(1) If the Director of the Department of Consumer and Business Services finds with respect to an adjuster or insurance consultant or an applicant for an adjuster or insurance consultant license that one or more of the grounds set forth in subsection (2) of this section exist, the director may take the following disciplinary actions:
(a) The director may refuse to renew or may suspend or revoke a license issued under ORS 744.002 or the authority under a license to engage in any category of insurance business or any class of insurance.
(b) The director may refuse to issue a license under ORS 744.002 or refuse to grant authority under a license to engage in any category of insurance business or any class of insurance.
(2) The director may take any disciplinary action under subsection (1) of this section on one or more of the following grounds:
(a) Incompetence or untrustworthiness of the applicant or adjuster or insurance consultant.
(b) Falsification by the applicant or adjuster or insurance consultant of the application for the license or an amendment thereto, or engagement in any dishonest act in relation to the application or examination therefor.
(c) Violation of or noncompliance with any applicable provision of the Insurance Code or any rule or order of the director.
(d) Misappropriation or conversion to the adjuster’s or insurance consultant’s own use, or illegal withholding, of money or property belonging to policyholders, insurers, beneficiaries or others, and received by the adjuster or insurance consultant in the conduct of business under the license.
(e) Conviction in any jurisdiction, of an offense which if committed in this state, constitutes a felony, a misdemeanor involving dishonesty or breach of trust, or an offense punishable by death or imprisonment under the laws of the United States. The record of the conviction shall be conclusive evidence of the conviction.
(f) Material misrepresentation of the terms of any insurance policy or proposed insurance policy.
(g) Use of a fraudulent or dishonest practice by the adjuster or insurance consultant in the conduct of business under the license, or demonstration therein that the adjuster or insurance consultant is incompetent, untrustworthy or a source of injury and loss to the public or others.
(h) Error by the director in issuing or renewing a license.
(i) Failure to pay a civil penalty assessed by the director that has become final by operation of law or upon appeal.
(j) Failure to pay any fee or charge to the director.
(k) Use of the license principally to effect insurance on property or against liability of the applicant or adjuster or insurance consultant, or to evade the provisions of ORS chapter 746.
(L) Cancellation, revocation, suspension or refusal to renew by any state of a license or other evidence of authority to act as an insurance producer, adjuster or insurance consultant. The record of the cancellation, revocation, suspension or refusal to renew shall be conclusive evidence of the action taken.
(m) Cancellation, revocation, suspension or refusal to renew by any state or federal agency of the authority to practice law or to practice under any other regulatory authority if the cancellation, revocation, suspension or refusal to renew was related to the business of an insurance producer, adjuster or insurance consultant or if dishonesty, fraud or deception was involved. The record of the cancellation, revocation, suspension or refusal to renew shall be conclusive evidence of the action taken.
(n) Failure to comply with continuing education requirements applicable to the license or any category of insurance authorized under the license, unless the director has waived the requirements.
(o) Dishonesty, fraud or misrepresentation not related to the business of an insurance producer, adjuster or insurance consultant.
(3) The director may refuse to issue or renew or may revoke or suspend the license of a firm or corporation or may take any such action with respect to any authority applied for by or granted to the firm or corporation to engage under the license in any category of insurance business or class of insurance if the director finds that any ground set forth in subsection (2) of this section exists:
(a) With respect to any individual adjuster or insurance consultant employed by or under contract with the firm or corporation.
(b) With respect to a director or officer of the firm or corporation.
(c) With respect to any person who directly or indirectly has the power to direct or cause to be directed the management, control or activities of the adjuster or insurance consultant. [Formerly 744.255; 1991 c.810 §4; 1993 c.447 §84; 2001 c.191 §31; 2003 c.364 §118; 2003 c.576 §258]
Section: Previous 744.005 744.007 744.008 744.009 744.010 744.011 744.012 744.013 744.014 744.015 744.016 744.017 744.018 744.020 744.022 NextLast modified: August 7, 2008