Missouri Revised Statutes
Chapter 375
Provisions Applicable to All Insurance Companies
←375.236
Section 375.246.1
375.251→
August 28, 2015
Reinsurance, when allowed as an asset or reduction from liability.
375.246. 1. Credit for reinsurance shall be allowed a domestic
ceding insurer as either an asset or a reduction from liability on account
of reinsurance ceded only when the reinsurer meets the requirements of
subdivisions (1) to (6) of this subsection. Credit shall be allowed
pursuant to subdivision (1), (2) or (3) of this subsection only as respects
cessions of those kinds or classes of business which 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. Credit shall be allowed pursuant to subdivision
(3), (4), or (5) of this subsection only if the applicable requirements of
subdivision (7) have been satisfied.
(1) Credit shall be allowed when the reinsurance is ceded to an
assuming insurer that is licensed to transact insurance in this state;
(2) Credit shall be allowed when the reinsurance is ceded to an
assuming insurer that is accredited by the director as a reinsurer in this
state. In order to be eligible for accreditation, a reinsurer shall:
(a) File with the director evidence of its submission to this state's
jurisdiction;
(b) Submit to the authority of the department of insurance, financial
institutions and professional registration to examine its books and
records;
(c) Be 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;
(d) File annually with the director 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
(e) Demonstrate to the satisfaction of the director 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 such requirement as of the time of its
application if it maintains a surplus regarding policyholders in an amount
not less than twenty million dollars and its accreditation has not been
denied by the director within ninety days after submission of its
application;
(3) Credit shall be allowed when the reinsurance is ceded to an
assuming insurer that is domiciled in, or in the case of a United States
branch of an alien assuming insurer is entered through, a state that
employs standards regarding credit for reinsurance substantially similar to
those applicable under this statute and the assuming insurer or United
States branch of an alien assuming insurer:
(a) Maintains a surplus as regards policyholders in an amount not
less than twenty million dollars; except that this paragraph does not apply
to reinsurance ceded and assumed pursuant to pooling arrangements among
insurers in the same holding company system; and
(b) Submits to the authority of the department of insurance,
financial institutions and professional registration to examine its books
and records;
(4) (a) 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 (2) of subsection 3 of
this section, for the payment of the valid claims of its United States
ceding insurers, their assigns and successors in interest. To enable the
director to determine the sufficiency of the trust fund, the assuming
insurer shall report annually to the director information substantially the
same as that required to be reported on the National Association of
Insurance Commissioners' annual statement form by licensed insurers. The
assuming insurer shall submit to examination of its books and records by
the director.
(b) Credit for reinsurance shall not be granted pursuant to this
subdivision unless the form of the trust and any amendments to the trust
have been approved by:
a. The commissioner or director of the state agency regulating
insurance in the state where the trust is domiciled; or
b. The commissioner or director of another state who, pursuant to the
terms of the trust instrument, has accepted principal regulatory oversight
of the trust.
(c) The form of the trust and any trust amendments shall also be
filed with the commissioner or director in every state in which the ceding
insurer beneficiaries of the trust are domiciled. The trust instrument
shall provide that contested claims shall be valid and enforceable upon the
final order of any court of competent jurisdiction in the United States.
The trust shall vest legal title to its assets in its trustees for the
benefit of the assuming insurer's United States ceding insurers, their
assigns and successors in interest. The trust and the assuming insurer
shall be subject to examination as determined by the director.
(d) The trust shall remain in effect for as long as the assuming
insurer has outstanding obligations due under the reinsurance agreements
subject to the trust. No later than February twenty-eighth of each year
the trustees of the trust shall report to the director in writing the
balance of the trust and listing the trust's investments at the preceding
year end and shall certify the date of termination of the trust, if so
planned, or certify that the trust will not expire prior to the next
following December thirty-first.
(e) The following requirements apply to the following categories of
assuming insurers:
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 the United States ceding
insurers, and, in addition, the assuming insurer shall maintain a trusteed
surplus of not less than twenty million dollars, except as provided in
subparagraph b. of this paragraph;
b. At any time after the assuming insurer has permanently
discontinued underwriting new business secured by the trust for at least
three full years, the director with principal regulator oversight of the
trust may authorize a reduction in the required trusteed surplus, but only
after a finding based on an assessment of 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 cash flows, 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 shall not be
reduced to an amount less than thirty percent of the assuming insurer's
liabilities attributable to reinsurance ceded by United States ceding
insurers covered by the trust;
c. In the case of a group of 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 underwriter's 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 section, the
trust shall consist of a trustee account in an amount not less than the
respective underwriter's several insurance and reinsurance liabilities
attributable to business in the United States; and
(iii) In addition to these trusts, the group shall maintain in trust
a trusteed surplus of which one hundred million dollars 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;
d. 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;
e. Within ninety days after its financial statements are due to be
filed with the group's domiciliary regulator, the group shall provide to
the director 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;
(5) (a) Credit shall be allowed when the reinsurance is ceded to an
assuming insurer that has been certified by the director as a reinsurer in
this state and secures its obligations in accordance with the requirements
of this subdivision.
(b) In order to be eligible for certification, the assuming insurer
shall meet the following requirements:
a. The assuming insurer shall be domiciled and licensed to transact
insurance or reinsurance in a qualified jurisdiction, as determined by the
director under paragraph (d) of this subdivision;
b. The assuming insurer shall maintain minimum capital and surplus,
or its equivalent, in an amount to be determined by the director by rule;
c. The assuming insurer shall maintain financial strength ratings
from two or more rating agencies deemed acceptable by the director by rule;
d. The assuming insurer shall agree to submit to the jurisdiction of
this state, appoint the director as its agent for service of process in
this state, and agree to provide security for one hundred percent of the
assuming insurer's liabilities attributable to reinsurance ceded by United
States ceding insurers if it resists enforcement of a final United States
judgment;
e. The assuming insurer shall agree to meet applicable information
filing requirements as determined by the director, both with respect to an
initial application for certification and on an ongoing basis; and
f. The assuming insurer shall satisfy any other requirements for
certification deemed relevant by the director.
(c) An association including incorporated and individual
unincorporated underwriters may be a certified reinsurer. To be eligible
for certification, in addition to satisfying requirements of paragraph (b)
of this subdivision:
a. The association shall satisfy its minimum capital and surplus
requirements through the capital and surplus equivalents (net of
liabilities) of the association and its members, which shall include a
joint central fund that may be applied to any unsatisfied obligation of the
association or any of its members, in an amount determined by the director
to provide adequate protection;
b. The incorporated members of the association shall not be engaged
in any business other than underwriting as a member of the association and
shall be subject to the same level of regulation and solvency control by
the association's domiciliary regulator as are the unincorporated members;
and
c. Within ninety days after its financial statements are due to be
filed with the association's domiciliary regulator, the association shall
provide to the director:
(i) An annual certification by the association's domiciliary
regulator of the solvency of each underwriter member; or
(ii) If a certification is unavailable, financial statements prepared
by independent public accountants of each underwriter member of the
association.
(d) a. The director shall create and publish a list of qualified
jurisdictions, under which an assuming insurer licensed and domiciled in
such jurisdiction is eligible to be considered for certification by the
director as a certified reinsurer.
b. To determine whether the domiciliary jurisdiction of a non-United
States assuming insurer is eligible to be recognized as a qualified
jurisdiction, the director shall evaluate the appropriateness and
effectiveness of the reinsurance supervisory system of the jurisdiction,
both initially and on an ongoing basis, and consider the rights, benefits,
and extent of reciprocal recognition afforded by the non-United States
jurisdiction to reinsurers licensed and domiciled in the United States. A
qualified jurisdiction shall agree to share information and cooperate with
the director with respect to all certified reinsurers domiciled within that
jurisdiction. A jurisdiction shall not be recognized as a qualified
jurisdiction if the director has determined that the jurisdiction does not
adequately and promptly enforce final United States judgments and
arbitration awards. Additional factors may be considered at the discretion
of the director.
c. The director may consider a list of qualified jurisdictions
published by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) in
determining qualified jurisdictions for the purposes of this section. If
the director approves a jurisdiction as qualified that does not appear on
the list of qualified jurisdictions, the director shall provide thoroughly
documented justification in accordance with criteria to be developed by
rule.
d. United States jurisdictions that meet the requirement for
accreditation under the NAIC financial standards and accreditation program
shall be recognized as qualified jurisdictions.
e. If a certified reinsurer's domiciliary jurisdiction ceases to be a
qualified jurisdiction, the director has the discretion to suspend the
reinsurer's certification indefinitely, in lieu of revocation.
(e) The director shall assign a rating to each certified reinsurer,
giving due consideration to the financial strength ratings that have been
assigned by rating agencies deemed acceptable to the director by rule. The
director shall publish a list of all certified reinsurers and their
ratings.
(f) a. A certified reinsurer shall secure obligations assumed from
United States ceding insurers under this subdivision at a level consistent
with its rating, as specified in regulations promulgated by the director.
b. For a domestic ceding insurer to qualify for full financial
statement credit for reinsurance ceded to a certified reinsurer, the
certified reinsurer shall maintain security in a form acceptable to the
director and consistent with the provisions of this section or in a
multibeneficiary trust in accordance with paragraph (e) of subdivision (4)
of this subsection, except as otherwise provided in this subdivision.
c. If a certified reinsurer maintains a trust to fully secure its
obligations under paragraph (d) of subdivision (4) of this subsection and
chooses to secure its obligations incurred as a certified reinsurer in the
form of a multibeneficiary trust, the certified reinsurer shall maintain
separate trust accounts for its obligations incurred under reinsurance
agreements issued or renewed as a certified reinsurer with reduced security
as permitted by this subsection or comparable laws of other United States
jurisdictions and for its obligations subject to paragraph (e) of
subdivision (4) of this subsection. It shall be a condition to the grant
of certification under this section that the certified reinsurer shall have
bound itself, by the language of the trust and agreement with the director
with principal regulatory oversight of each such trust account, to fund,
upon termination of any such trust account, out of the remaining surplus of
such trust any deficiency of any other such trust account.
d. The minimum trusteed surplus requirements provided in paragraph
(e) of subdivision (4) of this subsection are not applicable with respect
to a multibeneficiary trust maintained by a certified reinsurer for the
purpose of securing obligations incurred under this paragraph, except that
such trust shall maintain a minimum trusteed surplus of ten million
dollars.
e. With respect to obligations incurred by a certified reinsurer
under this paragraph, if the security is insufficient, the director shall
order the certified reinsurer to provide sufficient security for such
incurred obligations within thirty days. If a certified reinsurer does not
provide sufficient security for its obligations incurred under this
subsection within thirty days of being ordered to do so by the director,
the director has the discretion to allow credit in the amount of the
required security for one year. Following this one-year period, the
director shall impose reductions in allowable credit upon finding that
there is a material risk that the certified reinsurer's obligations will
not be paid in full when due.
f. (i) For purposes of this paragraph, a certified reinsurer whose
certification has been terminated for any reason shall be treated as a
certified reinsurer required to secure one hundred percent of its
obligations.
(ii) As used in this subparagraph, the term "terminated" refers to
revocation, suspension, voluntary surrender, and inactive status.
(iii) If the director continues to assign a higher rating as
permitted by other provisions of this subdivision, this requirement does
not apply to a certified reinsurer in inactive status or to a reinsurer
whose certification has been suspended.
g. If an applicant for certification has been certified as a
reinsurer in an NAIC-accredited jurisdiction, the director has the
discretion to defer to that jurisdiction's certification and to the rating
assigned by that jurisdiction, and such assuming insurer shall be
considered to be a certified reinsurer in this state.
h. A certified reinsurer that ceases to assume new business in this
state may request to maintain its certification in inactive status in order
to continue to qualify for a reduction in security for its in-force
business. An inactive certified reinsurer shall continue to comply with
all applicable requirements of this subsection, and the director shall
assign a rating that takes into account, if relevant, the reasons why the
reinsurer is not assuming new business.
(6) Credit:
(a) Shall be allowed when the reinsurance is ceded to an assuming
insurer not meeting the requirements of subdivision (1), (2), (3), (4), or
(5) of this subsection, but only as to the insurance of risks located in a
jurisdiction of the United States where the reinsurance is required by
applicable law or regulation of that jurisdiction;
(b) May be allowed in the discretion of the director when the
reinsurance is ceded to an assuming insurer not meeting the requirements of
subdivision (1), (2), (3), (4), or (5) of this subsection, but only as to
the insurance of risks located in a foreign country where the reinsurance
is required by applicable law or regulation of that country;
(7) If the assuming insurer is not licensed, accredited, or certified
to transact insurance or reinsurance in this state, the credit permitted by
subdivisions (3) and (4) of this subsection shall not be allowed unless the
assuming insurer agrees in the reinsurance agreements:
(a) That in the event of the failure of the assuming insurer to
perform its obligations under the terms of the reinsurance agreement, the
assuming insurer, at the request of the ceding insurer shall submit to the
jurisdiction of the courts of this state, will comply with all requirements
necessary to give such courts jurisdiction, and will abide by the final
decisions of such courts or of any appellate courts in this state in the
event of an appeal; and
(b) To designate the director or a designated attorney 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. This paragraph 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 and the
jurisdiction and situs of the arbitration is, with respect to any
receivership of the ceding company, any jurisdiction of the United States;
(8) If the assuming insurer does not meet the requirements of
subdivision (1), (2) or (3) of this subsection, the credit permitted by
subdivision (4) or (5) of this subsection shall not be allowed unless the
assuming insurer agrees in the trust agreements to the following
conditions:
(a) Notwithstanding any other provisions in the trust instrument, if
the trust fund is inadequate because it contains an amount less than the
amount required by paragraph (e) of subdivision (4) of this subsection, 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, the trustee shall comply with an
order of the commissioner or director with regulatory oversight over the
trust or with an order of a court of competent jurisdiction directing the
trustee to transfer to the commissioner or director with regulatory
oversight all of the assets of the trust fund;
(b) The assets shall be distributed by and claims shall be filed with
and valued by the commissioner or director 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;
(c) If the commissioner or director 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 or director with regulatory oversight to the trustee for
distribution in accordance with the trust agreement; and
(d) The grantor shall waive any right otherwise available to it under
United States law that is inconsistent with this subsection.
(9) (a) If an accredited or certified reinsurer ceases to meet the
requirements for accreditation or certification, the director may suspend
or revoke the reinsurer's accreditation or certification.
(b) The director shall give the reinsurer notice and opportunity for
a hearing. The suspension or revocation shall not take effect until after
the director's order on hearing, unless:
a. The reinsurer waives its right to hearing;
b. The director's order is based on regulatory action by the
reinsurer's domiciliary jurisdiction or the voluntary surrender or
termination of the reinsurer's eligibility to transact insurance or
reinsurance business in its domiciliary jurisdiction or in the primary
certifying state of the reinsurer under subdivision (5)* of this
subsection; or
c. The director finds that an emergency requires immediate action,
and a court of competent jurisdiction has not stayed the commissioner's
action.
(c) While a reinsurer's accreditation or certification is suspended,
no reinsurance contract issued or renewed after the effective date of the
suspension qualifies for credit except to the extent that the reinsurer's
obligations under the contract are secured in accordance with subdivision
(5) of this subsection or subsection 2 of this section. If a reinsurer's
accreditation or certification is revoked, no credit for reinsurance shall
be granted after the effective date of the revocation except to the extent
that the reinsurer's obligations under the contract are secured in
accordance with subdivision (5) of this subsection or subsection 2 of this
section.
(10) (a) A ceding insurer shall take steps to manage its reinsurance
recoverables proportionate to its own book of business. A domestic ceding
insurer shall notify the director within thirty days after reinsurance
recoverables from any single assuming insurer or group of affiliated
assuming insurers exceeds fifty percent of the domestic ceding insurer's
last reported surplus to policyholders or after it is determined that
reinsurance recoverables from any single assuming insurer or group of
affiliated assuming insurers is likely to exceed such limit. The
notification shall demonstrate that the exposure is safely managed by the
domestic ceding insurer.
(b) A ceding insurer shall take steps to diversify its reinsurance
program. A domestic ceding insurer shall notify the director within thirty
days after ceding to any single assuming insurer or group of affiliated
assuming insurers more than twenty percent of the ceding insurer's gross
written premium in the prior calendar year or after it has determined that
the reinsurance ceded to any single assuming insurer or group of affiliated
assuming insurers is likely to exceed such limit. The notification shall
demonstrate that the exposure is safely managed by the domestic ceding
insurer.
2. An asset or reduction from liability for the reinsurance ceded by
a domestic insurer to an assuming insurer not meeting the requirements of
subsection 1 of this section shall be allowed in an amount not exceeding
the liabilities carried by the ceding insurer. The reduction shall be in
the amount of funds held by or on behalf of the ceding insurer, including
funds held in trust for the ceding insurer, under a reinsurance contract
with the assuming insurer as security for the payment of obligations
thereunder, if the security is held in the United States subject to
withdrawal solely by, and under the exclusive control of, the ceding
insurer; or, in the case of a trust, held in a qualified United States
financial institution, as defined in subdivision (2) of subsection 3 of
this section. This security may be in the form of:
(1) Cash;
(2) Securities listed by the securities valuation office of the
National Association of Insurance Commissioners, including those deemed
exempt from filing as defined by the Purposes and Procedures Manual of the
Securities Valuation Office, and qualifying as admitted assets;
(3) (a) Clean, irrevocable, unconditional letters of credit issued
or confirmed by a qualified United States financial institution, as defined
in subdivision (1) of subsection 3 of this section, no later than December
thirty-first of the year for which filing is being made, and in the
possession of, or in trust for, the ceding insurer on or before the filing
date of its annual statement.
(b) Letters of credit meeting applicable standards of issuer
acceptability as of the dates of their issuance or confirmation,
notwithstanding the issuing or confirming institution's subsequent failure
to meet applicable standards of issuer acceptability, shall continue to be
acceptable as security until their expiration, extension, renewal,
modification or amendment, whichever first occurs;
(4) Any other form of security acceptable to the director.
3. (1) For purposes of subdivision (3) of subsection 2 of this
section, a "qualified United States financial institution" means an
institution that:
(a) Is organized or, in the case of a United States office of a
foreign banking organization, licensed under the laws of the United States
or any state thereof;
(b) Is regulated, supervised and examined by federal or state
authorities having regulatory authority over banks and trust companies; and
(c) Has been determined by either the director, or the securities
valuation office of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, to
meet such standards of financial condition and standing as are considered
necessary and appropriate to regulate the quality of financial institutions
whose letters of credit will be acceptable to the director.
(2) A "qualified United States financial institution" means, for
purposes of those provisions of this law specifying those institutions that
are eligible to act as a fiduciary of a trust, an institution that:
(a) Is organized, or in the case of a United States branch or agency
office of a foreign banking organization, licensed under the laws of the
United States or any state thereof and has been granted authority to
operate with fiduciary powers; and
(b) Is regulated, supervised and examined by federal or state
authorities having regulatory authority over banks and trust companies.
4. The director may adopt rules and regulations implementing the
provisions of this section.
5. (1) The director shall disallow any credit as an asset or as a
deduction from liability for any reinsurance found by him to have been
arranged for the purpose principally of deception as to the ceding
company's financial condition as of the date of any financial statement of
the company. Without limiting the general purport of this provision,
reinsurance of any substantial part of the company's outstanding risks
contracted for in fact within four months prior to the date of any such
financial statement and cancelled in fact within four months after the date
of such statement, or reinsurance under which the assuming insurer bears no
substantial insurance risk or substantial risk of net loss to itself, shall
prima facie be deemed to have been arranged for the purpose principally of
deception within the intent of this provision.
(2) (a) The director shall also disallow as an asset or deduction
from liability to any ceding insurer any credit for reinsurance unless the
reinsurance is payable to the ceding company, and if it be insolvent to its
receiver, by the assuming insurer on the basis of the liability of the
ceding company under the contracts reinsured without diminution because of
the insolvency of the ceding company.
(b) Such payments shall be made directly to the ceding insurer or to
its domiciliary liquidator except:
a. Where the contract of insurance or reinsurance specifically
provides for payment to the named insured, assignee or named beneficiary of
the policy issued by the ceding insurer in the event of the insolvency of
the ceding insurer; or
b. Where the assuming insurer, with the consent of it and the direct
insured or insureds in an assumption reinsurance transaction subject to
sections 375.1280 to 375.1295, has assumed such policy obligations of the
ceding insurer as direct obligations of the assuming insurer to the payees
under such policies and in substitution for the obligations of the ceding
insurer to such payees.
(c) Notwithstanding paragraphs (a) and (b) of this subdivision, in
the event that a life and health insurance guaranty association has made
the election to succeed to the rights and obligations of the insolvent
insurer under the contract of reinsurance, then the reinsurer's liability
to pay covered reinsured claims shall continue under the contract of
reinsurance, subject to the payment to the reinsurer of the reinsurance
premiums for such coverage. Payment for such reinsured claims shall only
be made by the reinsurer pursuant to the direction of the guaranty
association or its designated successor. Any payment made at the direction
of the guaranty association or its designated successor by the reinsurer
will discharge the reinsurer of all further liability to any other party
for such claim payment.
(d) The reinsurance agreement may provide that the domiciliary
liquidator of an insolvent ceding insurer shall give written notice to the
assuming insurer of the pendency of a claim against such ceding insurer on
the contract reinsured within a reasonable time after such claim is filed
in the liquidation proceeding. During the pendency of such claim, any
assuming insurer may investigate such claim and interpose, at its own
expense, in the proceeding where such claim is to be adjudicated any
defenses which it deems available to the ceding insurer, or its liquidator.
Such expense may be filed as a claim against the insolvent ceding insurer
to the extent of a proportionate share of the benefit which may accrue to
the ceding insurer solely as a result of the defense undertaken by the
assuming insurer. Where two or more assuming insurers are involved in the
same claim and a majority in interest elect to interpose a defense to such
claim, the expense shall be apportioned in accordance with the terms of the
reinsurance agreement as though such expense had been incurred by the
ceding insurer.
6. To the extent that any reinsurer of an insurance company in
liquidation would have been required under any agreement pertaining to
reinsurance to post letters of credit or other security prior to an order
of liquidation to cover such reserves reflected upon the last financial
statement filed with a regulatory authority immediately prior to
receivership, such reinsurer shall be required to post letters of credit or
other security to cover reserves after a company has been placed in
liquidation or receivership. If a reinsurer shall fail to post letters of
credit or other security as required by a reinsurance agreement or the
provisions of this subsection, the director may consider disallowing as a
credit or asset, in whole or in part, any future reinsurance ceded to such
reinsurer by a ceding insurance company that is incorporated under the laws
of the state of Missouri.
7. The provisions of section 375.420 shall not apply to any action,
suit or proceeding by a ceding insurer against an assuming insurer arising
out of a contract of reinsurance effectuated in accordance with the laws of
Missouri.
8. Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, a domestic
insurer may take credit for reinsurance ceded either as an asset or a
reduction from liability only to the extent such credit is allowed by the
consistent application of either applicable statutory accounting principles
adopted by the NAIC or other accounting principles approved by the
director.
9. The director may suspend the accreditation, approval, or
certification under subsection 1 of this section of any reinsurer for
failure to comply with the applicable requirements of subsection 1 of this
section after providing the affected reinsurer with notice and opportunity
for hearing.
(L. 1967 p. 516, A.L. 1990 H.B. 1739, A.L. 1991 H.B. 385, et al., A.L.
1994 H.B. 1449 merged with S.B. 687, A.L. 2002 H.B. 1568, A.L.
2004 H.B. 1253 merged with S.B. 1235, A.L. 2013 H.B. 133)
Effective 1-01-14
*Words "subdivision (6)" appear in original rolls
2004
2002
0
2004
375.246. 1. Credit for reinsurance shall be allowed a domestic ceding
insurer as either an asset or a reduction from liability on account of
reinsurance ceded only when the reinsurer meets the requirements of
subdivisions (1) to (5) of this subsection. Credit shall be allowed pursuant
to subdivision (1), (2) or (3) of this subsection only as respects cessions of
those kinds or classes of business which 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.
Credit shall be allowed pursuant to subdivision (3) or (4) of this subsection
only if the applicable requirements of subdivision (6) have been satisfied.
(1) Credit shall be allowed when the reinsurance is ceded to an assuming
insurer that is licensed to transact insurance in this state;
(2) Credit shall be allowed when the reinsurance is ceded to an assuming
insurer that is accredited as a reinsurer in this state. An accredited
reinsurer is one that:
(a) Files with the director evidence of its submission to this state's
jurisdiction;
(b) Submits to the authority of the department of insurance, financial
institutions and professional registration to examine its books and records;
(c) 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;
(d) Files annually with the director 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
(e) Maintains a surplus as regards policyholders in an amount not less
than twenty million dollars and whose accreditation has not been denied by the
director within ninety days of its submission; or
(f) Maintains a surplus as regards policyholders in an amount less than
twenty million dollars and whose accreditation has been approved by the
director.
No credit shall be allowed a domestic ceding insurer if the assuming insurer's
accreditation has been revoked by the director after notice and hearing;
(3) Credit shall be allowed when the reinsurance is ceded to an assuming
insurer that is domiciled in, or in the case of a United States branch of an
alien assuming insurer is entered through, a state that employs standards
regarding credit for reinsurance substantially similar to those applicable
under this statute and the assuming insurer or United States branch of an
alien assuming insurer:
(a) Maintains a surplus as regards policyholders in an amount not less
than twenty million dollars; except that this paragraph does not apply to
reinsurance ceded and assumed pursuant to pooling arrangements among insurers
in the same holding company system; and
(b) Submits to the authority of the department of insurance, financial
institutions and professional registration to examine its books and records;
(4) (a) 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 (2) of subsection 3 of this
section, for the payment of the valid claims of its United States ceding
insurers, their assigns and successors in interest. To enable the director to
determine the sufficiency of the trust fund, the assuming insurer shall report
annually to the director information substantially the same as that required
to be reported on the National Association of Insurance Commissioners' annual
statement form by licensed insurers. The assuming insurer shall submit to
examination of its books and records by the director.
(b) Credit for reinsurance shall not be granted pursuant to this
subdivision unless the form of the trust and any amendments to the trust have
been approved by:
a. The commissioner or director of the state agency regulating insurance
in the state where the trust is domiciled; or
b. The commissioner or director of another state who, pursuant to the
terms of the trust instrument, has accepted principal regulatory oversight of
the trust.
(c) The form of the trust and any trust amendments shall also be filed
with the commissioner or director in every state in which the ceding insurer
beneficiaries of the trust are domiciled. The trust instrument shall provide
that contested claims shall be valid and enforceable upon the final order of
any court of competent jurisdiction in the United States. The trust shall
vest legal title to its assets in its trustees for the benefit of the assuming
insurer's United States ceding insurers, their assigns and successors in
interest. The trust and the assuming insurer shall be subject to examination
as determined by the director.
(d) The trust shall remain in effect for as long as the assuming insurer
has outstanding obligations due under the reinsurance agreements subject to
the trust. No later than February twenty-eighth of each year the trustees of
the trust shall report to the director in writing the balance of the trust and
listing the trust's investments at the preceding year end and shall certify
the date of termination of the trust, if so planned, or certify that the trust
will not expire prior to the next following December thirty-first.
(e) The following requirements apply to the following categories of
assuming insurers:
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 the United States ceding insurers, and,
in addition, the assuming insurer shall maintain a trusteed surplus of not
less than twenty million dollars;
b. In the case of a group of incorporated and individual unincorporated
underwriters:
(i) For reinsurance ceded under reinsurance agreements with an
inception, amendment or renewal date on or after August 1, 1995, the trust
shall consist of a trusteed account 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;
(ii) For reinsurance ceded under reinsurance agreements with an
inception date on or before July 31, 1995, and not amended or renewed after
that date, notwithstanding the other provisions of this section, the trust
shall consist of a trustee account in an amount not less than the group's
several insurance and reinsurance liabilities attributable to business in the
United States; and
(iii) In addition to these trusts, the group shall maintain in trust a
trusteed surplus of which one hundred million dollars 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;
c. 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;
d. Within ninety days after its financial statements are due to be filed
with the group's domiciliary regulator, the group shall provide to the
director 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;
(5) Credit:
(a) Shall be allowed when the reinsurance is ceded to an assuming
insurer not meeting the requirements of subdivision (1), (2), (3) or (4) of
this subsection, but only as to the insurance of risks located in a
jurisdiction of the United States where the reinsurance is required by
applicable law or regulation of that jurisdiction;
(b) May be allowed in the discretion of the director when the
reinsurance is ceded to an assuming insurer not meeting the requirements of
subdivision (1), (2), (3) or (4) of this subsection, but only as to the
insurance of risks located in a foreign country where the reinsurance is
required by applicable law or regulation of that country;
(6) If the assuming insurer is not licensed or accredited to transact
insurance or reinsurance in this state, the credit permitted by subdivisions
(3) and (4) of this subsection shall not be allowed unless the assuming
insurer agrees in the reinsurance agreements:
(a) That in the event of the failure of the assuming insurer to perform
its obligations under the terms of the reinsurance agreement, the assuming
insurer, at the request of the ceding insurer shall submit to the jurisdiction
of the courts of this state, will comply with all requirements necessary to
give such courts jurisdiction, and will abide by the final decisions of such
courts or of any appellate courts in this state in the event of an appeal; and
(b) To designate the director or a designated attorney 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 company. This
paragraph 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 and the jurisdiction and situs of the
arbitration is, with respect to any receivership of the ceding company, any
jurisdiction of the United States;
(7) If the assuming insurer does not meet the requirements of
subdivision (1), (2) or (3) of this subsection, the credit permitted by
subdivision (4) of this subsection shall not be allowed unless the assuming
insurer agrees in the trust agreements to the following conditions:
(a) Notwithstanding any other provisions in the trust instrument, if the
trust fund is inadequate because it contains an amount less than the amount
required by paragraph (e) of subdivision (4) of this subsection, 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, the trustee shall comply with an order of the
commissioner or director with regulatory oversight over the trust or with an
order of a court of competent jurisdiction directing the trustee to transfer
to the commissioner or director with regulatory oversight all of the assets of
the trust fund;
(b) The assets shall be distributed by and claims shall be filed with
and valued by the commissioner or director 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;
(c) If the commissioner or director 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 or
director with regulatory oversight to the trustee for distribution in
accordance with the trust agreement; and
(d) The grantor shall waive any right otherwise available to it under
United States law that is inconsistent with this subsection.
2. An asset or reduction from liability for the reinsurance ceded by a
domestic insurer to an assuming insurer not meeting the requirements of
subsection 1 of this section shall be allowed in an amount not exceeding the
liabilities carried by the ceding insurer. The reduction shall be in the
amount of funds held by or on behalf of the ceding insurer, including funds
held in trust for the ceding insurer, under a reinsurance contract with the
assuming insurer as security for the payment of obligations thereunder, if the
security is held in the United States subject to withdrawal solely by, and
under the exclusive control of, the ceding insurer; or, in the case of a
trust, held in a qualified United States financial institution, as defined in
subdivision (2) of subsection 3 of this section. This security may be in the
form of:
(1) Cash;
(2) Securities listed by the securities valuation office of the National
Association of Insurance Commissioners and qualifying as admitted assets;
(3) (a) Clean, irrevocable, unconditional letters of credit, as defined
in subdivision (1) of subsection 3 of this section, issued or confirmed by a
qualified United States financial institution no later than December
thirty-first of the year for which filing is being made, and in the possession
of, or in trust for, the ceding company on or before the filing date of its
annual statement.
(b) Letters of credit meeting applicable standards of issuer
acceptability as of the dates of their issuance or confirmation,
notwithstanding the issuing or confirming institution's subsequent failure to
meet applicable standards of issuer acceptability, shall continue to be
acceptable as security until their expiration, extension, renewal,
modification or amendment, whichever first occurs;
(4) Any other form of security acceptable to the director.
3. (1) For purposes of subdivision (3) of subsection 2 of this section,
a "qualified United States financial institution" means an institution that:
(a) Is organized or, in the case of a United States office of a foreign
banking organization, licensed under the laws of the United States or any
state thereof;
(b) Is regulated, supervised and examined by federal or state
authorities having regulatory authority over banks and trust companies; and
(c) Has been determined by either the director, or the securities
valuation office of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, to
meet such standards of financial condition and standing as are considered
necessary and appropriate to regulate the quality of financial institutions
whose letters of credit will be acceptable to the director.
(2) A "qualified United States financial institution" means, for
purposes of those provisions of this law specifying those institutions that
are eligible to act as a fiduciary of a trust, an institution that:
(a) Is organized, or in the case of a United States branch or agency
office of a foreign banking organization, licensed under the laws of the
United States or any state thereof and has been granted authority to operate
with fiduciary powers; and
(b) Is regulated, supervised and examined by federal or state
authorities having regulatory authority over banks and trust companies.
4. The director may adopt rules and regulations implementing the
provisions of this section.
5. (1) The director shall disallow any credit as an asset or as a
deduction from liability for any reinsurance found by him to have been
arranged for the purpose principally of deception as to the ceding company's
financial condition as of the date of any financial statement of the company.
Without limiting the general purport of this provision, reinsurance of any
substantial part of the company's outstanding risks contracted for in fact
within four months prior to the date of any such financial statement and
cancelled in fact within four months after the date of such statement, or
reinsurance under which the assuming insurer bears no substantial insurance
risk or substantial risk of net loss to itself, shall prima facie be deemed to
have been arranged for the purpose principally of deception within the intent
of this provision.
(2) (a) The director shall also disallow as an asset or deduction from
liability to any ceding insurer any credit for reinsurance unless the
reinsurance is payable to the ceding company, and if it be insolvent to its
receiver, by the assuming insurer on the basis of the liability of the ceding
company under the contracts reinsured without diminution because of the
insolvency of the ceding company.
(b) Such payments shall be made directly to the ceding insurer or to its
domiciliary liquidator except:
a. Where the contract of insurance or reinsurance specifically provides
for payment to the named insured, assignee or named beneficiary of the policy
issued by the ceding insurer in the event of the insolvency of the ceding
insurer; or
b. Where the assuming insurer, with the consent of it and the direct
insured or insureds in an assumption reinsurance transaction subject to
sections 375.1280 to 375.1295, has assumed such policy obligations of the
ceding insurer as direct obligations of the assuming insurer to the payees
under such policies and in substitution for the obligations of the ceding
insurer to such payees.
(c) Notwithstanding paragraphs (a) and (b) of this subdivision, in the
event that a life and health insurance guaranty association has made the
election to succeed to the rights and obligations of the insolvent insurer
under the contract of reinsurance, then the reinsurer's liability to pay
covered reinsured claims shall continue under the contract of reinsurance,
subject to the payment to the reinsurer of the reinsurance premiums for such
coverage. Payment for such reinsured claims shall only be made by the
reinsurer pursuant to the direction of the guaranty association or its
designated successor. Any payment made at the direction of the guaranty
association or its designated successor by the reinsurer will discharge the
reinsurer of all further liability to any other party for such claim payment.
(d) The reinsurance agreement may provide that the domiciliary
liquidator of an insolvent ceding insurer shall give written notice to the
assuming insurer of the pendency of a claim against such ceding insurer on the
contract reinsured within a reasonable time after such claim is filed in the
liquidation proceeding. During the pendency of such claim, any assuming
insurer may investigate such claim and interpose, at its own expense, in the
proceeding where such claim is to be adjudicated any defenses which it deems
available to the ceding insurer, or its liquidator. Such expense may be filed
as a claim against the insolvent ceding insurer to the extent of a
proportionate share of the benefit which may accrue to the ceding insurer
solely as a result of the defense undertaken by the assuming insurer. Where
two or more assuming insurers are involved in the same claim and a majority in
interest elect to interpose a defense to such claim, the expense shall be
apportioned in accordance with the terms of the reinsurance agreement as
though such expense had been incurred by the ceding insurer.
6. To the extent that any reinsurer of an insurance company in
liquidation would have been required under any agreement pertaining to
reinsurance to post letters of credit or other security prior to an order of
liquidation to cover such reserves reflected upon the last financial statement
filed with a regulatory authority immediately prior to receivership, such
reinsurer shall be required to post letters of credit or other security to
cover reserves after a company has been placed in liquidation or receivership.
If a reinsurer shall fail to post letters of credit or other security as
required by a reinsurance agreement or the provisions of this subsection, the
director may consider disallowing as a credit or asset, in whole or in part,
any future reinsurance ceded to such reinsurer by a ceding insurance company
that is incorporated under the laws of the state of Missouri.
7. The provisions of section 375.420 shall not apply to any action, suit
or proceeding by a ceding insurer against an assuming insurer arising out of a
contract of reinsurance effectuated in accordance with the laws of Missouri.
8. The provisions of this section shall become effective on January 1,
2003, and shall be applicable to the financial statements of a reinsurer as of
December 31, 2002.
2002
375.246. 1. Credit for reinsurance shall be allowed a domestic
ceding insurer as either an asset or a reduction from liability on account
of reinsurance ceded only when the reinsurer meets the requirements of
subdivisions (1) to (5) of this subsection. Credit shall be allowed
pursuant to subdivision (1), (2) or (3) of this subsection only as respects
cessions of those kinds or classes of business which 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. Credit shall be allowed pursuant to subdivision
(3) or (4) of this subsection only if the applicable requirements of
subdivision (6) have been satisfied.
(1) Credit shall be allowed when the reinsurance is ceded to an
assuming insurer that is licensed to transact insurance in this state;
(2) Credit shall be allowed when the reinsurance is ceded to an
assuming insurer that is accredited as a reinsurer in this state. An
accredited reinsurer is one that:
(a) Files with the director evidence of its submission to this
state's jurisdiction;
(b) Submits to the authority of the department of insurance to
examine its books and records;
(c) 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;
(d) Files annually with the director 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
(e) Maintains a surplus as regards policyholders in an amount not
less than twenty million dollars and whose accreditation has not been
denied by the director within ninety days of its submission; or
(f) Maintains a surplus as regards policyholders in an amount less
than twenty million dollars and whose accreditation has been approved by
the director.
No credit shall be allowed a domestic ceding insurer if the assuming
insurer's accreditation has been revoked by the director after notice and
hearing;
(3) Credit shall be allowed when the reinsurance is ceded to an
assuming insurer that is domiciled in, or in the case of a United States
branch of an alien assuming insurer is entered through, a state that
employs standards regarding credit for reinsurance substantially similar to
those applicable under this statute and the assuming insurer or United
States branch of an alien assuming insurer:
(a) Maintains a surplus as regards policyholders in an amount not
less than twenty million dollars; except that this paragraph does not apply
to reinsurance ceded and assumed pursuant to pooling arrangements among
insurers in the same holding company system; and
(b) Submits to the authority of the department of insurance to
examine its books and records;
(4) (a) 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 (2) of subsection 3 of
this section, for the payment of the valid claims of its United States
ceding insurers, their assigns and successors in interest. To enable the
director to determine the sufficiency of the trust fund, the assuming
insurer shall report annually to the director information substantially the
same as that required to be reported on the National Association of
Insurance Commissioners' annual statement form by licensed insurers. The
assuming insurer shall submit to examination of its books and records by
the director.
(b) Credit for reinsurance shall not be granted pursuant to this
subdivision unless the form of the trust and any amendments to the trust
have been approved by:
a. The commissioner or director of the state agency regulating
insurance in the state where the trust is domiciled; or
b. The commissioner or director of another state who, pursuant to the
terms of the trust instrument, has accepted principal regulatory oversight
of the trust.
(c) The form of the trust and any trust amendments shall also be
filed with the commissioner or director in every state in which the ceding
insurer beneficiaries of the trust are domiciled. The trust instrument
shall provide that contested claims shall be valid and enforceable upon the
final order of any court of competent jurisdiction in the United States.
The trust shall vest legal title to its assets in its trustees for the
benefit of the assuming insurer's United States ceding insurers, their
assigns and successors in interest. The trust and the assuming insurer
shall be subject to examination as determined by the director.
(d) The trust shall remain in effect for as long as the assuming
insurer has outstanding obligations due under the reinsurance agreements
subject to the trust. No later than February twenty-eighth of each year
the trustees of the trust shall report to the director in writing the
balance of the trust and listing the trust's investments at the preceding
year end and shall certify the date of termination of the trust, if so
planned, or certify that the trust will not expire prior to the next
following December thirty-first.
(e) The following requirements apply to the following categories of
assuming insurers:
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 the United States ceding
insurers, and, in addition, the assuming insurer shall maintain a trusteed
surplus of not less than twenty million dollars;
b. In the case of a group of incorporated and individual
unincorporated underwriters:
(i) For reinsurance ceded under reinsurance agreements with an
inception, amendment or renewal date on or after August 1, 1995, the trust
shall consist of a trusteed account 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;
(ii) For reinsurance ceded under reinsurance agreements with an
inception date on or before July 31, 1995, and not amended or renewed after
that date, notwithstanding the other provisions of this section, the trust
shall consist of a trustee account in an amount not less than the group's
several insurance and reinsurance liabilities attributable to business in
the United States; and
(iii) In addition to these trusts, the group shall maintain in trust
a trusteed surplus of which one hundred million dollars 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;
c. 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;
d. Within ninety days after its financial statements are due to be
filed with the group's domiciliary regulator, the group shall provide to
the director 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;
(5) Credit:
(a) Shall be allowed when the reinsurance is ceded to an assuming
insurer not meeting the requirements of subdivision (1), (2), (3) or (4) of
this subsection, but only as to the insurance of risks located in a
jurisdiction of the United States where the reinsurance is required by
applicable law or regulation of that jurisdiction;
(b) May be allowed in the discretion of the director when the
reinsurance is ceded to an assuming insurer not meeting the requirements of
subdivision (1), (2), (3) or (4) of this subsection, but only as to the
insurance of risks located in a foreign country where the reinsurance is
required by applicable law or regulation of that country;
(6) If the assuming insurer is not licensed or accredited to transact
insurance or reinsurance in this state, the credit permitted by
subdivisions (3) and (4) of this subsection shall not be allowed unless the
assuming insurer agrees in the reinsurance agreements:
(a) That in the event of the failure of the assuming insurer to
perform its obligations under the terms of the reinsurance agreement, the
assuming insurer, at the request of the ceding insurer shall submit to the
jurisdiction of the courts of this state, will comply with all requirements
necessary to give such courts jurisdiction, and will abide by the final
decisions of such courts or of any appellate courts in this state in the
event of an appeal; and
(b) To designate the director or a designated attorney 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
company. This paragraph 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 and the
jurisdiction and situs of the arbitration is, with respect to any
receivership of the ceding company, any jurisdiction of the United States;
(7) If the assuming insurer does not meet the requirements of
subdivision (1), (2) or (3) of this subsection, the credit permitted by
subdivision (4) of this subsection shall not be allowed unless the assuming
insurer agrees in the trust agreements to the following conditions:
(a) Notwithstanding any other provisions in the trust instrument, if
the trust fund is inadequate because it contains an amount less than the
amount required by paragraph (e) of subdivision (4) of this subsection, 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, the trustee shall comply with an
order of the commissioner or director with regulatory oversight over the
trust or with an order of a court of competent jurisdiction directing the
trustee to transfer to the commissioner or director with regulatory
oversight all of the assets of the trust fund;
(b) The assets shall be distributed by and claims shall be filed with
and valued by the commissioner or director 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;
(c) If the commissioner or director 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 or director with regulatory oversight to the trustee for
distribution in accordance with the trust agreement; and
(d) The grantor shall waive any right otherwise available to it under
United States law that is inconsistent with this subsection.
2. An asset or reduction from liability for the reinsurance ceded by
a domestic insurer to an assuming insurer not meeting the requirements of
subsection 1 of this section shall be allowed in an amount not exceeding
the liabilities carried by the ceding insurer. The reduction shall be in
the amount of funds held by or on behalf of the ceding insurer, including
funds held in trust for the ceding insurer, under a reinsurance contract
with the assuming insurer as security for the payment of obligations
thereunder, if the security is held in the United States subject to
withdrawal solely by, and under the exclusive control of, the ceding
insurer; or, in the case of a trust, held in a qualified United States
financial institution, as defined in subdivision (2) of subsection 3 of
this section. This security may be in the form of:
(1) Cash;
(2) Securities listed by the securities valuation office of the
National Association of Insurance Commissioners and qualifying as admitted
assets;
(3) (a) Clean, irrevocable, unconditional letters of credit, as
defined in subdivision (1) of subsection 3 of this section, issued or
confirmed by a qualified United States financial institution no later than
December thirty-first of the year for which filing is being made, and in
the possession of, or in trust for, the ceding company on or before the
filing date of its annual statement.
(b) Letters of credit meeting applicable standards of issuer
acceptability as of the dates of their issuance or confirmation,
notwithstanding the issuing or confirming institution's subsequent failure
to meet applicable standards of issuer acceptability, shall continue to be
acceptable as security until their expiration, extension, renewal,
modification or amendment, whichever first occurs;
(4) Any other form of security acceptable to the director.
3. (1) For purposes of subdivision (3) of subsection 2 of this
section, a "qualified United States financial institution" means an
institution that:
(a) Is organized or, in the case of a United States office of a
foreign banking organization, licensed under the laws of the United States
or any state thereof;
(b) Is regulated, supervised and examined by federal or state
authorities having regulatory authority over banks and trust companies; and
(c) Has been determined by either the director, or the securities
valuation office of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, to
meet such standards of financial condition and standing as are considered
necessary and appropriate to regulate the quality of financial institutions
whose letters of credit will be acceptable to the director.
(2) A "qualified United States financial institution" means, for
purposes of those provisions of this law specifying those institutions that
are eligible to act as a fiduciary of a trust, an institution that:
(a) Is organized, or in the case of a United States branch or agency
office of a foreign banking organization, licensed under the laws of the
United States or any state thereof and has been granted authority to
operate with fiduciary powers; and
(b) Is regulated, supervised and examined by federal or state
authorities having regulatory authority over banks and trust companies.
4. The director may adopt rules and regulations implementing the
provisions of this section.
5. (1) The director shall disallow any credit as an asset or as a
deduction from liability for any reinsurance found by him to have been
arranged for the purpose principally of deception as to the ceding
company's financial condition as of the date of any financial statement of
the company. Without limiting the general purport of this provision,
reinsurance of any substantial part of the company's outstanding risks
contracted for in fact within four months prior to the date of any such
financial statement and canceled in fact within four months after the date
of such statement, or reinsurance under which the assuming insurer bears no
substantial insurance risk or substantial risk of net loss to itself, shall
prima facie be deemed to have been arranged for the purpose principally of
deception within the intent of this provision.
(2) (a) The director shall also disallow as an asset or deduction
from liability to any ceding insurer any credit for reinsurance unless the
reinsurance is payable to the ceding company, and if it be impaired or
insolvent to its receiver, by the assuming insurer on the basis of the
liability of the ceding company under the contracts reinsured without
diminution because of the insolvency of the ceding company.
(b) Such payments shall be made directly to the ceding insurer or to
its domiciliary liquidator except:
a. Where the contract of insurance or reinsurance specifically
provides for payment to the named insured, assignee or named beneficiary of
the policy issued by the ceding insurer in the event of the insolvency of
the ceding insurer; or
b. Where the assuming insurer, with the consent of it and the direct
insured or insureds in an assumption reinsurance transaction subject to
sections 375.1280 to 375.1295, has assumed such policy obligations of the
ceding insurer as direct obligations of the assuming insurer to the payees
under such policies and in substitution for the obligations of the ceding
insurer to such payees.
(c) Notwithstanding paragraphs (a) and (b) of this subdivision, in
the event that a life and health insurance guaranty association has made
the election to succeed to the rights and obligations of the insolvent
insurer under the contract of reinsurance, then the reinsurer's liability
to pay covered reinsured claims shall continue under the contract of
reinsurance, subject to the payment to the reinsurer of the reinsurance
premiums for such coverage. Payment for such reinsured claims shall only
be made by the reinsurer pursuant to the direction of the guaranty
association or its designated successor. Any payment made at the direction
of the guaranty association or its designated successor by the reinsurer
will discharge the reinsurer of all further liability to any other party
for such claim payment.
(d) The reinsurance agreement may provide that the domiciliary
liquidator of an insolvent ceding insurer shall give written notice to the
assuming insurer of the pendency of a claim against such ceding insurer on
the contract reinsured within a reasonable time after such claim is filed
in the liquidation proceeding. During the pendency of such claim, any
assuming insurer may investigate such claim and interpose, at its own
expense, in the proceeding where such claim is to be adjudicated any
defenses which it deems available to the ceding insurer, or its liquidator.
Such expense may be filed as a claim against the insolvent ceding insurer
to the extent of a proportionate share of the benefit which may accrue to
the ceding insurer solely as a result of the defense undertaken by the
assuming insurer. Where two or more assuming insurers are involved in the
same claim and a majority in interest elect to interpose a defense to such
claim, the expense shall be apportioned in accordance with the terms of the
reinsurance agreement as though such expense had been incurred by the
ceding insurer.
6. To the extent that any reinsurer of an insurance company in
liquidation would have been required under any agreement pertaining to
reinsurance to post letters of credit or other security prior to an order
of liquidation to cover such reserves reflected upon the last financial
statement filed with a regulatory authority immediately prior to
receivership, such reinsurer shall be required to post letters of credit or
other security to cover reserves after a company has been placed in
liquidation or receivership. If a reinsurer shall fail to post letters of
credit or other security as required by a reinsurance agreement or the
provisions of this subsection, the director may consider disallowing as a
credit or asset, in whole or in part, any future reinsurance ceded to such
reinsurer by a ceding insurance company that is incorporated under the laws
of the state of Missouri.
7. The provisions of section 375.420 shall not apply to any action,
suit or proceeding by a ceding insurer against an assuming insurer arising
out of a contract of reinsurance effectuated in accordance with the laws of
Missouri.
8. The provisions of this section shall become effective on January
1, 2003, and shall be applicable to the financial statements of a reinsurer
as of December 31, 2002.
0
375.246. 1. 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 subdivisions (1) to (4) of this
subsection. If meeting the requirements of subdivision (3) or
(4) of this subsection, the requirements of subdivision (5) must
also be met.
(1) Credit shall be allowed when the reinsurance is ceded
to an assuming insurer which is licensed to transact insurance in
this state;
(2) Credit shall be allowed when the reinsurance is ceded
to an assuming insurer which is accredited as a reinsurer in this
state. An accredited reinsurer is one which:
(a) Files with the director evidence of its submission to
this state's jurisdiction;
(b) Submits to the authority of the department of insurance
to examine its books and records;
(c) 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;
(d) Files annually with the director 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
(e) Either:
a. Maintains a surplus as regards policyholders in an
amount which is not less than twenty million dollars and whose
accreditation has not been denied by the director within ninety
days of its submission; or
b. Maintains a surplus as regards policyholders in an
amount less than twenty million dollars and whose accreditation
has been approved by the director;
c. The requirements in subparagraphs a and b of this
paragraph do not apply to reinsurance ceded and assumed pursuant
to pooling arrangements among insurers in the same holding
company system;
No credit shall be allowed a domestic ceding insurer if the
assuming insurer's accreditation has been revoked by the director
after notice and hearing.
(3) Credit shall be allowed when the reinsurance is ceded
to an assuming insurer which is domiciled and licensed in, or in
the case of a United States branch of an alien assuming insurer
is entered through, a state which employs standards regarding
credit for reinsurance substantially similar to those applicable
under this statute and the assuming insurer or United States
branch of an alien assuming insurer:
(a) Maintains a surplus as regards policyholders in an
amount not less than twenty million dollars; and
(b) Submits to the authority of the department of insurance
to examine its books and records;
(4) (a) Credit shall be allowed when the reinsurance is
ceded to an assuming insurer which maintains a trust fund in a
qualified United States financial institution, as defined in
subdivision (2) of subsection 3 of this section, for the payment
of the valid claims of its United States policyholders and ceding
insurers, their assigns and successors in interest. The assuming
insurer shall report annually to the director information
substantially the same as that required to be reported on the
National Association of Insurance Commissioners' annual statement
form by licensed insurers to enable the director to determine the
sufficiency of the trust fund. In the case of a single assuming
insurer, the trust shall consist of a trusteed account
representing the assuming insurer's liabilities attributable to
business written in the United States and, in addition, the
assuming insurer shall maintain a trusteed surplus of not less
than twenty million dollars. In the case of a group including
incorporated and individual unincorporated underwriters, the
trust shall consist of a trusteed account representing the
group's liabilities attributable to business written in the
United States and, in addition, the group shall maintain a
trusteed surplus of which one hundred million dollars shall be
held jointly for the benefit of United States ceding insurers or
any member of the group. 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
solvency regulation and control by the group's domiciliary
regulator as are the unincorporated members. The group shall
make available to the director an annual certification of the
solvency of each underwriter by the group's domiciliary regulator
and its independent public accountants;
(b) In the case of a group of incorporated insurers under
common administration which complies with the filing requirements
contained in the previous paragraph, and which is under the
supervision of the Department of Trade and Industry of the United
Kingdom and submits to the authority of the department of
insurance to examine its books and records and bears the expense
of such examination, and which has aggregate policyholders'
surplus of ten billion dollars; the trust shall be in an amount
equal to the group's several liabilities attributable to United
States business ceded by United States ceding insurers to any
member of the group pursuant to reinsurance contracts issued in
the name of such group; plus the group shall maintain a joint
trusteed surplus of which one hundred million dollars shall be
held jointly for the benefit of United States ceding insurers or
any member of the group as additional security for any such
liabilities, and each member of the group shall make available to
the director an annual certification of the member's solvency by
the member's domiciliary regulator and its independent public
accountant;
(c) Such trust shall be established in a form approved by
the director of insurance. The trust instrument shall provide
that contested claims shall be valid and enforceable upon the
final order of any court of competent jurisdiction in the United
States. The trust shall vest legal title to its assets in the
trustees of the trust for its United States policyholders and
ceding insurers, their assigns and successors in interest. The
trust and the assuming insurer shall be subject to examination as
determined by the director. The trust described herein must
remain in effect for as long as the assuming insurer shall have
outstanding obligations due under the reinsurance agreements
subject to the trust;
(d) No later than February twenty-eighth of each year the
trustees of the trust shall report to the director in writing
setting forth the balance of the trust and listing the trust's
investments at the preceding year end and shall certify the date
of termination of the trust, if so planned, or certify that the
trust shall not expire prior to the next following December
thirty-first;
(5) If the assuming insurer is not licensed or accredited
to transact insurance or reinsurance in this state, the credit
permitted by subdivisions (3) and (4) of this subsection shall
not be allowed unless the assuming insurer agrees in the
reinsurance agreements:
(a) That in the event of the failure of the assuming
insurer to perform its obligations under the terms of the
reinsurance agreement, the assuming insurer, at the request of
the ceding insurer shall submit to the jurisdiction of the courts
of this state, will comply with all requirements necessary to
give such courts jurisdiction, and will abide by the final
decisions of such courts or of any appellate courts in this state
in the event of an appeal; and
(b) To designate the director or a designated attorney 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 company. This provision is not intended to
conflict with or override the obligation of the parties to a
reinsurance agreement to arbitrate their disputes, if such an
obligation is created in the agreement and the jurisdiction and
situs of the arbitration is the state of Missouri.
2. A reduction from liability for the reinsurance ceded by
a domestic insurer to an assuming insurer not meeting the
requirements of subsection 1 of this section shall be allowed in
an amount not exceeding the liabilities carried by the ceding
insurer and such reduction shall be in the amount of funds held
by or on behalf of the ceding insurer, including funds held in
trust for the ceding insurer, under a reinsurance contract with
such assuming insurer as security for the payment of obligations
thereunder, if such security is held in the United States subject
to withdrawal solely by, and under the exclusive control of, the
ceding insurer; or, in the case of a trust, held in a qualified
United States financial institution, as defined in subdivision
(2) of subsection 3 of this section. This security may be in the
form of:
(1) Cash;
(2) Securities listed by the securities valuation office of
the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and
qualifying as admitted assets;
(3) Clean, irrevocable, unconditional letters of credit, as
defined in subdivision (1) of subsection 3 of this section,
issued or confirmed by a qualified United States institution no
later than December thirty-first with respect to the year for
which filing is being made, and in the possession of the ceding
company on or before the filing date of its annual statement.
Letters of credit meeting applicable standards of issuer
acceptability as of the dates of their issuance or confirmation,
notwithstanding the issuing or confirming institution's
subsequent failure to meet applicable standards of issuer
acceptability, shall continue to be acceptable as security until
their expiration, extension, renewal, modification or amendment,
whichever first occurs;
(4) Any other form of security acceptable to the director
and approved by the attorney general.
3. (1) For purposes of subdivision (3) of subsection 2 of
this section, a "qualified United States financial institution"
means an institution that:
(a) Is organized or in the case of a United States office
of a foreign banking organization, licensed under the laws of the
United States or any state thereof;
(b) Is regulated, supervised and examined by federal or
state authorities having regulatory authority over banks and
trust companies; and
(c) Has been determined by either the director, or the
securities valuation office of the National Association of
Insurance Commissioners, to meet such standards of financial
condition and standing as are considered necessary and
appropriate to regulate the quality of financial institutions
whose letters of credit will be acceptable to the director.
(2) A "qualified United States financial institution"
means, for purposes of those provisions of this law specifying
those institutions that are eligible to act as a fiduciary of a
trust, an institution that:
(a) Is organized, or in the case of a United States branch
or agency office of a foreign banking organization, licensed
under the laws of the United States or any state thereof and has
been granted authority to operate with fiduciary powers; and
(b) Is regulated, supervised and examined by federal or
state authorities having regulatory authority over banks and
trust companies.
4. The director may adopt rules and regulations
implementing the provisions of this section.
5. The director shall disallow any credit as an asset or as
a deduction from liability for any reinsurance found by him to
have been arranged for the purpose principally of deception as to
the ceding company's financial condition as of the date of any
financial statement of the company. Without limiting the general
purport of this provision, reinsurance of any substantial part of
the company's outstanding risks contracted for in fact within
four months prior to the date of any such financial statement and
canceled in fact within four months after the date of such
statement, or reinsurance under which the assuming insurer bears
no substantial insurance risk or substantial risk of net loss to
itself, shall prima facie be deemed to have been arranged for the
purpose principally of deception within the intent of this
provision. The director shall also disallow any credit for
reinsurance unless the reinsurance is payable to the ceding
company, and if it be impaired or insolvent to its rehabilitator
or receiver, by the assuming insurer on the basis of the
liability of the ceding company under the contracts reinsured
without diminution because of the insolvency of the ceding
company.
6. After an insurer has been declared insolvent the
liquidator or receiver of such insurer shall file with the
director a statement which shall reflect the claims reserves
(including incurred but not reported losses) and unearned premium
reserves which have been established by the liquidator or
receiver and which shall also set forth the amounts of such
reserves that are allocable to particular reinsurers of the
insolvent company. Each such statement shall be filed by each
liquidator or receiver not less frequently than annually and
shall be considered for all intents and purposes as the annual
statement which was required to be filed by the insurer with the
director prior to the liquidation proceedings. To the extent
that any reinsurer of an insurance company in liquidation would
have been required under any agreement pertaining to reinsurance
to post letters of credit or other security prior to an order of
liquidation to cover such reserves reflected upon a statement
required to post letters of credit or other security to cover
such reserves after a company has been placed in liquidation or
receivership. If a reinsurer shall fail to post letters of
credit or other security required by a reinsurance agreement or
the provisions of this section, the director may issue an order
barring such reinsurer from thereafter reinsuring any insurance
company which is incorporated under the laws of the state of
Missouri or admitted to do business in the state of Missouri.
7. The provisions of this section shall become effective on
January 1, 1992, and shall be applicable to the financial
statements of a reinsurer as of December 31, 1991.
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