Bill Text: CA AB938 | 2017-2018 | Regular Session | Chaptered

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Bill Title: Reinsurance.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2017-09-01 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 202, Statutes of 2017. [AB938 Detail]

Download: California-2017-AB938-Chaptered.html

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Assembly Bill No. 938

CHAPTER 202

An act to amend Sections 922.4, 922.5, and 922.85 of the Insurance Code, relating to insurance, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately.

[ Approved by Governor  September 01, 2017. Filed with Secretary of State  September 01, 2017. ]

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 938, Cooley. Reinsurance.

Existing law requires every insurer doing business in the state to make and file annual financial statements with the Insurance Commissioner, as specified. Existing law, for the purposes of those financial statements, allows a domestic insurer that cedes reinsurance to an assuming reinsurer to take a credit for the reinsurance as either an asset or a deduction from liability if the reinsurer meets specified requirements. If the reinsurer does not meet those requirements, existing law allows a credit for reinsurance to be taken either as an asset or a deduction from liability in an amount not exceeding the liabilities carried by the ceding insurer to the extent that the ceding insurer provides security in the form of funds or letters of credit, as specified. Existing law authorizes the commissioner to prescribe requirements consistent with those provisions, as specified.

This bill would authorize the commissioner to adopt regulations applicable to reinsurance arrangements for certain life insurance policies, long-term care insurance policies, and annuities, as specified. The bill would authorize the commissioner, with regard to credit for reinsurance, to adopt by regulation, pursuant to specified provisions, specific additional requirements relating to or setting forth the valuation of assets or reserve credits, the amount and forms of security supporting reinsurance arrangements for certain life insurance policies, long-term care insurance policies, and annuities, and the circumstances pursuant to which a credit described above would be reduced or eliminated. The bill would require that any regulations adopted by the Department of Insurance in accordance with this act be based upon, and consistent with, the current version of the model regulations adopted by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, as provided.

This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

Digest Key

Vote: 2/3   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

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Bill Text

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

 Any regulations adopted by the Department of Insurance, based on the provisions in Assembly Bill 938 of the 2017–18 Regular Session, shall be based upon, and consistent with, the current version of the model regulations adopted by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), to the extent the practices and procedures contained in the NAIC model regulations do not conflict with any other provision of the Insurance Code.

SEC. 2.

 Section 922.4 of the Insurance Code is amended to read:

922.4.

 Credit for reinsurance shall be allowed a domestic ceding insurer as either an asset or a deduction from liability on account of reinsurance ceded only when the reinsurer meets the requirements of subdivision (a), (b), (c), (d), or (e). Credit shall be allowed under subdivision (a), (b), or (c) only for cessions of those kinds or classes of business that the assuming insurer is licensed or otherwise permitted to write or assume in its state of domicile or, in the case of a United States branch of an alien assuming insurer, in the state through which it is entered and licensed to transact insurance or reinsurance. The commissioner may adopt by regulation specific additional requirements relating to or setting forth the valuation of assets or reserve credits, the amount and forms of security supporting reinsurance arrangements described in subdivision (b) of Section 922.85, and the circumstances pursuant to which credit will be reduced or eliminated.

(a) Credit shall be allowed when the reinsurance is ceded to an assuming insurer that is licensed to transact insurance or reinsurance in this state unless the assuming insurer is the subject of a regulatory order or regulatory oversight by any state in which it is licensed based upon a commissioner’s determination that the assuming insurer is in a hazardous financial condition.

(b) (1) Credit shall be allowed when the reinsurance is ceded to an assuming insurer that is accredited as a reinsurer in this state unless the assuming insurer is the subject of a regulatory order or regulatory oversight by any state in which it is licensed based upon a commissioner’s determination that the assuming insurer is in a hazardous financial condition. An accredited reinsurer is one that does all of the following:

(A) Files with the commissioner evidence of its submission to this state’s jurisdiction.

(B) Submits to this state’s authority to examine its books and records.

(C) Designates the commissioner or a designated attorney in this state as its true and lawful attorney upon whom may be served any lawful process in any action, suit, or proceeding instituted by or on behalf of the ceding insurer.

(D) Is licensed to transact insurance or reinsurance in at least one state, or in the case of a United States branch of an alien assuming insurer, is entered through and licensed to transact insurance or reinsurance in at least one state.

(E) Files annually with the commissioner a copy of its annual statement filed with the insurance department of its state of domicile and a copy of its most recent audited financial statement and other financial information requested by the commissioner.

(F) Submits a statement, signed and verified by an officer of the assuming insurer to be true and correct, that discloses whether the assuming insurer or any affiliated person who owns or has a controlling interest in the assuming insurer is currently known to be the subject of any of the following:

(i) Any order or proceeding regarding conservation, liquidation, or receivership.

(ii) Any order or proceeding regarding the revocation or suspension of a license or accreditation to transact insurance or reinsurance in any jurisdiction.

(iii) Any order or proceeding brought by an insurance regulator in any jurisdiction seeking to restrict or stop the assuming insurer from transacting insurance or reinsurance based upon a hazardous financial condition.

The assuming insurer shall provide the commissioner with copies of any orders or other documents initiating proceedings subject to disclosure under this paragraph. The statement shall affirm that no actions, proceedings, or orders subject to this subparagraph are outstanding against the assuming insurer or any affiliated person who owns or has a controlling interest in the assuming insurer, except as disclosed in the statement.

(G) Demonstrates to the satisfaction of the commissioner that it has adequate financial capacity to meet its reinsurance obligations and is otherwise qualified to assume reinsurance from domestic insurers. An assuming insurer is deemed to meet this requirement if it maintains a surplus as regards policyholders in an amount that is not less than twenty million dollars ($20,000,000) and whose accreditation has not been denied by the commissioner within 90 days of its submission. An assuming insurer who is not deemed to meet this requirement shall obtain the affirmative approval of the commissioner. The approval of the commissioner shall be based upon a finding that the assuming insurer has adequate financial capacity to meet its reinsurance obligations and is otherwise qualified to assume reinsurance from domestic insurers.

(2) The commissioner may deny or revoke an assuming insurer’s accreditation if the assuming insurer does not meet all of the standards required of an accredited reinsurer, or if its accreditation would be hazardous to the policyholders of this state. In determining whether to deny or revoke accreditation, the commissioner may consider the qualifications of the assuming insurer with respect to all the following subjects:

(A) Its financial stability.

(B) The lawfulness and quality of its investments.

(C) The competency, character, and integrity of its management.

(D) The competency, character, and integrity of persons who own or have a controlling interest in the assuming insurer.

(E) Whether claims under its contracts are promptly and fairly adjusted and are promptly and fully paid in accordance with the law and the terms of the contracts.

(3) Credit shall not be allowed a domestic ceding insurer if the assuming insurer’s accreditation has been revoked by the commissioner after notice and hearing.

(c) Credit shall be allowed when the reinsurance is ceded to an assuming insurer that has been certified by the commissioner pursuant to Section 922.41.

(d) (1) Credit shall be allowed when the reinsurance is ceded to an assuming insurer that maintains a trust fund in a qualified United States financial institution as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 922.7 for the payment of the valid claims of its United States ceding insurers, their assigns, and successors in interest. To enable the commissioner to determine the sufficiency of the trust fund the assuming insurer shall report annually to the commissioner information substantially the same as that required to be reported on the NAIC Annual Statement form by licensed insurers or any other form required by the NAIC.

(2) Credit for reinsurance shall not be granted under this subdivision unless the form of the trust and any amendments to the trust have been approved by either:

(A) The commissioner of the state where the trust is domiciled.

(B) The commissioner of another state who, pursuant to the terms of the trust instrument, has accepted principal regulatory oversight of the trust.

The trust and any trust amendments shall also be filed with the commissioner of every state in which the ceding insurer beneficiaries of the trust are domiciled. Notwithstanding the foregoing, nothing in this paragraph shall prevent the commissioner from disapproving the form of the trust if it is not in compliance with this state’s laws and regulations.

(3) Credit for reinsurance shall not be granted under this subdivision unless the following requirements are met:

(A) The trust instrument shall provide that contested claims shall be valid, enforceable, and payable out of funds in trust to the extent remaining unsatisfied 30 days after entry of the final order of any court of competent jurisdiction in the United States.

(B) The trust shall vest legal title to its assets in the trustees of the trust for the benefit of the grantor’s United States ceding insurers, their assigns, and successors in interest.

(C) The trust and the assuming insurer shall be subject to examination as determined by the commissioner.

(D) The trust shall remain in effect for as long as the assuming insurer, or any member or former member of a group of insurers, shall have outstanding obligations due under the reinsurance agreements subject to the trust.

(E) No later than February 28 of each year, the trustees of the trust shall report to the commissioner in writing setting forth the balance of the trust and listing the trust’s investments at the preceding yearend and shall certify the date of termination of the trust, if so planned, or certify that the trust shall not expire within the next 18 months.

(F) The assuming insurer shall do both of the following:

(i) Submit to the jurisdiction of any court of competent jurisdiction in any state of the United States, comply with all requirements necessary to give the court jurisdiction, and abide by the final decision of the court or of any appellate court in the event of an appeal.

(ii) Designate the commissioner or an attorney in this state as its true and lawful agent upon whom may be served any lawful process in any action, suit, or proceeding instituted by or on behalf of the ceding insurer.

This subparagraph is not intended to conflict with or override the obligation of the parties to a reinsurance agreement to arbitrate their disputes, if this obligation is created in the agreement.

(G) The assuming insurer shall agree in the trust agreement that notwithstanding any other provision in the trust instrument, if the trust fund is inadequate because it contains an amount less than the amount required by paragraph (4), or if the grantor of the trust has been declared insolvent or placed into receivership, rehabilitation, liquidation, or similar proceedings under the laws of its state or country of domicile:

(i) The trustee shall comply with an order of the commissioner with regulatory oversight over the trust or with an order of a court of competent jurisdiction directing the trustee to transfer to the commissioner with regulatory oversight all of the assets of the trust fund.

(ii) The assets shall be distributed by, and insurance claims shall be filed with and valued by, the commissioner with regulatory oversight in accordance with the laws of the state in which the trust is domiciled that are applicable to the liquidation of domestic insurance companies.

(iii) If the commissioner with regulatory oversight determines that the assets of the trust fund or any part thereof are not necessary to satisfy the claims of the United States ceding insurers of the grantor of the trust, the assets or part thereof shall be returned by the commissioner with regulatory oversight to the trustee for distribution in accordance with the trust agreement.

(iv) The grantor hereby waives any right otherwise available to it under United States law that is inconsistent with this provision.

(4) The following requirements apply to the following categories of assuming insurer:

(A) The trust fund for a single assuming insurer shall consist of funds in trust in an amount not less than the assuming insurer’s liabilities attributable to reinsurance ceded by United States domiciled ceding insurers, and, in addition, the assuming insurer shall maintain a trusteed surplus of not less than twenty million dollars ($20,000,000), except as provided in subparagraph (B), (C), or (D).

(B) In the case of a group including incorporated and individual unincorporated underwriters:

(i) For reinsurance ceded under reinsurance agreements with an inception, amendment, or renewal date on or after January 1, 1993, the trust shall consist of a trusteed account in an amount not less than the respective underwriters’ several liabilities attributable to business ceded by United States domiciled ceding insurers to any underwriter of the group.

(ii) For reinsurance ceded under reinsurance agreements with an inception date on or before December 31, 1992, and not amended or renewed after that date, notwithstanding the other provisions of this article, the trust shall consist of a trusteed account in an amount not less than the respective underwriters’ several insurance and reinsurance liabilities attributable to business written in the United States.

(iii) In addition to the trusts required in clauses (i) and (ii), the group shall maintain in trust a trusteed surplus of which one hundred million dollars ($100,000,000) shall be held jointly for the benefit of the United States domiciled ceding insurers of any member of the group for all years of account.

(iv) The incorporated members of the group shall not be engaged in any business other than underwriting as a member of the group and shall be subject to the same level of regulation and solvency control by the group’s domiciliary regulator as are the unincorporated members.

(v) The group shall, within 90 days after its financial statements are due to be filed with the group’s domiciliary regulator, provide to the commissioner an annual certification by the group’s domiciliary regulator of the solvency of each underwriter member; or, if a certification is unavailable, financial statements prepared by independent public accountants of each underwriter member of the group.

(C) In the case of a group of incorporated insurers under common administration, the group shall meet all of the following requirements:

(i) Have continuously transacted an insurance business outside the United States for at least three years immediately prior to making application for accreditation and be in good standing with its domiciliary regulator.

(ii) Demonstrate that individual insurer members maintain standards and financial conditions reasonably comparable to admitted insurers.

(iii) Maintain aggregate policyholders’ surplus of at least ten billion dollars ($10,000,000,000).

(iv) Maintain a trust fund in an amount not less than the group’s several liabilities attributable to business ceded by United States domiciled ceding insurers to any member of the group pursuant to reinsurance contracts issued in the name of such group.

(v) In addition, maintain a joint trusteed surplus of which one hundred million dollars ($100,000,000) shall be held jointly for the benefit of United States ceding insurers of any member of the group as additional security for these liabilities. The commissioner shall have the authority to require additional amounts to be held in the trust as a condition for initial or continued accreditation if the commissioner determines that these additional amounts are required for the protection of ceding insurers.

(vi) Within 90 days after its financial statements are due to be filed with the group’s domiciliary regulator, make available to the commissioner an annual certification of each underwriter member’s solvency by the member’s domiciliary regulator, and financial statements for each underwriter member of the group prepared by its independent public accountant.

(D) At any time after the assuming insurer has permanently discontinued underwriting new business secured by the trust for at least three full years, the commissioner may authorize a reduction in the required trusteed surplus, but only after a finding, based on an assessment of the risk, that the new required surplus level is adequate for the protection of United States ceding insurers, policyholders, and claimants in light of reasonably foreseeable adverse loss development. The risk assessment may involve an actuarial review, including an independent analysis of reserves and cashflows, and shall consider all material risk factors, including, when applicable, the lines of business involved, the stability of the incurred loss estimates, and the effect of the surplus requirements on the assuming insurer’s liquidity or solvency. The minimum required trusteed surplus may not be reduced to an amount less than 50 percent of the assuming insurer’s liabilities attributable to reinsurance ceded by United States ceding insurers covered by the trust, unless the commissioner expressly finds that appropriate circumstances justify a lower level of minimum required trusteed surplus, provided the minimum required trusteed surplus may not be reduced to an amount less than 30 percent of the assuming insurer’s liabilities attributable to reinsurance ceded by United States ceding insurers covered by the trust.

(e) Credit shall be allowed when the reinsurance ceded to an assuming insurer not meeting the requirements of subdivision (a), (b), (c), or (d), but only as to the insurance of risks located in jurisdictions where the reinsurance is required by applicable law or regulation of that jurisdiction. As used in this section, “jurisdiction” means state, district, or territory of the United States and any lawful national government.

SEC. 3.

 Section 922.5 of the Insurance Code is amended to read:

922.5.

 (a) An asset or a deduction from liability for reinsurance ceded by a domestic insurer to an assuming insurer not meeting the requirements of Section 922.4 shall be allowed in an amount not exceeding the liabilities carried by the ceding insurer to the extent of either of the following:

(1) The asset or deduction is not greater than the amount of funds held by the ceding insurer under a reinsurance contract with that assuming insurer as security for the payment of obligations thereunder and those funds are held in the United States under the exclusive control of the ceding insurer.

(2) The asset or deduction is not greater than the amount of funds held in a trust, satisfactory to the commissioner, on behalf of the ceding insurer under a reinsurance contract with the assuming insurer as security for the payment of obligations thereunder and is held in a qualified United States financial institution, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 922.7, subject to withdrawal solely by the ceding insurer.

The security under this subdivision may be in the form of cash or securities authorized as general investments under Article 3 (commencing with Section 1170) of Chapter 2, or securities listed by the Securities Valuation Office of the NAIC, including those deemed exempt from filing, as defined by the Purposes and Procedures Manual of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners Securities Valuation Office, qualifying as admitted assets under this code and with liquidity meeting the requirements of Section 706.5, and not otherwise disallowed in the commissioner’s discretion.

(b) An asset or a deduction from liability for reinsurance ceded by a domestic insurer to an assuming insurer not meeting the requirements of Section 922.4 shall be allowed in an amount not exceeding the liabilities carried by the ceding insurer to the extent that security is provided in the form of letters of credit, satisfactory to the commissioner, which shall be:

(1) Clean, irrevocable, unconditional letters of credit, issued or confirmed by qualified United States financial institutions, as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 922.7, effective no later than December 31st in respect of the year for which filing is being made, and in the possession of the ceding insurer on or before the filing date of its annual statement.

(2) Letters of credit meeting applicable standards of issuer acceptability as of the dates of their issuance or confirmation and shall, notwithstanding the issuing or confirming institutions’ subsequent failure to meet applicable standards of issuer acceptability, continue to be acceptable as security until their expiration, extension, renewal, modification, or amendment, whichever first occurs.

(c) For purposes of this section, the phrase “deemed exempt from filing as defined by the Purposes and Procedures Manual of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners Securities Valuation Office” shall mean all United States government securities, and all other securities or bonds with a rating of SVO 1 or FE 1 listed by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners Securities Valuation Office as exempt.

(d) The commissioner may adopt, by regulation pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 922.85, specific additional requirements relating to or setting forth the valuation of assets or reserve credits, the amount and forms of security supporting reinsurance arrangements described in paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 922.85, and the circumstances pursuant to which credit will be reduced or eliminated.

SEC. 4.

 Section 922.85 of the Insurance Code is amended to read:

922.85.

 (a) The commissioner may adopt regulations in accordance with the procedures provided in Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code or otherwise prescribe requirements consistent with Sections 922.4, 922.41, 922.42, 922.43, and 922.5, provided the commissioner may update subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (h) and subdivision (i) of Section 922.41 to add other nationally recognized statistical rating agencies, or to modify the rating categories, the corresponding financial ratings, or the percentage of security required to conform to changes in these factors adopted by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC).

(b) (1) The commissioner may adopt regulations applicable to reinsurance arrangements described in paragraph (2).

(2) A regulation adopted pursuant to this subdivision may apply only to reinsurance relating to the following:

(A) Life insurance policies with guaranteed nonlevel gross premiums or guaranteed nonlevel benefits.

(B) Universal life insurance policies with a provision resulting in the ability of a policyholder to keep a policy in force over a secondary guarantee period.

(C) Variable annuities with guaranteed death or living benefits.

(D) Long-term care insurance policies.

(E) Other life and health insurance and annuity products as to which the NAIC adopts model regulatory requirements with respect to credit for reinsurance.

(3) A regulation adopted pursuant to subparagraph (A) or (B) of paragraph (2) may apply to any treaty containing the following:

(A) Policies issued on or after January 1, 2015.

(B) Policies issued prior to January 1, 2015, if risk pertaining to those policies is ceded in connection with the treaty, in whole or in part, on or after January 1, 2015.

(4) A regulation adopted pursuant to this subdivision may require the ceding insurer, in calculating the amounts or forms of security required to be held under regulations promulgated under this authority, to use the Valuation Manual adopted pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 10489.96, including all amendments in effect on the date as of which the calculation is made, to the extent applicable.

(5) A regulation adopted pursuant to this subdivision shall not apply to cessions to an assuming insurer that satisfies either of the following:

(A) The insurer is certified in this state, or certified in a minimum of five other states.

(B) The insurer maintains at least two hundred fifty million dollars ($250,000,000) in capital and surplus when determined in accordance with the NAIC Accounting Practices and Procedures Manual, including all amendments thereto adopted by the NAIC, excluding the impact of any permitted or prescribed practices, and satisfies either of the following:

(i) The insurer is licensed in at least 26 states.

(ii) The insurer is licensed in at least 10 states, and licensed or accredited in a total of at least 35 states.

(6) The authority to adopt regulations pursuant to this subdivision does not limit the commissioner’s general authority to adopt regulations pursuant to subdivision (a).

SEC. 5.

 This act is an urgency statute necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within the meaning of Article IV of the California Constitution and shall go into immediate effect. The facts constituting the necessity are:

In order to provide the commissioner with the specific authority to issue regulations on term and universal life financing arrangements as soon as possible, and in order to establish uniform minimum standards for securing a life reinsurer’s obligations under captive reinsurance treaties and reserve financing arrangements by providing regulations that establish an actuarial method to calculate the portion of the ceded reserve that must be collateralized by primary security, and the types of assets that qualify as primary security, as soon as possible, it is necessary that this act take effect immediately.