Peter v. Schumacher Enterprises, Inc.

22 P.3d 481, 2001 Alas. LEXIS 60, 2001 WL 503390
CourtAlaska Supreme Court
DecidedMay 11, 2001
DocketS-9177, S-9303
StatusPublished
Cited by18 cases

This text of 22 P.3d 481 (Peter v. Schumacher Enterprises, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Alaska Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Peter v. Schumacher Enterprises, Inc., 22 P.3d 481, 2001 Alas. LEXIS 60, 2001 WL 503390 (Ala. 2001).

Opinion

OPINION

MATTHEWS, Chief Justice.

Two major legal questions are presented in this case. The first is whether insurance agents have a common-law duty to advise customers about their insurance coverage. We conclude that insurance agents do have a *483 common-law duty to advise if a "special relationship" exists between the agent and the insured. The second question is whether customers may sue insurers who violate AS 21,89.020(c), which requires insurance companies to offer limits up to $1,000,000 for un-derinsured motorist coverage. We conclude that such a suit may be maintained, because factors used to decide whether private remedies are implied by a statute favor implication. Because the insurance agent and insurance company were granted summary judgment on the claims against them, and because genuine issues of material fact are presented as to whether a special relationship existed between the insurance agent and the insured, and whether the insurance company offered the statutory limits of underin-sured motorist insurance, resolution of these questions requires remand of the case.

FACTS AND PROCEEDINGS

On March 27, 1995, Donita Peter dropped off her eight-year-old son Samuel on the street opposite from his school bus stop. As he crossed the street he was struck by a car driven by Cynthia Pack. Samuel was brain-damaged in the accident.

Pack had liability coverage, but her policy limits were much less than Samuel's expected damages. Samuel's parents, Donita and Samuel, Sr. (Peter), also were insured. They were covered by a policy issued by respondent Progressive Northwestern Insurance Company with limits of $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident (Xoo) for uninsured and underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage.

The facts surrounding the acquisition of the Progressive policy by the Peters are important to a number of the issues in this case. The policy was purchased by Donita Peter in August of 1994 from Last Frontier Insurance Cache, an agency with which the Peters had done business for ten years. What was done and said during the transaction in which this policy was purchased is disputed. Donita Peter claims that she initially telephoned asking for "full coverage," and that in the office she was not told that she could purchase UM/UIM coverage with limits higher than 50/100. Peter describes the transaction as follows in his brief:

At the time this policy was purchased, Last Frontier did not discuss what specific insurance needs Donita Peter may require. Last Frontier did not inquire into whether the minimum insurance required by law would be adequate to protect her and her family. Last Frontier did not consider financial status, family needs, value of assets, and the importance of underinsured motorists coverage when the policy was sold. In essence, the policy was sold without determining whether it adequately protected the Peters, or not.

By contrast, Karen Boone, the Last Frontier employee with whom Donita Peter dealt, asserts that various policy limits were discussed and that she gave Donita a "policy pack" which contained a copy. of the policy and a description of the levels of available UM/UIM coverage. The record is undisputed that Donita signed a form which states as follows:

I understand that I am entitled to purchase Uninsured/Underinsured Motorists Coverage. I may choose to reject UM/ UIM BI/PD or UM/UIM PD. I specifically and unequivocally select the following option of Uninsured/Underinsured Motorists Protection:
I selected UM/UIM/BI limits of: 50/100
I selected UM/UIM/PD limits of: 25

Although the form refers to "the following option," implying that there are other options, no other options are listed on the form. Donita Peter claims that if she had known that she could have purchased higher limit coverage she would have done so.

Peter sued Progressive and Last Frontier. Peter alleged that Progressive had a duty to offer higher limit UM/UIM coverage and that Last Frontier had a duty to recommend that they purchase higher limit coverage and that both defendants breached their respective duties.

Both defendants answered, and after much discovery Last Frontier moved for summary judgment. Last Frontier contended (1) that it had no duty to recommend higher coverage to the Peters, (2) alternatively, that it did not breach this duty, and (8) alternatively, that *484 any breach it may have committed caused the Peters no loss.

Peter opposed the motion and filed a cross-motion for summary judgment. He argued that Last Frontier violated AS 21.89.020(c) by failing to offer the Peters optional higher limit coverage and violated AS 21.89.020(e) by failing to obtain a waiver in writing of optional higher limit coverage: "Last Frontier did not give Donita written notice of the availability of her option to purchase additional lability and underin-sured motorist coverage limits as required by AS 21.29.020(c), nor did Donita sign a waiver of the additional coverages as required by subsection (e)." Peter also contended that Last Frontier had a nonstatutory duty to recommend that the Peters purchase higher limits.

The superior court granted Last Frontier's motion, ruling that (1) Last Frontier had no nonstatutory duty to recommend higher limits, (2) no private cause of action may be maintained for violations of AS 21.89.020(c) and (e), and (8) "insurance agents are not independently liable for violations of Title 21...." The court entered a certificate pursuant to Civil Rule 54(b), and the summary judgment in favor of Last Frontier became final and appealable. Peter appealed.

Meanwhile, Peter and Progressive filed eross-motions for summary judgment in the superior court concerning Progressive's liability for violating AS 21.89.020(c) and (e). The court denied Peter's motion and granted Progressive's, ruling again that (1) no private cause of action is available for violating these sections, and (2) these sections require "only a written waiver of UM/UIM bodily injury and property damage coverages," not "that the various optional limits be rejected in writing." We granted Peter's petition for review from this order and consolidated the two proceedings in this court.

STATUTORY SECTIONS

Alaska Statute 21.89.020(c) requires insurance companies to offer in automobile liability policies UM/UIM coverage with minimum limits of $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident. In addition, subsection (c)(2) requires that optional higher limits be offered up to $1,000,000/$2,000,000. Subsection (d) requires insurance companies to offer minimum limits of $25,000 for UM/UIM property damage coverage. Subsection (e) provides that "[the coverage required under (c) and (d) ... may be waived in writing by the insured in whole or in part." These subsections are set forth in the margin. 1

*485 SUMMARY OF ISSUES AND OUR DECISIONS CONCERNING THEM

The briefs in these cases present numerous issues. We summarize them here, along with our decision concerning each issue.

1.

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Bluebook (online)
22 P.3d 481, 2001 Alas. LEXIS 60, 2001 WL 503390, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/peter-v-schumacher-enterprises-inc-alaska-2001.