Agency’s motion to dismiss Casas’ oral contract claim. Accordingly, we affirm in part and reverse in part.

In August 2003, Casas sued insurance agent Marty Robbins and Farmers Insurance Exchange (Farmers) after his home was destroyed by a tornado and Farmers denied homeowner’s insurance coverage. Casas and Farmers later reached a settlement, and Far[225]*225mers was dismissed from the case with prejudice. Casas’ tort and contract actions against Robbins proceeded to a jury trial.

According to Casas’ testimony at trial, Casas telephoned Robbins, who was an independent agent with Farmers, in May 2002 and told him that he needed homeowner’s insurance coverage. At the time, Casas had both car insurance and renter’s insurance with Farmers. Casas had originally obtained car insurance in 1997 or 1998 with a different agent through Farmers. Nevertheless, Casas had been assigned to Robbins in early 1999 when Casas’ previous agent stopped working for Farmers.

When Casas called Robbins in May 2002, he reported that his van had been stolen and recovered and that there was some damage to it. Casas testified that he also told Robbins that he was purchasing a new home. Casas further testified that he gave Robbins the price of the home and the address and told him that he needed coverage for it. According to Casas, Robbins told him that “he was going to take care of it.” Casas indicated that Robbins’ statement made him believe that Robbins was going to get him the proper insurance coverage for tire house.

Casas admitted that he did not discuss with Robbins the date that he was moving; the construction of the house; the style of the house; the square footage; the number of bedrooms, bathrooms, or fireplaces; the amount financed; the financing arrangement; the loss-payee, if any, that should be listed on the policy; the policy period; the premium amount; or the deductible. Casas further admitted that he did not discuss with Robbins whether there was going to be coverage for contents, for additional living expenses, for debris removal, or for cleanup. Casas indicated that he did not sign an application for insurance coverage in May 2002 or ever receive anything in writing regarding a homeowner’s policy on the house in question.

During Robbins’ testimony, he indicated that it is necessary to know most of the above information before a homeowner’s policy is written. Robbins further indicated that he did not have the authority to issue a homeowner’s policy without this information. Moreover, Robbins indicated that it was not permissible for him [226]*226to promise or issue a homeowner s policy if the application has not been signed by the customer and the premium has not been paid.

Robbins’ version of the May 2002 telephone conversation differed significantly from that given by Casas. Although Robbins agreed that Casas called and reported the damage to his van, he denied that Casas said that he was buying a new home and that he needed homeowner’s insurance. According to Robbins, Casas was upset that his van had been stolen for the second time in 6 months and indicated that he wanted to move into a safer neighborhood. Nevertheless, Casas did not give him any specific information concerning his intention to move. Robbins indicated that Casas just made a general statement that he wanted to get into a better neighborhood but did not indicate that he was definitely moving. Robbins’ computerized notes, which were taken at the time of the May 2002 conversation, were consistent with Robbins’ testimony. These notes failed to indicate that Casas told Robbins that he was buying a home, that he wanted Robbins to procure homeowner’s insurance, or that Robbins offered to issue homeowner’s insurance.

On May 13, 2002, several days after Casas’ phone conversation with Robbins, Casas purchased the house located at 2401 North 102nd Street in Kansas City, Kansas, through a contract for deed. The purchase price of the house was $135,000. Reid Roberts was the owner and builder of the house. Casas agreed to make monthly payments to Roberts and to refinance the home within 24 months so that the remaining balance could be paid in full. Casas moved into tire house on May 14, 2002.

According to Robbins, his computerized notes reflect that he again spoke with Casas in August 2002. Robbins also had handwritten notes from this phone conversation. At that time, Casas added an auto policy with Robbins’ agency and also added his wife to the coverage. In addition, Casas notified Robbins that his address had changed to 2401 North 102nd Street. Robbins indicated that this was the first time that Casas had notified him about the change of address. Robbins further indicated that it was the Agency’s standard practice to ask if there were any other changes that the insured would like to make to the policy other than tire address change and that Casas responded that there were not.

[227]*227Casas’ home was destroyed by a tornado on May 4, 2003. The next day, Casas called the Agency to report the loss. According to Casas, he spoke with someone other than Robbins and was told that Robbins would call him back. When Robbins called back later that day, Casas was standing on the concrete foundation of his destroyed home and received the call on his cellular phone. Casas testified that Roberts, who owned the house next door and had been talking with Casas about the damage, was next to him when Robbins called. Casas put the call on speakerphone. According to Casas, Robbins told him that there was a problem with the insurance. Robbins advised Casas that he only had renter’s insurance and not homeowner’s insurance. Casas testified that Robbins admitted that he remembered Casas calling him the prior year and telling him that Casas was buying a new house. Nevertheless, Robbins indicated that he never made the change on Casas’ policy. Robbins told Casas that he was going to call Farmers’ main office and see what he could do to take care of it.

Roberts corroborated Casas’ testimony regarding the May 2003 telephone conversation. Roberts indicated drat he was beside Casas when Robbins called, that Casas put the call on speakerphone, and that he was able to hear the entire conversation. According to Roberts, Robbins said that he remembered Casas previously calling and saying that he was buying a new home. Nevertheless, Robbins said that he never got Casas’ policy changed from renter’s insurance. Robbins indicated that he was going to call the home office and see what needed to be done.

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Bluebook (online)
130 P.3d 1201, 35 Kan. App. 2d 223, 2005 Kan. App. LEXIS 1278, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/casas-v-farmers-insurance-exchange-kanctapp-2005.