Reinsurer maintaining a trust fund.

(a) Credit shall be allowed when the reinsurance is ceded to an assuming insurer that maintains a trust fund in a qualified U.S. financial institution, as defined in subsection (b) of Section 27-5B-15, for the payment of the valid claims of its U.S. ceding insurers, their assigns and successors in interest. To enable the commissioner to determine the sufficiency of the trust fund, the assuming insurer shall report annually to the commissioner information substantially the same as that required to be reported on the NAIC Annual Statement form by licensed insurers. The assuming insurer shall submit to examination of its books and records by the commissioner and bear the expense of examination.

(b)(1) Credit for reinsurance shall not be granted under this section unless the form of the trust and any amendments to the trust have been approved by either:

a. The commissioner of the state where the trust is domiciled.

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

(2) The form of the trust and any trust amendments also shall be filed with the commissioner of 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 U.S. ceding insurers, their assigns and successors in interest. The trust and the assuming insurer shall be subject to examination as determined by the commissioner.

(3) 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 28 of each year the trustee of the trust shall report to the commissioner 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 following December 31.

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

(1) 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 U.S. ceding insurers, and, in addition, the assuming insurer shall maintain a trusteed surplus of not less than twenty million dollars ($20,000,000), except as provided in subdivision (2).

(2) At any time after the assuming insurer has permanently discontinued underwriting new business secured by the trust for at least three full years, the commissioner with principal regulatory oversight of the trust may authorize a reduction in the required trusteed surplus, but only after a finding, based on an assessment of the risk, that the new required surplus level is adequate for the protection of U.S. 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 may not be reduced to an amount less than 30 percent of the assuming insurer's liabilities attributable to reinsurance ceded by U.S. ceding insurers covered by the trust.

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

1. 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 respective underwriter's several liabilities attributable to business ceded by U.S. domiciled ceding insurers to any underwriter of the group.

2. 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 chapter, the trust shall consist of a trusteed account in an amount not less than the respective underwriter's several insurance and reinsurance liabilities attributable to business written in the United States.

3. In addition to these trusts, the group shall maintain in trust a trusteed surplus of which one hundred million dollars ($100,000,000) shall be held jointly for the benefit of the U.S. domiciled ceding insurers of any member of the group for all years of account.

b. 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.

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

(4) In the case of a group of incorporated underwriters under common administration, the group shall do all of the following:

a. Have continuously transacted an insurance business outside the United States for at least three (3) years immediately prior to making application for accreditation.

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

c. Maintain a trust fund in an amount not less than the group's several liabilities attributable to business ceded by U.S. domiciled ceding insurers to any member of the group pursuant to reinsurance contracts issued in the name of the group.

d. In addition, maintain a joint trusteed surplus of which one hundred million dollars ($100,000,000) shall be held jointly for the benefit of U.S. domiciled ceding insurers of any member of the group as additional security for these liabilities.

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

(Act 2013-209, p. 463, §1.)