Why We Support Senate Bill 174: Holding Insurance Companies Accountable
At Spooner Staggs, we believe that all Oregonians deserve protection from unfair and deceptive business practices—no exceptions. That’s why we strongly support Senate Bill 174, a critical piece of legislation currently before the Oregon Legislature.
Under current law, the Unlawful Trade Practices Act (UTPA) protects consumers from deceptive conduct by businesses in nearly every industry—except one: the insurance industry. For decades, insurance companies in Oregon have been shielded from enforcement under the UTPA, even when they engage in conduct that would be unlawful for any other business.
SB 174 would change that. It would remove the insurance industry’s exemption, giving Oregon consumers the ability to hold insurers accountable when they commit unfair claims settlement practices.
Earlier this week, Tyler Staggs testified before the House Rules Committee in support of the bill. In his testimony, Tyler spoke about our firm’s shift from representing insurance companies to advocating for injured Oregonians. We saw firsthand how insurers operate behind the scenes. Today, we represent the people on the other side of those claims: Oregonians who have been seriously injured, who have lost loved ones, and who are forced to fight for the insurance benefits they’re owed. That shift in perspective is why we strongly support Senate Bill 174.
- Watch Tyler’s testimony: Click here to view
- Read the full statement: Click here to view
All of us at Spooner Staggs are proud to stand behind SB 174. This bill is about fairness, accountability, and restoring trust in a system that too often leaves consumers without recourse.
Help us move this important legislation forward. Contact your representative and urge them to support Senate Bill 174. Let them know that Oregon consumers deserve the same legal protections from insurance companies as they do from every other industry.
You can find your legislators here: https://tinyurl.com/hyda5j2t.
Together, we can make Oregon’s insurance market more fair, transparent, and accountable.