Most of the time the insurance company will be responsible for expert witness fees when the insurer has a duty to defend but not in Bain v. Unitrin Auto and Home Ins. Co. The N.C. Court of Appeals, held that where the insured hired the expert witness on his own before filing a counterclaim that gave rise to the insurer’s duty to defend the insurer was not responsible for the expert’s fees even if the expert testified regarding the counterclaims that the insurer was defending.