| Chapter 200 |
| 2026 -- H 7859 SUBSTITUTE A Enacted 06/19/2026 |
| A N A C T |
| RELATING TO INSURANCE -- DOMESTIC INSURANCE COMPANIES |
Introduced By: Representatives Kennedy, Edwards, O'Brien, Serpa, Azzinaro, Phillips, Diaz, and Shallcross Smith |
| Date Introduced: February 27, 2026 |
| It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
| SECTION 1. Sections 27-1-13, 27-1-14, 27-1-15, 27-1-16, 27-1-16.1, 27-1-16.2, 27-1-17, |
| 27-1-18, 27-1-19, 27-1-20 and 27-1-21 of the General Laws in Chapter 27-1 entitled "Domestic |
| Insurance Companies" are hereby repealed. |
| 27-1-13. Citation for forfeiture of charter for unsafe practices. |
| The superior court, upon complaint in writing from the insurance commissioner under oath |
| setting forth that, in the commissioner’s opinion, any insurance company has forfeited its charter |
| at law, or is managing its concerns in a manner that the public or those having funds in its custody |
| are in danger of being defrauded, or the continued operation of its business would be hazardous to |
| the public or its policyholders, or has become insolvent, shall issue a citation to the company, |
| directed to and to be served on the president, secretary, or treasurer of the company by leaving an |
| attested copy at the office or usual place of business of the company, commanding the president, |
| secretary, or treasurer personally to appear before the court on a day and in a place to be mentioned |
| in the citation, then and there under oath to show cause, if they have any, why the company should |
| not be enjoined from further exercising the powers and franchises conferred by its charter and why |
| the charter should not be forfeited. |
| 27-1-14. Decree of forfeiture — Receiver. |
| If, upon the examination of the president, secretary, or treasurer and of any other witnesses |
| and evidence as may be introduced by the insurance commissioner and defendants, the court is of |
| the opinion that the charter of the company is forfeited at law, or that the company is managed in a |
| manner that the public or those having funds in its custody or who hold policies of insurance issued |
| by it are in danger of being defrauded, or the continued operation of its business would be hazardous |
| to the public or its policyholders, or that the company has become insolvent, the court shall issue |
| an injunction to the president, secretary, or treasurer and other officers of the corporation, enjoining |
| them from proceeding further in transacting the business of the company, and shall appoint a |
| discreet and proper person to be receiver of all the evidences of debt, goods, effects, and property |
| of every description belonging to the corporation. The court may require the receiver to give bond |
| with surety to the satisfaction of the court for the faithful execution of the receiver’s trusts. The |
| person once appointed as the receiver may, subject to the discretion of the court, continue to be |
| receiver for the duration of the receivership proceedings. |
| 27-1-15. Collection and distribution of assets by receiver — Reinsurance. |
| The receiver may take evidence and property into the receiver’s possession and shall collect |
| the debts, dispose of the property, and pay out of the proceeds of the disposition, if the proceeds |
| are sufficient, all of the debts of the corporation, first reserving to the receiver a reasonable |
| compensation that shall be allowed by the court for the receiver’s services; provided, the receiver |
| may reinsure, upon the written consent of the insurance commissioner and the attorney general, all |
| the policy obligations of the corporation in any solvent corporation authorized to do business in |
| this state, if the assets of the corporation of which he or she is a receiver are sufficient to effect the |
| reinsurance. If the assets are insufficient for that purpose, the receiver, upon the written consent of |
| the insurance commissioner and the attorney general, may reinsure a percentage of each policy |
| obligation of the corporation outstanding to the extent that its assets may be sufficient for that |
| purpose. No contract of reinsurance shall be entered into by the receiver except in pursuance of an |
| order of the court in which the receiver was appointed directing the reinsurance and establishing |
| the general form of the contract for the reinsurance. |
| 27-1-16. Powers of receiver — Removal and control by court. |
| The receiver shall be clothed with all of the powers and rights, in respect of the collection |
| of debts due to the corporation, which the corporation possessed by virtue of its charter or otherwise |
| before the injunction issued, and may be removed and another may be appointed by the court in his |
| or her stead. The court shall have the same power and authority over the receiver, the receiver’s |
| acts, proceedings, and accounts, as is exercised by courts of equity in similar cases. |
| 27-1-16.1. Sale by receiver of charter and licenses. |
| (a) Notwithstanding any decree of forfeiture or finding of insolvency and order of |
| liquidation, the receiver may, subject to court approval, sell or dispose of the charter and/or licenses |
| of the insolvent insurer separate and apart from its outstanding liabilities or remaining assets. |
| (b) The sale may be made after proper advertisement in a national publication on terms and |
| conditions the court deems appropriate. The order approving the sale shall provide that the proceeds |
| of the sale shall become part of the assets of the liquidation estate, to be distributed in the manner |
| set forth in the pertinent provisions of law governing distribution of the estate and the order shall |
| provide that the charter and licenses shall after this be free and clear from the claims or interests of |
| all claimants, creditors, policyholders, and stockholders of the corporation under liquidation. |
| (c) Nothing in this section of law shall be deemed a waiver of capitalization or surplus |
| requirements, or any other condition of licensure imposed by this title that is necessary to obtain |
| approval to do insurance business in this state, or that is necessary to obtain approval for the change |
| in control of a foreign or domestic insurer. |
| (d) This section applies retrospectively and shall be liberally construed to accomplish its |
| purpose to provide a more expeditious and effective procedure for marshalling the assets of the |
| estate in order to realize the maximum amount possible from the sale of those assets and ensure |
| that the purchasers receive clear and marketable titles. It shall not be construed as a limitation upon |
| the receiver, nor shall it exclude in any manner the receiver’s right to do other acts not specifically |
| enumerated. |
| 27-1-16.2. Court-approved settlements. |
| Notwithstanding any provisions of law to the contrary, a person, corporation, or other entity |
| who has resolved its liability to the receiver in a judicially-approved good faith settlement shall not |
| be liable for claims for contribution or equitable indemnity regarding matters addressed in the |
| settlement. The settlement does not discharge any other joint tortfeasors unless its terms provide |
| for this discharge, but it reduces the potential liability of joint tortfeasors by the amount of the |
| settlement. |
| 27-1-17. Stay of executions and process against company. |
| As long as the injunction is in force against any corporation, all executions and other final |
| process against the corporation for the collection of debts shall be stayed. |
| 27-1-18. Limited injunction without receivership. |
| The court may also issue a limited or temporary injunction, staying proceedings in any |
| particulars and for any length of time as in the opinion of the court may be necessary for the safety |
| of the public and the proper management of the affairs of the corporation, without proceeding to |
| the appointment of a receiver. |
| 27-1-19. Declaration of forfeiture. |
| The court shall, upon hearing of the parties to the complaint, if it sees cause, declare the |
| charter of the corporation forfeited. |
| 27-1-20. Temporary injunction. |
| The citation may also contain a temporary injunction against the corporation and all of its |
| officers, restraining them from proceeding in any business of the corporation, except under the |
| direction of the court, which injunction unless removed shall continue until the complaint is finally |
| disposed of. |
| 27-1-21. Failure to deliver property or records to receiver. |
| If the president, secretary, treasurer, agent, or servant of any insurance company that is |
| enjoined as provided in this chapter, or any other person upon being required, neglects or refuses |
| to deliver to the receiver or receivers of the corporation, who may be appointed by virtue of this |
| chapter, evidences of debt, goods, effects, books, papers, and other evidences of property of every |
| description belonging to the corporation as may be in his or her possession or under his or her |
| control, he or she shall be fined not exceeding ten thousand dollars ($10,000) or be imprisoned not |
| exceeding three (3) years, or be both fined and imprisoned at the discretion of the court. |
| SECTION 2. Sections 27-2-3, 27-2-4 and 27-2-21 of the General Laws in Chapter 27-2 |
| entitled "Foreign Insurance Companies" are hereby repealed. |
| 27-2-3. Reciprocal privileges of nonresident insurance producers. |
| (a) Any commission received by a Rhode Island licensed resident insurance producer may |
| be shared with another licensed resident insurance producer, or with a licensed nonresident |
| insurance producer; provided, that if the nonresident insurance producer resides in, or is a licensed |
| insurance producer in, a state that requires the retention of a stipulated percentage of the |
| commission on risks placed in the state by nonresident insurance producers, then and in that event |
| the Rhode Island resident insurance producer shall require the same percentage of the commission |
| as would be required if a Rhode Island insurance producer should place similar insurance in the |
| state of the residence of the nonresident insurance producer; provided, that if the nonresident |
| insurance producer resides in a state, county, or municipality that by statute or ordinance prohibits |
| the division of commissions on insurance covering property or risks in the city, county, or state of |
| the nonresident insurance producer, then and in that event, it shall be unlawful for the Rhode Island |
| resident insurance producer to pay the nonresident insurance producer any share or portion of the |
| commission on insurance on property or risks in the state of Rhode Island. |
| (b) This section shall not apply to bid bonds issued by any admitted surety insurer in |
| connection with any public or private contract. |
| (c) An insurance producer that has been a licensed nonresident insurance producer prior to |
| June 30, 1989, for twelve (12) years or more but whose company is no longer licensed to do |
| business in a reciprocal state after June 30, 1989, may be licensed in Rhode Island as a special |
| nonresident insurance producer. |
| 27-2-4. Penalty for unlawful business. |
| Any company, officer, or insurance producer violating any of the provisions of § 27-2-3 |
| shall be punished by a fine of not less than one hundred dollars ($100) nor more than five hundred |
| dollars ($500) for each offense. |
| 27-2-21. Report and prosecution of violations. |
| The insurance commissioner shall report to the attorney general any violation of the |
| provisions of this chapter that shall come to the commissioner’s knowledge. The attorney general |
| shall institute the proper legal proceedings, in the name of the state, against any person violating |
| any provision. |
| SECTION 3. Sections 27-2-17, 27-2-20 and 27-2-24 of the General Laws in Chapter 27-2 |
| entitled "Foreign Insurance Companies" are hereby amended to read as follows: |
| 27-2-17. Reciprocal fees and charges. |
| (a) Whenever, by the laws of any other state of the United States, any fees, charges, taxes, |
| deposits of money or of securities, or other obligations or prohibitions are imposed on insurance |
| companies incorporated or organized under the laws of this state or on the insurance producers of |
| the insurance companies, so long as the laws continue in force, the fees, charges, taxes, deposits, |
| and obligations shall be imposed on the insurance companies doing business in this state that are |
| incorporated or organized under the laws of the other state and on their insurance producers. |
| (b) Whenever, by the laws of any other state of the United States, insurance companies |
| incorporated or organized under the laws of this state are required to provide a countersignature as |
| a precondition to the issuance, delivery, or making of any contract of insurance in the other state, |
| and whenever the insurance producer of the company is required to pay any fee or commission for |
| placing any insurance coverage in the other state, then the same requirements for countersignatures |
| and fee or commission shall be imposed upon the insurance companies doing business in this state |
| that are incorporated and organized under the laws of the other states and/or their insurance |
| producers. |
| (c) Whenever insurance companies that are authorized to do business in this state issue, |
| deliver, or make any contract of insurance on a person or property in this state, the companies shall |
| place the business through a licensed resident insurance producer or licensed nonresident insurance |
| producer as permitted under § 27-2-3 chapter 2.4 of title 27 or any other provision of Rhode Island |
| law; provided, if the insurance to be issued in this state is part of an insurance contract written on |
| a risk whose principal place of business is located in another state, and the insurance contract is |
| placed through an insurance producer of the domiciliary state of the primary insured, it shall be |
| permitted only if that state allows the placement of the business by a licensed nonresident insurance |
| producer of Rhode Island in similar circumstances. |
| (d) The provisions of this section shall not apply to insurance companies incorporated or |
| organized under the laws of a state or country whose laws do not impose retaliatory taxes or other |
| charges or that grant, on a reciprocal basis, exemptions from those taxes or other charges to |
| insurance companies incorporated or organized under the laws of this state. |
| 27-2-20. Validity of contracts of noncomplying companies — Penalty on insurance |
| producers — Actions by company. |
| If any insurance company, cooperative or otherwise, makes insurance without complying |
| with the provisions of this chapter, the contract shall be valid, but every person acting within this |
| state as an insurance producer of the company within the meaning of chapter 2.4 of this title, |
| respecting the effecting of any insurance, shall be fined not less than three hundred dollars ($300) |
| nor more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) subject to the commissioner who may impose any |
| penalty as appropriate pursuant to § 42-14-16. No action at law or suit in equity shall be maintained |
| or recovery had by any insurance company, cooperative or otherwise, or by any assignee of the |
| company or by any person claiming under the assignee or the company, except a domestic receiver |
| of the company, on any contract in any of the courts of this state, so long as the company fails to |
| comply with the provisions of this chapter. |
| 27-2-24. Revocation or suspension of license of foreign company. |
| Whenever it appears to the insurance commissioner from the statements, or from an |
| examination of the affairs, of any life, fire, marine, fire and marine, casualty, or other insurance |
| company not incorporated under the authority of this state, that the company is insolvent, or is in |
| an unsound financial condition, or that its business policies are unsound or improper, or that its |
| condition or management is such as to render its further transaction of business hazardous to the |
| public or its policyholders, or that the amount of its funds, net cash, or contingent assets is deficient, |
| or that its capital is impaired, or that it is conducting its business fraudulently or refuses or neglects |
| to comply with the laws of the state relating to insurance companies, it shall be the duty of the |
| insurance commissioner, after notice and hearing, to revoke the license issued to the company and |
| the licenses issued to all of its insurance producers, or the commissioner may revoke those licenses |
| or suspend them for a period not exceeding their unexpired terms the insurance commissioner may |
| take action pursuant to § 42-14-16. |
| SECTION 4. Section 27-2.7-5 of the General Laws in Chapter 27-2.7 entitled "Portable |
| Electronics Insurance" is hereby amended to read as follows: |
| 27-2.7-5. Suspension or revocation of license. |
| If a portable electronics insurance vendor or its employee or authorized representative |
| violates any provision of this section, the insurance commissioner may do any of the following: |
| (1) After notice and hearing, impose fines not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500) per |
| violation or five thousand dollars ($5,000) in the aggregate for such conduct. |
| (2) After notice and hearing, impose other penalties that the commissioner deems necessary |
| and reasonable to carry out the purposes of this chapter including: |
| (i) Suspending the privilege of transacting portable electronics insurance pursuant to this |
| section at specific business locations where violations have occurred; and |
| (ii) Suspending or revoking the ability of individual employees or authorized |
| representatives to act under the license; and |
| (3) Any take action pursuant to any other penalties appropriate under § 42-14-16. |
| SECTION 5. Section 27-8.1-5 of the General Laws in Chapter 27-8.1 entitled "Information |
| Reporting and Immunity Relating to Fire Losses" is hereby amended to read as follows: |
| 27-8.1-5. Enforcement — Penalty. |
| (a) No insurer, lending institution, party in interest, or authorized agency, or any person |
| acting in behalf of, or in conjunction with, any of these, shall: |
| (1) Intentionally or knowingly refuse to release any information requested and/or ordered |
| pursuant to § 27-8.1-3(a), (b), (e), or (f); |
| (2) Intentionally or knowingly refuse to provide authorized relevant information pursuant |
| to § 27-8.1-3(d)(1); and |
| (3) Fail to hold in strict confidence, possession, and custody, information required to be so |
| held under § 27-8.1-4(a). |
| (b) Whoever shall violate subsection (a) of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor |
| and, upon conviction, shall be punished by a fine Violations of subsection (a) of this section shall |
| be subject to penalties not to exceed one hundred dollars ($100). |
| SECTION 6. Section 27-17-16 of the General Laws in Chapter 27-17 entitled "Reciprocal |
| Exchanges and Interinsurers" is hereby amended to read as follows: |
| 27-17-16. Penalty for doing business without compliance. |
| Any attorney who exchanges any contracts of insurance of the kind and character specified |
| in this chapter, or any attorney or representative of the attorney who solicits or negotiates any |
| applications for the attorney without the attorney first complying with the provisions of this chapter, |
| shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction shall be subjected to a fine of not |
| less than one hundred dollars ($100) nor more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) subject to |
| penalties pursuant to § 42-14-16. |
| SECTION 7. Section 27-25-37 of the General Laws in Chapter 27-25 entitled "Rhode |
| Island Fraternal Code" is hereby amended to read as follows: |
| 27-25-37. Penalties. |
| (a) Any person who willfully makes a false or fraudulent statement in or relating to an |
| application for membership or for the purpose of obtaining money from or a benefit in any society, |
| shall upon conviction be fined not less than one hundred dollars ($100) nor more than five hundred |
| dollars ($500) or imprisonment for not less than thirty (30) days nor more than one year, or both. |
| (b) Any person who willfully makes a false or fraudulent statement in any verified report |
| or declaration under oath required or authorized by this chapter, or of any material fact or thing |
| contained in a sworn statement concerning the death or disability of an insured for the purpose of |
| procuring payment of a benefit named in the certificate, shall be guilty of perjury and shall be |
| subject to the penalties prescribed by law. |
| (c) Any person who solicits membership for, or in any manner assists in procuring |
| membership in, any society not licensed to do business in this state shall upon conviction be fined |
| not less than fifty dollars ($50.00) nor more than two hundred dollars ($200). |
| (d) Any person guilty of a willful violation of, or neglect or refusal to comply with, the |
| provisions of this chapter for which a penalty is not prescribed, shall upon conviction, be subject |
| to a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars ($500). Violations of this chapter shall be subject to |
| penalties pursuant to § 42-14-16. |
| SECTION 8. Section 27-29-4.5 of the General Laws in Chapter 27-29 entitled "Unfair |
| Competition and Practices" is hereby amended to read as follows: |
| 27-29-4.5. Penalty. |
| An insurer’s failure to comply with any requirement of § 27-29-4.4, or any rule or |
| regulation promulgated by the department of business regulation pursuant to § 27-29-4.4 shall |
| result in a fine in a sum of up to five thousand dollars ($5,000). |
| SECTION 9. Section 27-5-3.8 of the General Laws in Chapter 27-5 entitled "Fire Insurance |
| Policies and Reserves" is hereby repealed. |
| 27-5-3.8. Rhode Island commission on hurricane loss projection methodology. |
| (a) Legislative findings and intent. |
| (1) Reliable projections of hurricane losses are necessary in order to assure that rates for |
| residential property insurance meet the statutory requirement that rates be neither excessive nor |
| inadequate. |
| (2) The general assembly recognizes the need for expert evaluation of computer models |
| and other recently developed or improved actuarial methodologies for projecting hurricane losses, |
| in order to resolve conflicts among actuarial professionals, and in order to provide both immediate |
| and continuing improvement in the sophistication of actuarial methods used to set rates charged to |
| consumers. |
| (3) It is the intent of the general assembly to create the Rhode Island commission on |
| hurricane loss projection methodology as a panel of experts to provide the most actuarially |
| sophisticated guidelines and standards for projection of hurricane losses possible, given the current |
| state of actuarial science. |
| (b) Commission created. |
| (1) There is created the Rhode Island commission on hurricane loss projection |
| methodology. For the purposes of this section, the term “commission” means the Rhode Island |
| commission on hurricane loss projection methodology. The commission shall be administratively |
| housed within the department of administration, but it shall independently exercise the powers and |
| duties specified in this section. |
| (2) The commission shall consist of the following eight (8) members: |
| (i) The director of business regulation, acting as the administrator of insurance, or designee; |
| (ii) The director of the Rhode Island emergency management agency; |
| (iii) A member of the board of directors of the Rhode Island Joint Reinsurance Association |
| appointed by the governor; |
| (iv) Five (5) members directly appointed by the governor, as follows: |
| (A) An actuary who is employed full-time by a property and casualty insurer that was |
| responsible for at least one percent (1%) of the aggregate statewide direct written premium for |
| homeowner’s insurance in the calendar year preceding the member’s appointment to the |
| commission; |
| (B) An expert in insurance finance who has a background in actuarial science; |
| (C) An expert in statistics who has a background in insurance; |
| (D) An expert in computer system design; |
| (E) An expert in meteorology who specializes in hurricanes. |
| (3) Members designated under subsections (b)(2)(i)-(iii) shall serve on the commission as |
| long as they maintain the respective offices designated in subsections (b)(2)(i)-(iii). Members under |
| subsections (b)(2)(iv)(A)-(E) shall serve for a term of three (3) years, and may be reappointed to |
| the commission. All members may be removed by the governor prior to the expiration of their term |
| for cause. Vacancies on the commission shall be filled in the same manner as the original |
| appointment. |
| (4) The governor shall annually appoint one of the members of the commission to serve as |
| chair. |
| (5) Members of the commission shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed |
| for per diem and travel expenses. |
| (6) There shall be no liability on the part of, and no cause of action of any nature shall arise |
| against, any member of the commission for any action taken in the performance of their duties |
| under this section. In addition, the commission may, in writing, waive any potential cause of action |
| for negligence of a consultant, contractor, or contract employee engaged to assist the commission. |
| (c) Adoption and effect of standards and guidelines. |
| (1) The commission shall consider any actuarial methods, principles, standards, models, or |
| output ranges that have the potential for improving the accuracy of or reliability of the hurricane |
| loss projections used in residential property insurance rate filings. The commission shall, from time |
| to time, adopt findings as to the accuracy or reliability of particular methods, principles, standards, |
| models, or output ranges. |
| (2) The commission shall adopt revisions to previously adopted actuarial methods, |
| principles, standards, models, or output ranges at least annually. |
| (3)(i) A trade secret that is used in designing and constructing a hurricane loss model and |
| that is provided pursuant to this section, by a private company, to the commission, is confidential |
| and shall not be deemed a public record pursuant to the provisions of chapter 2 of title 38. |
| (ii) That portion of a meeting of the commission or of a rate proceeding on an insurer’s rate |
| filing at which a trade secret made confidential and exempt by this subsection (c)(3) is discussed |
| shall be deemed confidential and not open to disclosure pursuant to the open meetings act, but may |
| be discussed at a closed meeting as provided for in chapter 46 of title 42. |
| (d) The Rhode Island commission is hereby authorized to form a multistate commission |
| with the states of Massachusetts, Connecticut, and any other interested state in furtherance of the |
| goals of this act. |
| SECTION 10. Section 27-14.4-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 27-14.4 entitled "Uniform |
| Insurers Liquidation Act" is hereby amended to read as follows: |
| 27-14.4-3. Director as domiciliary receiver. |
| Whenever under this title, including § 27-1-14, a receiver is to be appointed upon the |
| commencement of delinquency proceedings for an insurer domiciled in this state, the superior court |
| shall appoint the director of business regulation as the receiver. The court shall direct the receiver |
| to immediately take possession of the assets of the insurer and to administer them under the orders |
| of the court. The receiver may, subject to the discretion of the court, continue to be the receiver for |
| the duration of the receivership proceedings and shall have all of the powers and duties conferred |
| upon the receivers by law including the powers and duties set forth in chapter 1 14.3 of this title. |
| SECTION 11. Section 27-35-4 of the General Laws in Chapter 27-35 entitled "Insurance |
| Holding Company Systems" is hereby amended to read as follows: |
| 27-35-4. Standards and management of an insurer within a holding company system. |
| (a) Transactions within an insurance holding company system. |
| (1) Transactions within an insurance holding company system to which an insurer subject |
| to registration is a party shall be subject to the following standards: |
| (i) The terms shall be fair and reasonable; |
| (ii) Agreements for cost sharing and management services shall include such provisions as |
| required by rule and regulation issued by the commissioner; |
| (iii) Charges or fees for services performed shall be reasonable; |
| (iv) Expenses incurred and payment received shall be allocated to the insurer in conformity |
| with customary insurance accounting practices consistently applied; |
| (v) The books, accounts, and records of each party to all such transactions shall be so |
| maintained as to clearly and accurately disclose the nature and details of the transactions including |
| such accounting information as is necessary to support the reasonableness of the charges or fees to |
| the respective parties; and |
| (vi) The insurer’s surplus as regards policyholders following any dividends or distributions |
| to shareholder affiliates shall be reasonable in relation to the insurer’s outstanding liabilities and |
| adequate to its financial needs.; |
| (vii) If an insurer subject to this chapter is deemed by the commissioner to be in a hazardous |
| financial condition as defined by chapter 14.2 of title 27 or a condition that would be grounds for |
| supervision, conservation, or a delinquency proceeding, then the commissioner may require the |
| insurer to secure and maintain either a deposit, held by the commissioner, or a bond, as determined |
| by the insurer at the insurer’s discretion, for the protection of the insurer for the duration of the |
| contract(s) or agreement(s), or the existence of the condition for which the commissioner required |
| the deposit or the bond. In determining whether a deposit or a bond is required, the commissioner |
| should consider whether concerns exist with respect to the affiliated person’s ability to fulfill the |
| contract(s) or agreement(s) if the insurer were to be put into liquidation. Once the insurer is deemed |
| to be in a hazardous financial condition or a condition that would be grounds for supervision, |
| conservation, or a delinquency proceeding, and a deposit or bond is necessary, the commissioner |
| has discretion to determine the amount of the deposit or bond, not to exceed the value of the |
| contract(s) or agreement(s) in any one year, and whether such deposit or bond should be required |
| for a single contract, multiple contracts or a contract only with a specific person(s); |
| (viii) All records and data of the insurer held by an affiliate are and remain the property of |
| the insurer, are subject to control of the insurer, are identifiable, and are segregated or readily |
| capable of segregation, at no additional cost to the insurer, from all other persons’ records and data. |
| This includes all records and data that are otherwise the property of the insurer, in whatever form |
| maintained including, but not limited to, claims and claim files, policyholder lists, application files, |
| litigation files, premium records, rate books, underwriting manuals, personnel records, financial |
| records, or similar records within the possession, custody, or control of the affiliate. At the request |
| of the insurer, the affiliate shall provide that the receiver can obtain a complete set of all records of |
| any type that pertain to the insurer’s business; obtain access to the operating systems on which the |
| data is maintained; obtain the software that runs those systems either through assumption of |
| licensing agreements or otherwise; and restrict the use of the data by the affiliate if it is not operating |
| the insurer’s business. The affiliate shall provide a waiver of any landlord lien or other encumbrance |
| to give the insurer access to all records and data in the event of the affiliate’s default under a lease |
| or other agreement; and |
| (ix) Premiums or other funds belonging to the insurer that are collected by or held by an |
| affiliate are the exclusive property of the insurer and are subject to the control of the insurer. Any |
| right of offset in the event an insurer is placed into receivership shall be subject to chapter 14.3 of |
| title 27. |
| (2) The following transactions involving a domestic insurer and any person in its insurance |
| holding company system, including amendments or modifications of affiliate agreements |
| previously filed pursuant to this section, which are subject to any materiality standards contained |
| in subsections (a)(2)(i) through (a)(2)(vii) of this section, may not be entered into unless the insurer |
| has notified the commissioner in writing of its intention to enter into the transaction at least thirty |
| (30) days prior, or such shorter period as the commissioner may permit, and the commissioner has |
| not disapproved it within that period. The notice for amendments or modifications shall include the |
| reasons for the change and the financial impact on the domestic insurer. Informal notice shall be |
| reported, within thirty (30) days after a termination of a previously filed agreement, to the |
| commissioner for determination of the type of filing required, if any. |
| (i) Sales, purchases, exchanges, loans, extensions of credit, or investments, provided the |
| transactions are equal to or exceed: |
| (A) With respect to nonlife insurers, the lesser of three percent (3%) of the insurer’s |
| admitted assets or twenty-five percent (25%) of surplus as regards policyholders as of the 31st day |
| of December next preceding; or |
| (B) With respect to life insurers, three percent (3%) of the insurer’s admitted assets; as of |
| the 31st day of December next preceding; |
| (ii) Loans or extensions of credit to any person who is not an affiliate, where the insurer |
| makes the loans or extensions of credit with the agreement or understanding that the proceeds of |
| the transactions, in whole or in substantial part, are to be used to make loans or extensions of credit |
| to, to purchase assets of, or to make investments in, any affiliate of the insurer making the loans or |
| extensions of credit, provided the transactions are equal to or exceed: |
| (A) With respect to nonlife insurers, the lesser of three percent (3%) of the insurer’s |
| admitted assets or twenty-five percent (25%) of surplus as regards policyholders as of the 31st day |
| of December next preceding; |
| (B) With respect to life insurers, three percent (3%) of the insurer’s admitted assets; as of |
| the 31st day of December next preceding; |
| (iii) Reinsurance agreements or modifications thereto, including: |
| (A) All reinsurance pooling agreements; |
| (B) Agreements in which the reinsurance premium or a change in the insurer’s liabilities, |
| or the projected reinsurance premiums or a change in the insurer’s liabilities in any of the next three |
| (3) years, equals or exceeds five percent (5%) of the insurer’s surplus as regards policyholders as |
| of the 31st day of December next preceding, including those agreements which may require as |
| consideration the transfer of assets from an insurer to a nonaffiliate, if an agreement or |
| understanding exists between the insurer and nonaffiliate that any portion of those assets will be |
| transferred to one or more affiliates of the insurer; |
| (iv) All management agreements, service contracts, tax allocation agreements, guarantees |
| and all cost-sharing arrangements; |
| (v) Guarantees when made by a domestic insurer; provided, however, that a guarantee |
| which is quantifiable as to amount is not subject to the notice requirements of this subsection (a)(2) |
| unless it exceeds the lesser of one-half of one percent (.5%) of the insurer’s admitted assets or ten |
| percent (10%) of surplus as regards policyholders as of the 31st day of December next preceding. |
| Further, all guarantees which are not quantifiable as to amount are subject to the notice |
| requirements of this subsection (a)(2); |
| (vi) Direct or indirect acquisitions or investments in a person that controls the insurer or in |
| an affiliate of the insurer in an amount which, together with its present holdings in such investments, |
| exceeds two and one-half percent (2.5%) of the insurer’s surplus to policyholders. Direct or indirect |
| acquisitions or investments in subsidiaries acquired pursuant to § 27-35-1.5 (or authorized under |
| any other section of this chapter), or in non-subsidiary insurance affiliates that are subject to the |
| provisions of this chapter, are exempt from this requirement; and |
| (vii) Any material transactions, specified by regulation, the commissioner determines may |
| adversely affect the interests of the insurer’s policyholders. |
| Nothing contained in this subsection (a)(2) shall be deemed to authorize or permit any |
| transactions which, in the case of an insurer not a member of the same insurance holding company |
| system, would be otherwise contrary to law. |
| (3) A domestic insurer may not enter into transactions which are part of a plan or series of |
| like transactions with persons within the insurance holding company system if the purpose of those |
| separate transactions is to avoid the statutory threshold amount and thus avoid the review that would |
| occur otherwise. If the commissioner determines that the separate transactions were entered into |
| over any twelve-month (12) period for that purpose, he or she may exercise his or her authority |
| under § 27-35-9. |
| (4) The commissioner, in reviewing transactions pursuant to subsection (a)(2) of this |
| section shall consider whether the transactions comply with the standards set forth in subsection |
| (a)(1) of this section and whether they may adversely affect the interests of policyholders. |
| (5) The commissioner shall be notified within thirty (30) days of any investment of the |
| domestic insurer in any one corporation if the total investment in the corporation by the insurance |
| holding company system exceeds ten percent (10%) of the corporation’s voting securities. |
| (6) Supervision, seizure, conservatorship, or receivership proceedings. |
| (i) Any affiliate that is party to an agreement or contract with a domestic insurer that is |
| subject to subsection (a)(2)(iv) of this section shall be subject to the jurisdiction of any supervision, |
| seizure, conservatorship, or receivership proceedings against the insurer and to the authority of any |
| supervisor, conservator, rehabilitator, or liquidator for the insurer appointed pursuant to chapters |
| 14.1, 14.2, 14.3 and 14.4 of this title for the purpose of interpreting, enforcing, and overseeing the |
| affiliate’s obligations under the agreement or contract to perform services for the insurer that: |
| (A) Are an integral part of the insurer’s operations including, but not limited to, |
| management, administrative, accounting, data processing, marketing, underwriting, claims |
| handling, investment, or any other similar functions; or |
| (B) Are essential to the insurer’s ability to fulfill its obligations under insurance policies. |
| (ii) The commissioner may require that an agreement or contract pursuant to subsection |
| (a)(2)(iv) of this section for the provision of services described in subsections (6)(i)(A) and |
| (6)(i)(B) of this section specify that the affiliate consents to the jurisdiction as set forth in this |
| subsection (a)(6) of this section. |
| (b) Adequacy of surplus. For the purposes of this chapter, in determining whether an |
| insurer’s surplus as regards policyholders is reasonable in relation to the insurer’s outstanding |
| liabilities and adequate to its financial needs, the following factors, among others, shall be |
| considered: |
| (1) The size of the insurer as measured by its assets, capital and surplus, reserves, premium |
| writings, insurance in force, and other appropriate criteria; |
| (2) The extent to which the insurer’s business is diversified among the several lines of |
| insurance; |
| (3) The number and size of risks insured in each line of business; |
| (4) The extent of the geographical dispersion of the insurer’s insured risks; |
| (5) The nature and extent of the insurer’s reinsurance program; |
| (6) The quality, diversification, and liquidity of the insurer’s investment portfolio; |
| (7) The recent past and projected future trend in the size of the insurer’s investment |
| portfolio; |
| (8) The surplus as regards policyholders maintained by other comparable insurers; |
| (9) The adequacy of the insurer’s reserves; and |
| (10) The quality and liquidity of investment in affiliates. The commissioner may treat this |
| investment as a disallowed asset for the purposes of determining the adequacy of surplus as regards |
| policyholders whenever in his or her judgment the investment warrants. |
| (c) Dividends and other distributions.(1) No domestic insurer shall pay any extraordinary |
| dividend or make any other extraordinary distribution to its shareholders until thirty (30) days after |
| the commissioner has received notice of the declaration thereof and has not within that period |
| disapproved the payment, or until the commissioner has approved the payment within the thirty- |
| day (30) period. |
| (2) For purposes of this section, an “extraordinary dividend or distribution” includes any |
| dividend or distribution of cash or other property, whose fair market value together with that of |
| other dividends or distributions made within the preceding twelve (12) months exceeds the lesser |
| of: |
| (i) Ten percent (10%) of the insurer’s surplus as regards policyholders as of the 31st day |
| of December next preceding; or |
| (ii) The net gain from operations of the insurer, if the insurer is a life insurer, or the net |
| income, if the insurer is not a life insurer, not including realized capital gains, for the twelve-month |
| (12) period ending the 31st day of December next preceding, but shall not include pro rata |
| distributions of any class of the insurer’s own securities. |
| In determining whether a dividend or distribution is extraordinary, an insurer other than a |
| life insurer may carry forward net income from the previous two (2) calendar years that has not |
| already been paid out as dividends. This carry forward shall be computed by taking the net income |
| from the second and third preceding calendar years, not including realized capital gains, less |
| dividends paid in the second and immediate preceding calendar years. |
| (3) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an insurer may declare an extraordinary |
| dividend or distribution which is conditional upon the commissioner’s approval, and the declaration |
| shall confer no rights upon shareholders until: (i) The commissioner has approved the payment of |
| the dividend or distribution; or (ii) The commissioner has not disapproved the payment within the |
| thirty-day (30) period referred to in subsection (c)(1) of this section. |
| (d) Management of domestic insurers subject to registration. All domestic insurers shall |
| become in compliance and maintain compliance with the provisions of this title addressing good |
| corporate governance standards § 27-1-2.1, unless otherwise exempted in § 27-1-2.1. |
| SECTION 12. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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| LC005413/SUB A |
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