State Codes and Statutes
Statutes > Arkansas > Title-23 > Subtitle-3 > Chapter-96 > 23-96-11323-96-113. Authority of association when proceeding under 23-96-111 or 23-96-112.
A. (1) When proceeding under 23-96-111 or 23-96-112(A)(2), the Association shall:
(a) With respect to life and accident and health insurance policies and annuities, assure payment of benefits for premiums identical to the premiums and benefits, except for terms of conversion and renewability, that would have been payable under the policies or contracts of the insolvent insurer, for claims incurred:
(i) With respect to group policies and contracts, not later than the earlier of the next renewal date under such policies or contracts or forty-five (45) days, but in no event less than thirty (30) days, after the date on which the Association becomes obligated with respect to such policies and contracts;
(ii) With respect to nongroup policies, contracts, and annuities, not later than the earlier of the next renewal date, if any, under such policies or contracts or one (1) year, but in no event less than thirty (30) days, from the date on which the Association becomes obligated with respect to such policies or contracts;
(b) Make diligent efforts to provide all known insureds or annuitants (for non-group policies and contracts) or group policy owners with respect to group policies and contracts thirty (30) days' notice of the termination (pursuant to this paragraph A(1)) of the benefits provided;
(c) With respect to non-group life and accident and health insurance policies and annuities covered by the Association, make available to each known insured or annuitant, or owner if other than the insured or annuitant, and with respect to an individual formerly insured or formerly an annuitant under a group policy who is not eligible for replacement group coverage, make available substitute coverage on an individual basis in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (2)(a) of this subsection, if the insureds or annuitants had a right under law or the terminated policy or annuity to convert coverage to individual coverage or to continue an individual policy or annuity in force until a specified age or for a specified time, during which the insurer had no right unilaterally to make changes in any provisions of the policy or annuity or had a right only to make changes in premium by class.
(2) (a) In providing the substitute coverage required under paragraph (1)(c) of this subsection, the Association may offer either to reissue the terminated coverage or to issue an alternative policy.
(b) Alternative or reissued policies shall be offered without requiring evidence of insurability, and shall not provide for any waiting period or exclusion that would not have applied under the terminated policy.
(c) The Association may reinsure any alternative or reissued policy;
(3) (a) Alternative policies adopted by the Association shall be subject to the approval of the domiciliary insurance commissioner and the receivership court. The Association may adopt alternative policies of various types for future issuance without regard to any particular impairment or insolvency.
(b) Alternative policies shall contain at least the minimum statutory provisions required in this state and provide benefits that shall not be unreasonable in relation to the premium charged. The Association shall set the premium in accordance with a table of rates which it shall adopt. The premium shall reflect the amount of insurance to be provided and the age and class of risk of each insured, but shall not reflect any changes in the health of the insured after the original policy was last underwritten.
(c) Any alternative policy issued by the Association shall provide coverage of a type similar to that of the policy issued by the impaired or insolvent insurer, as determined by the Association.
B. When proceeding under 23-96-111 or 23-96-112(A) with respect to a policy or contract carrying guaranteed minimum interest rates, the Association shall assure the payment or crediting of a rate of interest consistent with 23-96-106(A)(3).
C. In carrying out its duties under 23-96-111 and 23-96-112(A), the Association may:
(1) Subject to approval by a court in this state, impose permanent policy or contract liens in connection with any guarantee, assumption, or reinsurance agreement, if the Association 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 Association's duties under this chapter or that the economic or financial conditions as they affect member insurers are sufficiently adverse to render the imposition of such permanent policy or contract liens to be in the public interest;
(2) Subject to approval by a court in this state, impose temporary moratoriums or liens on payments of cash values and policy loans, or any other right to withdraw funds held in conjunction with policies or contracts, in addition to any contractual provisions for deferral of cash or policy loan value. In addition, in the event of a temporary moratorium or moratorium charge imposed by the receivership court on payment of cash values or policy loans, or on any other right to withdraw funds held in conjunction with policies or contracts, out of the assets of the impaired or insolvent insurer, the Association may defer the payment of cash values, policy loans or other rights by the Association for the period of the moratorium or moratorium charge imposed by the receivership court, except for claims covered by the Association to be paid in accordance with a hardship procedure established by the liquidator or rehabilitator and approved by the receivership court.
(3) A deposit in this state, held pursuant to law or required by the commissioner for the benefit of creditors, including policy owners, not turned over to the domiciliary liquidator upon the entry of a final order of liquidation or order approving a rehabilitation plan of an insurer domiciled in this state or in a reciprocal state, pursuant to 23-68-115, shall be promptly paid to the Association. The Association (i) shall be entitled to retain a portion of any amount so paid to it equal to the percentage determined by dividing the aggregate amount of policy owners claims related to that insolvency for which the Association has provided statutory benefits by the aggregate amount of all policy owners' claims in this state related to that insolvency and (ii) shall remit to the domiciliary receiver the amount so paid to the Association and retained pursuant to clause (i). Any amount so paid to the Association and retained by it pursuant to clause (i) shall be treated as a distribution of estate assets pursuant to 23-68-126 or similar provision of the state of domicile of the impaired or insolvent insurer.
D. In carrying out its duties in connection with guaranteeing, assuming, or reinsuring policies or contracts under 23-96-111 or 23-96-112(A), the Association, subject to approval of the receivership court, may issue substitute coverage for a policy or contract that provides an interest rate, crediting rate, or similar factor determined by use of an index or other external reference stated in the policy or contract employed in calculating returns or changes in value by issuing an alternative policy or contract in accordance with the following provisions:
(1) In lieu of the index or other external reference provided for in the original policy or contract, the alternative policy or contract provides for (i) a fixed rate or (ii) payments of dividends with minimum guarantees or (iii) a different method for calculating interest or changes in value;
(2) There is no requirement for evidence of insurability, waiting period or other exclusion that would not have applied under the replaced policy or contract; and
(3) The alternative policy or contract is substantially similar to the replaced policy or contract in all other material terms.
