Latest Oregon Headlines

All the headlines from our Oregon Topic Page, ordered by recency.

Miller named Oregon Insurance Division Administrator

Jul 10 2009 // Teresa Miller has been appointed administrator of Oregon’s Department of Consumer and Business Services Insurance Division. Miller joined the Insurance Division in July 2008 and has been serving as acting...

Oregon Weighs In On Insurance Legislation

Jul 6 2009 // The Oregon Legislature adjourned the 2009 legislative session ended with a mixed bag of results on insurance issues, according to the American Insurance Association (AIA).“A number of costly and unnecessary bills...

Oregon Requires Life Jackets While River Rafting

Jul 6 2009 // Going river rafting in Oregon? Bring a life jacket. It’s now the law. To reduce drowning risks, Oregon authorities are reminding people that life jackets are required aboard river rafts, just as the safety device is...

Liberty Northwest Distributes Dividend for Oregon Restaurant Program

Jun 30 2009 // The Liberty Northwest Board of Directors recently declared the ninth consecutive dividend earned for restaurants participating in the Oregon Restaurant Association (ORA) Safety Group Dividend Property & Liability...

Oregon Workers’ Comp Payments Up 3.4%

Jun 15 2009 // Oregon’s Department of Consumer and Business Services has published a report examining trends in medical costs during 2000-2007. According to the report, for the period studied, total workers’ compensation...

Liberty Northwest Drops Workers’ Comp Direct Sales for Independent Agents

Jun 10 2009 // Liberty Mutual Group’s Agency Markets business unit announced that one of its member companies, Liberty Northwest, has sold the renewal rights for most of its direct-sold workers’ compensation policies written...

Oregon Tracks Workers’ Comp Payment Trends

Jun 5 2009 // Oregon’s Department of Consumer and Business Services has published a report examining trends in medical costs during 2000-2007.According to the report, for the period studied, total workers’ compensation costs...

Oregon Warns Insurance Industry About Arbitration Clauses

Jun 1 2009 // The Oregon Insurance Division is warning the insurance industry to be careful about arbitration clauses.According to a recently posted bulletin, “It has recently come to [OID’s] attention that policy forms,...

Oregon Senate Votes to Toughen Anti-Bullying Policy

May 29 2009 // A bill intended to reduce the amount of bullying in Oregon schools is headed to Gov. Ted Kulongoski for his signature. The Oregon Senate followed the House’s lead in approving a bill that requires school districts to...

Oregon Senate Extends Period of Product Liability

May 28 2009 // The Oregon Senate has approved a bill that would give Oregonians harmed by defective products more time to take legal action.Currently, Oregon residents must sue within eight years of when the product was originally...

Oregon Medical Malpractice Insurance Rates Decrease

Apr 29 2009 // Physicians and surgeons in Oregon have seen a decline in medical professional liability insurance rates the past several years, according to a Department of Consumer and Business Services analysis of recent rate...

Oregon Ruling: Private Contractors Can be Sued

Apr 21 2009 // The Oregon Supreme Court has ruled that private contractors working for public agencies can be sued separately for liability claims.In a unanimous decision, the court said a private company that contracts to perform...

People

Apr 20 2009 // Thoits Insurance of San Jose, Calif., promoted Paul Saich to CEO. Saich replaces Don Way, who had been with Thoits for 44 years, and will remain as chairman of the board. Saich joined Thoits Insurance in 1996 and most...

Increasing Insurance Costs Could Curb Horse Rides on Oregon Beaches

Apr 16 2009 // Once, stable owner Terry Swigart recalls, people could ride horses through the surf along Oregon’s beaches with few restraints — “a free-spirit-type thing.'”These days, though, the practice of...

Oregon Reports Nine Fatalities Receive Workers’ Comp Benefits in Q1

Apr 16 2009 // The Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services has released the Quarterly Fatality Report for the first quarter of 2009. DCBS has received notification of nine compensable fatalities accepted for workers’...

Project Means More Oregon Residents May Need Flood Insurance

Apr 13 2009 // Federal officials say more of North Bend, Ore., is at risk of flooding than previously thought, meaning more property owners may have to buy flood insurance or pay more if they already have it.The Oregon Department of...

Oregon Raises Medical Malpractice Maximum

Apr 9 2009 // Oregon lawmakers have approved an increase the amounts recoverable in tort actions against public bodies in cases of medical malpractice and other negligence by public employees. Senate Bill 311 now awaits Gov. Ted...

Oregon Delays Raise for Worker Compensation Chief

Apr 3 2009 // The five-member board of the Oregon-owned worker compensation insurance company has delayed a decision on a raise to its chief, Brenda Rocklin. The Oregonian reported that she will receive a $290,000 base salary to manage...

Oregon Proposes Changes to Workers’ Compensation Medical Rules

Mar 25 2009 // Oregon’s Department of Consumer and Business Services, Workers’ Compensation Division, has proposed changes to the state’s medical fee schedules, which overall would increase payments to medical service...

Economy Affects Oregon Workers’ Compensation Division Revenue

Mar 24 2009 // Like most businesses and organizations in Oregon, the Department of Consumer and Business Services (DCBS) announced it is being impacted by the economic recession. Because DCBS programs are funded by fees and assessments...