(1) A contingent claim against an insurer or a claim based upon a cause of action or suit against an insured of an insurer shall be filed, presented and reported in the same manner and within the same time limitations as provided in this chapter for a noncontingent claim. Such claims shall be allowed to share in a distribution of assets in the same manner as noncontingent claims of the same class and priority, provided that before any such sharing and distribution:

Terms Used In Oregon Statutes 734.380

  • Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • Delinquency proceeding: means any proceeding commenced against an insurer pursuant to this chapter for the purpose of liquidating, rehabilitating or conserving the insurer. See Oregon Statutes 734.014
  • Evidence: Information presented in testimony or in documents that is used to persuade the fact finder (judge or jury) to decide the case for one side or the other.
  • Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
  • Person: includes individuals, corporations, associations, firms, partnerships, limited liability companies and joint stock companies. See Oregon Statutes 174.100
  • Statute of limitations: A law that sets the time within which parties must take action to enforce their rights.

(a) If the claim is a contingent claim against the insurer, it becomes an absolute claim either as a result of proof presented or litigation; or

(b) If the claim is based upon a cause of action or suit against an insured of the insurer, a judgment is obtained against the insured or it may be reasonably inferred from proof presented that the claimant would be able to obtain such a judgment; in no case, however, shall all of the claims so presented and allowed arising out of a single act of the insured exceed the maximum liability of the insurer under its policy with or affecting the insured.

(2) Nothing in subsection (1) of this section shall prevent or bar the Director of the Department of Consumer and Business Services from compromising a disputed claim with the claimant, whether contingent or noncontingent, if such compromise is justified and supported by the facts and circumstances.

(3) If full or partial distribution to noncontingent claimants is authorized or directed by the court prior to satisfaction of the requirements of subsection (1)(a) or (b) of this section, with respect to particular claims the director shall retain a sum equal to the amount which would have been paid on the contingent claim if such requirements had then been met. The amount so withheld shall be distributed to the person or persons found by the court to be entitled thereto at such time as the claim is fully established as provided in subsection (1) of this section, or the director is satisfied that the claim is without merit or cannot be so proved or established, or the statute of limitations, if timely asserted, would bar further consideration or recovery thereon.

(4) No judgment entered after the date of entry of a liquidation order shall be considered in the liquidation proceedings as evidence of liability or of the amount of damages, and no judgment entered on default or inquest or by collusion after commencement of a delinquency proceeding shall be considered as conclusive evidence in the liquidation proceeding, either of liability or of the amount of damages. [1967 c.359 § 292]