Title 33, Chapter 38, Section 7
( 33-38-7)
In addition to the powers and duties enumerated elsewhere in this
chapter, the association shall have the following powers and duties: (1) Whenever a domestic insurer is an impaired insurer, the
association, subject to any conditions, other than those
conditions which impair the contractual obligations of the
impaired insurer, imposed by the association and approved by the
impaired insurer and the Commissioner, may: (A) Guarantee or reinsure, or cause to be guaranteed, assumed,
or reinsured, any or all of the covered policies of the impaired
insurer; (B) Provide such moneys, pledges, notes, guarantees, or other
means as are proper to effectuate subparagraph (A) of this
paragraph and assure payment of the contractual obligations of
the impaired insurer pending action under subparagraph (A) of
this paragraph; and (C) Loan money to the impaired insurer; (2) Whenever a domestic insurer is an insolvent insurer, the
association shall, subject to the approval of the Commissioner: (A) Guarantee, assume, or reinsure, or cause to be guaranteed,
assumed, or reinsured, the covered policies of the insolvent
insurer; (B) Assure payment of the contractual obligations of the
insolvent insurer; and (C) Provide such moneys, pledges, notes, guarantees, or other
means as are reasonably necessary to discharge such duties; (3) Whenever a foreign or alien insurer is an insolvent insurer,
the association shall, subject to the approval of the
Commissioner: (A) Guarantee, assume, or reinsure, or cause to be guaranteed,
assumed, or reinsured, the covered policies of residents; (B) Assure payment of the contractual obligations of the
insolvent insurer to residents; and (C) Provide such moneys, pledges, notes, guarantees, or other
means as are reasonably necessary to discharge such duties. This paragraph shall not apply where the Commissioner has
determined that the foreign or alien insurer's domiciliary
jurisdiction or state of entry provides protection by statute
substantially similar to that provided by this chapter for
residents of this state; (4)(A) In carrying out its duties under paragraphs (2) and (3)
of this Code section, the association may impose permanent
policy liens or contract liens in connection with any guarantee,
assumption, or reinsurance agreement if the court:
(i) Finds that the amounts which can be assessed under this
chapter are less than the amounts needed to assure full and
prompt performance of the insolvent insurer's contractual
obligations or that the economic or financial conditions as
they affect member insurers are sufficiently adverse to render
the imposition of policy or contract liens to be in the public
interest; and (ii) Approves the specific policy liens or contract liens to
be used. (B) Before being obligated under paragraphs (2) and (3) of this
Code section, the association may request that there be imposed
temporary moratoriums or liens on payments of cash values and
policy loans in addition to any contractual provisions for
deferral of such cash value payments or policy loans. Such
temporary moratoriums and liens may be imposed if they are
approved by a court of competent jurisdiction; (5) If the association fails to act within a reasonable period of
time, as provided in paragraphs (2) and (3) of this Code section,
the Commissioner shall have the powers and duties of the
association under this chapter with respect to insolvent insurers; (6) Upon his request, the association may render assistance and
advice to the Commissioner concerning rehabilitation, payment of
claims, continuance of coverage, or the performance of other
contractual obligations of any impaired or insolvent insurer; (7) The association shall have standing to appear before any court
in this state with jurisdiction over an impaired or insolvent
insurer concerning which the association is or may become
obligated under this chapter. Such standing shall extend to all
matters germane to the powers and duties of the association,
including but not limited to proposals for reinsuring or
guaranteeing the covered policies of the impaired or insolvent
insurer and the determination of the covered policies and
contractual obligations; (8)(A) Any person receiving benefits under this chapter shall be
deemed to have assigned the rights under the covered policy to
the association to the extent of the benefits received because
of this chapter, whether the benefits are payments of
contractual obligations or continuation of coverage. The
association may require an assignment to it of such rights by
any payee, policy or contract owner, beneficiary, insured, or
annuitant as a condition precedent to the receipt of any rights
or benefits conferred by this chapter upon such person. The
association shall be subrogated to these rights against the
assets of any insolvent insurer. (B) The subrogation rights of the association under this
paragraph shall have the same priority against the assets of the
insolvent insurer as that possessed by the person entitled to
receive benefits under this chapter; (9) The contractual obligations of the insolvent insurer for which
the association becomes or may become liable shall be as great as,
but no greater than, the contractual obligations of the insolvent
insurer would have been in the absence of an insolvency, unless
such obligations are reduced as permitted by paragraph (4) of this
Code section. With respect to any one contract holder covered by
an unallocated annuity contract, the association shall be liable
for not more than $5 million in benefits irrespective of the
number of such contracts held by that contract holder. With
respect to any other covered policy, the aggregate liability of
the association on any one life shall not exceed $100,000.00 with
respect to the payment of cash values or $300,000.00 for all
benefits including cash values; provided, however, that with
respect to claims under policies written to provide benefits as
required under Chapter 9 of Title 34, relating to workers'
compensation, such claims shall be in the full amount as provided
by such chapter; and (10) The association may: (A) Enter into such contracts as are necessary or proper to
carry out the provisions and purposes of this chapter; (B) Bring or defend actions, including taking any legal actions necessary or proper for recovery of any unpaid assessments under Code Section 33-38-15; (C) Borrow money to effect the purposes of this chapter. Any
notes or other evidence of indebtedness of the association not
in default shall be legal investments for domestic insurers and
may be carried as admitted assets; (D) Employ or retain such persons as are necessary to handle the
financial transactions of the association and to perform such
other functions as become necessary or proper under this
chapter; (E) Negotiate and contract with any liquidator, rehabilitator,
conservator, or ancillary receiver to carry out the powers and
duties of the association; (F) Take such legal action as may be necessary to avoid payment
of improper claims; and (G) Exercise, for the purposes of this chapter and to the extent
approved by the Commissioner, the powers of a domestic life or
health insurer; but in no case may the association issue
insurance policies or annuity contracts other than those
necessary to perform the contractual obligations of the impaired
or insolvent insurer. |