Palomar Ins. Corp. v. Guthrie

Robert M. Guthrie filed an action against Palomar Insurance Corporation and Brenda Reese, alleging negligent failure to provide insurance coverage on a vehicle of Mr. Guthrie's. The jury awarded Mr. Guthrie $40,000, and the trial court entered judgment on the verdict. Contending that Mr. Guthrie was required to prove Palomar's duty to obtain coverage by expert testimony and that Mr. Guthrie did not so prove that duty, Palomar and Ms. Reese made a motion for a judgment notwithstanding the verdict, which the trial court denied.

In 1985, Mr. Guthrie purchased a tractor-trailer, which he leased to…