CompQuotes | Spring 2024

Introducing SAIF’s new chief financial officer

Todd Graneto has been selected as SAIF’s next chief financial officer. Todd came to SAIF in 2016 and has worn a few hats since then: financial strategist, strategy team member, and controller. In March of 2022, he joined SAIF’s executive leadership team and became the vice president of premium audit and underwriting services. In all, he has 27 years of experience in the insurance industry, including a deep background in finance.  

Todd holds an MBA from Portland State University and a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Southern Oregon University. Before he joined SAIF, he served as the vice president of finance for Health Net, a Fortune 500 company. 

Todd will step into the CFO role effective May 13.

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IVANS download will be going live shortly

Since mid-March, SAIF has piloted an IVANS download for policy data and direct bill commission statements. We are wrapping up a few last details for the first phase of this project. We will be ready to go live with our broader agent distribution in the next few weeks with agents who have chosen to opt in and who have provided us with the agency IVANS Y-Account information. Please watch for an IVANS download implementation guide & FAQ that will be sent via email to the key contact listed for your agency one week prior to implementation.

Download for eDocs is the next phase of this exciting project, with implementation scheduled to go live by the summer of 2024. If you have questions, please contact your agency marketing specialist (Brooke Leader, Erika Meier, or Tami Coxen) or Kim Turner, SAIF’s director of agency program and agent experience.

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Other state coverage (OSC) guidelines change from DCBS, plus OSC training for agents

We have an important update from the OSC team. Monopolistic payroll is now excluded from the 50% payroll limitation for our underwriting guidelines. This is a meaningful improvement for SAIF’s OSC program and our ability to serve a growing set of Oregon policyholders and their workers.  

The updated underwriting guidelines will state that Oregon employers with SAIF coverage must meet at least one of the following conditions at the time coverage becomes effective:

• The employer’s payroll for its Oregon workers exceeds 50% of the employer’s payroll for all workers other than for workers in “monopolistic states” (i.e., states that administer their own workers’ compensation benefits, which states include, as of the date of this letter, Washington, Wyoming, North Dakota, and Ohio); or
• The employer is incorporated in the state of Oregon or formed and existing as an Oregon business pursuant to ORS Chapters 60 through 70; or
• The employer is headquartered in the state of Oregon. 

Upcoming training opportunity

Please join us for an OSC update from 10 to 11 a.m. on May 14 to learn more about our growing OSC program. SAIF’s subject matter experts will be on hand, including Tammy Ames, OSC program manager, Heidi Joslin, lead OSC underwriter, and Tyson Smith, OSC claims coordinator. Please note that this training is approved for one general CE credit. 

We are working to provide meaningful and informative training from our subject matter experts with free CE credits for our agency partners. We routinely offer SAIF agents new online training and live webinars. If you have any topics you want to learn more about, please email your agency marketing specialist.

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Voluntary coverage for select ARP policyholders

SAIF will be streamlining the process for identifying eligible SAIF Assigned Risk Plan (ARP) policyholders to be more effective in providing employers coverage in the voluntary market with SAIF.

Maintaining eligibility for the Oregon Workers’ Compensation Insurance Plan or Assigned Risk Plan (ARP) requires that the employer is unable to obtain a reasonable offer of voluntary coverage.

SAIF may provide voluntary coverage at any time pursuant to OAR 836-043-0072. Beginning June 1, SAIF will evaluate ARP policies and make reasonable offers of voluntary coverage to selected ARP policyholders. Reasonable offers of voluntary coverage made by SAIF will render those employers ineligible for ARP policies.

Offers will be presented to the policyholder’s agent using class codes and payroll exposures included in the existing ARP policy.

Employers that are provided reasonable offers of voluntary coverage will have their SAIF ARP policy automatically canceled and rewritten by SAIF into the voluntary market using the same effective date as the ARP policy cancellation date.

If you have any questions, please contact your agency marketing specialist or SAIF’s assigned risk program manager, Derik Scroggin.

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AGC retro evaluation timeline

The AGC group retro is evaluated every year on July 1. During the week of July 22, SAIF agency marketing specialists will be in contact with agents representing employers participating in the AGC group retro product for the 2022-23 policy period. They will provide the relevant facts about the retro return as well as each agency's list of participating employers. They’ll also provide information on how to easily sort and retrieve the retro evaluation documents from the agency inbox that will be available on July 25 via Business Online. 

Checks will be mailed the week of July 29. The check will include a brief letter, but the evaluation will not be included with the check. It will be the agent's responsibility to provide the retro evaluation to the employer. 

All steps in the evaluation process are documented in the AGC retro timeline. If you have questions, please contact your agency marketing specialist.

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ClaimCenter is now live!

We are excited to announce that SAIF successfully implemented Guidewire's ClaimCenter on February 19. We are now almost two months into our hypercare phase, where we provide dedicated support to address issues found in the new system. The Claims System Implementation (CSI) team is working diligently to minimize interruptions for our customers and partners.

The CSI project is SAIF's largest implementation ever. As part of launching the new claims system, we converted over three million claims, implemented 195 supporting applications, created a new claims data warehouse, and loaded over 52 million transactions.  

The CSI project is a key step in our core-system strategy. It creates a strong platform to better serve our current and future customers. Thank you for your partnership and patience as we navigate this new system together.  

If you have any questions or concerns, please get in touch with your agency marketing specialist or our IT Service Desk at 866.836.8300.

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New digital payment platform feature is coming soon

Among other benefits, our new online payment platform, One Inc., will allow agents to make payments for their policyholders using only a policy number and the mailing address zip code. Please watch for more information that will be distributed by your agency marketing specialist about features and resources you can share with policyholders regarding what they need to know about the transition. FAQs and other resources will also become available on saif.com.

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Announcing a new location for SAIF’s Eugene office

The Eugene office, located at 3500 Chad Drive, Suite 200, will close in early May 2024. We will relocate to our new office at 400 International Way, Suite 340, Springfield, in early August 2024. Temporary meeting space will be available as needed.

If you would like to schedule an appointment for the Eugene regional office, please call us at 541.338.6795

If you have any questions about the office relocation, you can reach out to the Eugene Regional Director, Rob Miller, at 541.338.6763.

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Noteworthy moments at the Workers’ Compensation Seminar

On April 11, more than 185 people gathered at SAIF’s 32^nd annual Workers’ Compensation Seminar, including 85 virtual attendees. This was the first time the event was held on SAIF’s Salem campus.

The morning sessions featured presentations on the voice of the customer and on consistent safety and health approaches that enhance the customer experience.

In the afternoon, keynote speaker Lindsay Boccardo gave an energetic presentation on making the case for optimistic and loving leadership, followed by a communications skills workshop.

CEO and President Chip Terhune wrapped up the day with a discussion of the state of SAIF.