Insurers can still seek contribution after payment despite co-insurer’s settlement
In a decision issued April 10, 2025, the Oregon Supreme Court affirmed that Continental Casualty Company retains the right to seek contribution from another insurer for environmental cleanup defense costs it paid, even after the co-insurer entered into a settlement with the insured. The court’s ruling in Continental Casualty Co. v. Argonaut Insurance Co., 373 Or 389 (2025), settles a significant dispute over how Oregon’s Environmental Cleanup Assistance Act (OECAA) governs contribution rights in multi-insurer environmental claims.
