“Special Relationship” Between Insured and Broker Allowed Insured to Rely on Broker’s Duty to Advise

The Second Department affirmed the motion court in finding that a question of fact had been raised about whether there was a “special relationship” between the insured and the insurance broker such that the insured could rely on the broker’s expertise and duty to advise:

“While it is certainly better practice for an insured to read its policy, an insured should have the right to look to the expertise of its broker with respect to insurance matters’… . Additionally, where the insured relied on the expertise of the agent, or there was a course of dealing over an extended period of time which would have put objectively reasonable insurance agents on notice that their advice was being sought and specially relied on, the agent could be found to have a duty to advise because of a special relationship with the insured … .  South Bay Cardiovascular Assoc, PC v SCS Agency, Inc, 2013 Slip Op 02564, 2012-01964, 2012-05203, Index No 37328/07, 2nd Dept 4-17-13