Current through 2024 Regular Session legislation effective June 6, 2024
Section 744.364 - Life settlement contract requirements(1)(a) A life settlement provider entering into a life settlement contract shall first obtain:(A) If the owner is the insured, a written statement from a licensed physician, a naturopathic physician licensed under ORS chapter 685, a physician associate licensed under ORS 677.505 to 677.525 or a nurse practitioner licensed under ORS 678.375 to 678.390 that the owner is of sound mind and under no constraint or undue influence to enter into a life settlement contract; and(B) A document in which the insured consents to the release of the insured's medical records to a licensed life settlement provider, life settlement broker and the insurance company that issued the life insurance policy covering the life of the insured.(b) Within 20 days after an owner executes documents necessary to transfer any rights under an insurance policy or, if the insured is terminally ill, within 20 days after an owner entering any agreement, option, promise or any other form of understanding, expressed or implied, to transfer the policy for value, the life settlement provider shall give written notice to the insurer that issued the insurance policy that the policy has or will become a settled policy. The notice must be accompanied by the documents required by paragraph (c) of this subsection.(c) The life settlement provider shall deliver a copy of the medical release required under paragraph (a)(B) of this subsection, a copy of the owner's application for the life settlement contract, the notice required under paragraph (b) of this subsection and a request for verification of coverage to the insurer that issued the life policy that is the subject of the life transaction. The Director of the Department of Consumer and Business Services shall develop and approve a form for the request for verification.(d) The insurer shall respond to a request for verification of coverage submitted on an approved form by a life settlement provider or life settlement broker within 30 calendar days of the date the request is received and shall indicate whether, based on the medical evidence and documents provided, the insurer intends to pursue an investigation at this time regarding the validity of the insurance contract or possible fraud. The insurer shall accept a request for verification of coverage made on a form approved by the director. The insurer shall accept an original or facsimile or electronic copy of such request and any accompanying authorization signed by the owner. Failure by the insurer to meet its obligations under this subsection is a violation of the Insurance Code.(e) Prior to or at the time of execution of the life settlement contract, the life settlement provider shall obtain a witnessed document in which the owner consents to the life settlement contract, represents that the owner has a full and complete understanding of the life settlement contract, that the owner has a full and complete understanding of the benefits of the life insurance policy, acknowledges that the owner is entering into the life settlement contract freely and voluntarily and, for persons with a terminal illness or chronic illness or condition, acknowledges that the insured has a terminal illness or chronic illness and that the terminal illness or chronic illness or condition was diagnosed after the life insurance policy was issued.(f) If a life settlement broker performs any of the activities required of the life settlement provider, the provider is deemed to have fulfilled the requirements of this section that were performed by the broker.(2) All medical information solicited or obtained by any licensee is privileged and confidential under ORS 705.137.(3)(a) All life settlement contracts entered into in this state must provide the owner with an absolute right to rescind the contract before the earlier of 60 calendar days after the date upon which the life settlement contract is executed by all parties or 30 calendar days after the life settlement proceeds have been sent to the owner under subsection (5) of this section.(b) The life settlement provider may condition rescission upon the owner both giving notice and repaying to the life settlement provider within the rescission period all proceeds of the settlement and any premiums, loans and loan interest paid by or on behalf of the life settlement provider in connection with or as a consequence of the life settlement.(c) If the insured dies during the rescission period, the life settlement contract is deemed to have been rescinded, subject to repayment within 60 calendar days of the death of the insured to the life settlement provider or purchaser of all life settlement proceeds and any premiums, loans and loan interest that have been paid by the life settlement provider or purchaser.(d) In the event of any rescission, if the life settlement provider has paid commissions or other compensation to a life settlement broker in connection with the rescinded transaction, the life settlement broker shall refund all such commissions and compensation to the life settlement provider within five business days following receipt of written demand from the life settlement provider. The demand must be accompanied by either the owner's notice of rescission if rescinded at the election of the owner, or the notice of the death of the insured if rescinded by reason of the death of the insured within the applicable rescission period.(4) The life settlement purchaser shall have the right to rescind a life settlement contract within three days after the disclosures mandated by ORS 744.354 (7) are received by the purchaser.(5)(a) The life settlement provider shall instruct the owner to send the executed documents required to effect the change in ownership, assignment or change in beneficiary directly to an independent escrow agent selected by the provider.(b) Within three business days after the date the escrow agent receives the document, or from the date the life settlement provider receives the documents, if the owner erroneously provides the documents directly to the provider, the provider shall pay or transfer the proceeds of the life settlement into an escrow or trust account maintained in a state or federally chartered financial institution whose deposits are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.(c) Upon payment of the settlement proceeds into the escrow account, the escrow agent shall deliver the original change in ownership, assignment or change in beneficiary forms to the life settlement provider or related provider trust or other designated representative of the life settlement provider. Upon the escrow agent's receipt of the acknowledgment of the properly completed transfer of ownership, assignment or designation of beneficiary from the insurance company, the escrow agent shall pay the settlement proceeds to the owner.(6) Failure to pay the owner the full contract amount for the life settlement contract within the time set forth under subsection (5) of this section renders the life settlement contract voidable by the owner until the time full payment is tendered to and accepted by the owner. Funds are deemed sent by a life settlement provider to an owner as of the date that the escrow agent either releases funds for wire transfer to the owner or places a check for delivery to the owner via the United States Postal Service or another nationally recognized delivery service.(7)(a) Contacts with the insured for the purpose of determining the health status of the insured by the life settlement provider or life settlement broker after the life settlement has occurred may be made only by the life settlement provider or broker licensed in this state or its authorized representatives and are limited to once every three months for insureds with a life expectancy of more than one year, and to no more than once per month for insureds with a life expectancy of one year or less.(b) The limitations set forth in this subsection do not apply to any contacts with an insured for reasons other than determining the insured's health status.Amended by 2024 Ch. 73,§ 158, eff. 6/6/2024.Amended by 2017 Ch. 356, § 98, eff. 1/1/2018.Amended by 2014 Ch. 45, § 77, eff. 7/1/2014.