Oregon has been under a State of Emergency in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic since March 8, 2020. The Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services issued an order to all Insurers on March 25, 2020, which includes the following:
With respect to reporting of claims and other communications with insureds regarding claims, all insurers must:
- Extend all deadlines for insureds to report claims or submit other communications related to claims. This provision does not apply to the requirements of ORS 656.262 for workers’ compensation insurance.
- Insurers must take all practicable steps to provisurers may continue to bill insureds for the premium amoude opportunities for insureds to report claims or provide required communications related to claims via methods compatible with social distancing.
Insurers must immediately institute a grace period for premium payment for all policies of insurance issued in the state, ending no earlier than the date the Order is no longer in effect.
Insurers must take the following actions regarding cancellations and non-renewals:
- Suspend all cancellations and non-renewals for all active insurance policies in the state until this Order is no longer in effect.
- For insurance policies for which a notice of cancellation or non-renewal has been issued but which have not yet been cancelled or non-renewed, insurers must withdraw the issued notice and notify insureds that cancellation and non-renewal is suspended until the Order is no longer in effect. Following the expiration of the Order, insurers may resume cancellations and non-renewals.
- For policies extended beyond the normal date of cancellation or non-renewal as a result of the Order, the premium for the extended coverage may be determined by the insurer in accordance with the terms of the policy, if applicable. Insurers may continue to bill insureds for the premium amount, but may not cancel or non-renew coverage due to non-payment of the extended premium amount until the Order expires.
- An insurer may not cancel or non-renew a policy because of a claim directly resulting from the circumstances of the COVID-19 outbreak, except in cases of fraud or intentional misrepresentation of a material fact.
Agents, brokers and other licensees who accept premium payments on behalf of insurers should take steps to offer customers options to make prompt insurance payments within social distancing guidelines, such as online payments.
On August 28, 2020, Oregon Director of Consumer and Business Services, Andrew Stolfi, determined that the COVID-19 outbreak in Oregon, which resulted in a state of emergency, continues to substantially interfere with the public’s ability to carry on its normal course of business. The director, therefore, extends the duration of the Property and Casualty Insurance Order directing all insurers transacting property and casualty insurance in Oregon to extend deadlines for reporting claims, provide grace periods for premium payment, suspend cancellations and non-renewals, and provide other specified relief to Oregon insureds through September 29, 2020. The previous Property and Casualty Insurance Order was initially issued on May 22, 2020, and was extended first through July 31st and then through August 30th. For full details, please review the entire Oregon Order.