State Codes and Statutes

Statutes > New-york > Isc > Article-77 > 7708

§  7708.  Powers  and  duties  of  the corporation. In addition to the  powers and duties enumerated in other  sections  of  this  article,  and  subject  to  limitations  and  exclusions  contained  in  this and other  sections of this article:    (a) If a domestic insurer is an impaired  or  insolvent  insurer,  the  corporation shall with the approval of the superintendent:    (1)  guarantee, assume or reinsure, or cause to be guaranteed, assumed  or  reinsured,  the  covered  policies  of  residents,  or  arrange  for  replacement  by policies found by the superintendent to be substantially  similar to such covered policies;    (2) assure payment of the contractual obligations of the  impaired  or  insolvent insurer to residents; and    (3)  provide such moneys, pledges, notes, guarantees or other means as  are reasonably necessary to discharge such duties.    The aggregate liability of the corporation under this subsection shall  not exceed five hundred thousand dollars  for  all  benefits,  including  cash values, with respect to any one life or, to the extent benefits are  not  allocated  pursuant to a covered policy to any one life, to any one  covered policy; provided, however, (i)  that  the  foregoing  limitation  shall  not apply to any group or blanket accident or health insurance or  accident and health insurance policy and (ii) that the corporation shall  be liable under this subsection in an amount not to exceed  one  million  dollars  for  all  benefits,  including cash values, with respect to any  group annuity contract (or portion of any such contract) that  does  not  guarantee  annuity  benefits  with  respect  to  any specific individual  identified in the contract and with respect  to  any  funding  agreement  issued to fund benefits under any employee benefit plan.    (b) If a foreign or alien insurer is an impaired or insolvent insurer,  the corporation shall with the approval of the superintendent:    (1)  guarantee,  assume or reinsure or cause to be guaranteed, assumed  or  reinsured  the  covered  policies  of  residents,  or  arrange   for  replacement  by policies found by the superintendent to be substantially  similar to such covered policies;    (2) assure payment of the contractual  obligations  of  the  insolvent  insurer to residents; and    (3)  provide such moneys, pledges, notes, guarantees or other means as  are reasonably necessary to discharge such duties.    The aggregate liability of the corporation under this subsection shall  be the excess over any amount that the superintendent determines  to  be  the  statutory  obligation of the guaranty corporation or association of  the foreign or alien insurer's state of domicile or state of entry,  but  in  no event shall the corporation's liability, when added to the amount  so determined to be available from such other  guaranty  corporation  or  association,  exceed  five  hundred  thousand  dollars for all benefits,  including cash values, with respect to any one life, or, to  the  extent  benefits are not allocated pursuant to a covered policy to any one life,  to  any  one  covered  policy; provided, however, (i) that the foregoing  five hundred thousand dollar limitation shall not apply to any group  or  blanket  accident  or  health insurance or accident and health insurance  policy; and (ii) that the liability of all such guaranty corporations or  associations may in the  aggregate  equal,  but  shall  not  exceed  one  million dollars for all benefits, including cash values, with respect to  any  group  annuity contract (or portion of any such contract) that does  not guarantee annuity benefits with respect to any  specific  individual  identified  in  the  contract  and with respect to any funding agreement  issued to fund benefits under any employee benefit plan.    (c) (1) The superintendent  may,  with  the  approval  of  the  court,  suspend  cash  surrender rights and policy loan rights under any coveredpolicy for an initial period not to exceed one year and  for  additional  successive  periods, each not to exceed one year, all in addition to any  contractual provision for deferral of cash or policy loan values, upon a  finding that:    (A) The amounts which can be assessed under this article are less than  the amounts needed to assure full and prompt performance of the impaired  or  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, or    (B) Such suspension  is  necessary  and  proper  to  effectuate  at  a  reasonable cost any guarantee, assumption or reinsurance agreement.    (2)  The obligations of the corporation under subsection (a) or (b) of  this section, whichever is applicable, with  regard  to  maintaining  in  force  any  policy  or  contract of group life insurance or group health  insurance shall be limited to one hundred eighty days from the date  the  impaired  or insolvent insurer was placed under an order of liquidation,  rehabilitation  or  conservation  under  article  seventy-four  of  this  chapter, and the corporation shall have no obligation with regard to any  claim  incurred  pursuant  to  any  such  policy  or contract beyond one  hundred eighty days from such date, provided (A) that the superintendent  shall have discretion to extend the period of one hundred eighty days up  to three hundred sixty-six days with regard to any  policy  or  contract  when he believes circumstances warrant, and    (B)  that the superintendent and the corporation may make such further  extensions of such period as they mutually agree are warranted.    (3) If the superintendent or the corporation shall find  that  at  the  time a covered annuity contract or funding agreement or a class thereof,  other than an annuity contract, funding agreement or class thereof which  funds  a  compromise  or  settlement  contained  in  a judgment or order  entered pursuant to the provisions of section twelve  hundred  seven  of  the  civil  practice  law  and  rules,  was  issued  by  the impaired or  insolvent insurer the interest rate guaranteed under  such  contract  or  agreement or class thereof was clearly excessive, the superintendent may  petition  the  court having jurisdiction in this state, upon appropriate  notice  to  and  opportunity  for  submission  of  comments   from   the  corporation  and  owners  of  contracts  and  agreements  proposed to be  affected, to limit the corporation's obligations under this article with  respect to payment of interest to an interest rate which the court finds  would have been appropriate and reasonable at the time the  contract  or  agreement  or class thereof was issued. Nothing in this subsection shall  limit the rights of a holder of a contract or agreement so  affected  as  against the impaired or insolvent insurer.    (4) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this article, under no  circumstances shall the corporation have any obligation on account of an  impaired  or insolvent insurer either to, or which inures to the benefit  of, any person or firm  which  at  the  time  the  policy,  contract  or  agreement  was  issued  or renewed or within ninety days of the date the  insurer was determined to be impaired or insolvent, as the case may  be,  directly  or  indirectly owned ten percent or more of or controlled such  impaired or insolvent insurer; provided, however, that nothing  in  this  subsection  shall  relieve the corporation of responsibility with regard  to  contractual  obligations  of  such  insurer  under  certificates  of  insurance issued to, and inuring solely to the benefit of, the employees  of such person or firm.    (d) If the corporation fails to act within a reasonable period of time  as  provided  in  subsection  (a)  or  (b) of this section, whichever is  applicable, the superintendent shall have the powers and duties  of  thecorporation under this article with respect to any impaired or insolvent  insurer.    (e)   The   corporation  may  render  assistance  and  advice  to  the  superintendent, upon his request, concerning rehabilitation, payment  of  claims, continuance of coverage, or the performance of other contractual  obligations of any impaired or insolvent insurer.    (f)  When  any  person  receives  benefits  under  this  article,  the  corporation shall possess all of the rights  under  the  covered  policy  that  such  person  had immediately before such receipt to the extent of  the benefits received because of this article whether the  benefits  are  payments   of  contractual  obligations  or  continuation  of  coverage;  provided, however, that the  corporation  shall  not  have  any  greater  priority  against  the  assets  of  an  impaired or insolvent insurer by  reason of this subsection than  is  expressly  given  by  section  seven  thousand  four  hundred thirty-five of this chapter. The corporation may  require an assignment to it, or the execution of  any  other  instrument  evidencing  the  corporation's  possession, of such rights by any payee,  policy or contract owner, beneficiary, insured or annuitant. The receipt  of  such  assignment  or  other  instrument,  and   its   validity   and  enforceability by the corporation in accordance with its terms under the  laws  of  the  insurer's state of domicile or state of entry, shall be a  condition precedent to the receipt of any rights or  benefits  conferred  by this article upon such person.    (g)  The  contractual obligations of the impaired or insolvent insurer  for which the corporation becomes or  may  become  liable  shall  be  no  greater  than  the  contractual obligations of the impaired or insolvent  insurer would have been in the absence of an impairment or insolvency.    (h) The corporation may:    (1) Enter into such contracts as are necessary or proper to carry  out  the provisions and purposes of this article.    (2)  Sue  or  be sued, including taking any legal actions necessary or  proper for recovery  of  any  unpaid  assessments  under  section  seven  thousand seven hundred nine of this article.    (3)  Borrow  money  to  effect  the  purposes  of  this  article.  The  corporation may agree, as a condition of any borrowing, that the  lender  will be subrogated to the rights of the corporation against the impaired  or  insolvent  insurer to the extent of the amount borrowed and interest  accruing thereon. Any note or other  evidence  of  indebtedness  of  the  corporation  not  in  default  shall  be a legal investment for domestic  insurers and may be carried as admitted assets.    (4) Employ or retain such persons as are necessary or proper to handle  the financial transactions of the corporation, and to perform such other  functions as become necessary or proper under this article.    (5) With the approval of the superintendent,  negotiate  and  contract  with any liquidator, rehabilitator, conservator or ancillary receiver to  carry out the powers and duties of the corporation.    (6)  Take  such  legal  action as may be necessary to avoid payment of  improper claims.    (7) Exercise, for the purposes of  this  article  and  to  the  extent  approved  by the superintendent, the powers of a domestic life insurance  company, but in no case may the corporation issue insurance policies  or  annuity  contracts  other  than  those issued to perform the contractual  obligations of the impaired or insolvent insurer.    (8) Exercise all powers necessary or convenient for  the  purposes  of  this article.

State Codes and Statutes

Statutes > New-york > Isc > Article-77 > 7708

§  7708.  Powers  and  duties  of  the corporation. In addition to the  powers and duties enumerated in other  sections  of  this  article,  and  subject  to  limitations  and  exclusions  contained  in  this and other  sections of this article:    (a) If a domestic insurer is an impaired  or  insolvent  insurer,  the  corporation shall with the approval of the superintendent:    (1)  guarantee, assume or reinsure, or cause to be guaranteed, assumed  or  reinsured,  the  covered  policies  of  residents,  or  arrange  for  replacement  by policies found by the superintendent to be substantially  similar to such covered policies;    (2) assure payment of the contractual obligations of the  impaired  or  insolvent insurer to residents; and    (3)  provide such moneys, pledges, notes, guarantees or other means as  are reasonably necessary to discharge such duties.    The aggregate liability of the corporation under this subsection shall  not exceed five hundred thousand dollars  for  all  benefits,  including  cash values, with respect to any one life or, to the extent benefits are  not  allocated  pursuant to a covered policy to any one life, to any one  covered policy; provided, however, (i)  that  the  foregoing  limitation  shall  not apply to any group or blanket accident or health insurance or  accident and health insurance policy and (ii) that the corporation shall  be liable under this subsection in an amount not to exceed  one  million  dollars  for  all  benefits,  including cash values, with respect to any  group annuity contract (or portion of any such contract) that  does  not  guarantee  annuity  benefits  with  respect  to  any specific individual  identified in the contract and with respect  to  any  funding  agreement  issued to fund benefits under any employee benefit plan.    (b) If a foreign or alien insurer is an impaired or insolvent insurer,  the corporation shall with the approval of the superintendent:    (1)  guarantee,  assume or reinsure or cause to be guaranteed, assumed  or  reinsured  the  covered  policies  of  residents,  or  arrange   for  replacement  by policies found by the superintendent to be substantially  similar to such covered policies;    (2) assure payment of the contractual  obligations  of  the  insolvent  insurer to residents; and    (3)  provide such moneys, pledges, notes, guarantees or other means as  are reasonably necessary to discharge such duties.    The aggregate liability of the corporation under this subsection shall  be the excess over any amount that the superintendent determines  to  be  the  statutory  obligation of the guaranty corporation or association of  the foreign or alien insurer's state of domicile or state of entry,  but  in  no event shall the corporation's liability, when added to the amount  so determined to be available from such other  guaranty  corporation  or  association,  exceed  five  hundred  thousand  dollars for all benefits,  including cash values, with respect to any one life, or, to  the  extent  benefits are not allocated pursuant to a covered policy to any one life,  to  any  one  covered  policy; provided, however, (i) that the foregoing  five hundred thousand dollar limitation shall not apply to any group  or  blanket  accident  or  health insurance or accident and health insurance  policy; and (ii) that the liability of all such guaranty corporations or  associations may in the  aggregate  equal,  but  shall  not  exceed  one  million dollars for all benefits, including cash values, with respect to  any  group  annuity contract (or portion of any such contract) that does  not guarantee annuity benefits with respect to any  specific  individual  identified  in  the  contract  and with respect to any funding agreement  issued to fund benefits under any employee benefit plan.    (c) (1) The superintendent  may,  with  the  approval  of  the  court,  suspend  cash  surrender rights and policy loan rights under any coveredpolicy for an initial period not to exceed one year and  for  additional  successive  periods, each not to exceed one year, all in addition to any  contractual provision for deferral of cash or policy loan values, upon a  finding that:    (A) The amounts which can be assessed under this article are less than  the amounts needed to assure full and prompt performance of the impaired  or  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, or    (B) Such suspension  is  necessary  and  proper  to  effectuate  at  a  reasonable cost any guarantee, assumption or reinsurance agreement.    (2)  The obligations of the corporation under subsection (a) or (b) of  this section, whichever is applicable, with  regard  to  maintaining  in  force  any  policy  or  contract of group life insurance or group health  insurance shall be limited to one hundred eighty days from the date  the  impaired  or insolvent insurer was placed under an order of liquidation,  rehabilitation  or  conservation  under  article  seventy-four  of  this  chapter, and the corporation shall have no obligation with regard to any  claim  incurred  pursuant  to  any  such  policy  or contract beyond one  hundred eighty days from such date, provided (A) that the superintendent  shall have discretion to extend the period of one hundred eighty days up  to three hundred sixty-six days with regard to any  policy  or  contract  when he believes circumstances warrant, and    (B)  that the superintendent and the corporation may make such further  extensions of such period as they mutually agree are warranted.    (3) If the superintendent or the corporation shall find  that  at  the  time a covered annuity contract or funding agreement or a class thereof,  other than an annuity contract, funding agreement or class thereof which  funds  a  compromise  or  settlement  contained  in  a judgment or order  entered pursuant to the provisions of section twelve  hundred  seven  of  the  civil  practice  law  and  rules,  was  issued  by  the impaired or  insolvent insurer the interest rate guaranteed under  such  contract  or  agreement or class thereof was clearly excessive, the superintendent may  petition  the  court having jurisdiction in this state, upon appropriate  notice  to  and  opportunity  for  submission  of  comments   from   the  corporation  and  owners  of  contracts  and  agreements  proposed to be  affected, to limit the corporation's obligations under this article with  respect to payment of interest to an interest rate which the court finds  would have been appropriate and reasonable at the time the  contract  or  agreement  or class thereof was issued. Nothing in this subsection shall  limit the rights of a holder of a contract or agreement so  affected  as  against the impaired or insolvent insurer.    (4) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this article, under no  circumstances shall the corporation have any obligation on account of an  impaired  or insolvent insurer either to, or which inures to the benefit  of, any person or firm  which  at  the  time  the  policy,  contract  or  agreement  was  issued  or renewed or within ninety days of the date the  insurer was determined to be impaired or insolvent, as the case may  be,  directly  or  indirectly owned ten percent or more of or controlled such  impaired or insolvent insurer; provided, however, that nothing  in  this  subsection  shall  relieve the corporation of responsibility with regard  to  contractual  obligations  of  such  insurer  under  certificates  of  insurance issued to, and inuring solely to the benefit of, the employees  of such person or firm.    (d) If the corporation fails to act within a reasonable period of time  as  provided  in  subsection  (a)  or  (b) of this section, whichever is  applicable, the superintendent shall have the powers and duties  of  thecorporation under this article with respect to any impaired or insolvent  insurer.    (e)   The   corporation  may  render  assistance  and  advice  to  the  superintendent, upon his request, concerning rehabilitation, payment  of  claims, continuance of coverage, or the performance of other contractual  obligations of any impaired or insolvent insurer.    (f)  When  any  person  receives  benefits  under  this  article,  the  corporation shall possess all of the rights  under  the  covered  policy  that  such  person  had immediately before such receipt to the extent of  the benefits received because of this article whether the  benefits  are  payments   of  contractual  obligations  or  continuation  of  coverage;  provided, however, that the  corporation  shall  not  have  any  greater  priority  against  the  assets  of  an  impaired or insolvent insurer by  reason of this subsection than  is  expressly  given  by  section  seven  thousand  four  hundred thirty-five of this chapter. The corporation may  require an assignment to it, or the execution of  any  other  instrument  evidencing  the  corporation's  possession, of such rights by any payee,  policy or contract owner, beneficiary, insured or annuitant. The receipt  of  such  assignment  or  other  instrument,  and   its   validity   and  enforceability by the corporation in accordance with its terms under the  laws  of  the  insurer's state of domicile or state of entry, shall be a  condition precedent to the receipt of any rights or  benefits  conferred  by this article upon such person.    (g)  The  contractual obligations of the impaired or insolvent insurer  for which the corporation becomes or  may  become  liable  shall  be  no  greater  than  the  contractual obligations of the impaired or insolvent  insurer would have been in the absence of an impairment or insolvency.    (h) The corporation may:    (1) Enter into such contracts as are necessary or proper to carry  out  the provisions and purposes of this article.    (2)  Sue  or  be sued, including taking any legal actions necessary or  proper for recovery  of  any  unpaid  assessments  under  section  seven  thousand seven hundred nine of this article.    (3)  Borrow  money  to  effect  the  purposes  of  this  article.  The  corporation may agree, as a condition of any borrowing, that the  lender  will be subrogated to the rights of the corporation against the impaired  or  insolvent  insurer to the extent of the amount borrowed and interest  accruing thereon. Any note or other  evidence  of  indebtedness  of  the  corporation  not  in  default  shall  be a legal investment for domestic  insurers and may be carried as admitted assets.    (4) Employ or retain such persons as are necessary or proper to handle  the financial transactions of the corporation, and to perform such other  functions as become necessary or proper under this article.    (5) With the approval of the superintendent,  negotiate  and  contract  with any liquidator, rehabilitator, conservator or ancillary receiver to  carry out the powers and duties of the corporation.    (6)  Take  such  legal  action as may be necessary to avoid payment of  improper claims.    (7) Exercise, for the purposes of  this  article  and  to  the  extent  approved  by the superintendent, the powers of a domestic life insurance  company, but in no case may the corporation issue insurance policies  or  annuity  contracts  other  than  those issued to perform the contractual  obligations of the impaired or insolvent insurer.    (8) Exercise all powers necessary or convenient for  the  purposes  of  this article.

State Codes and Statutes

State Codes and Statutes

Statutes > New-york > Isc > Article-77 > 7708

§  7708.  Powers  and  duties  of  the corporation. In addition to the  powers and duties enumerated in other  sections  of  this  article,  and  subject  to  limitations  and  exclusions  contained  in  this and other  sections of this article:    (a) If a domestic insurer is an impaired  or  insolvent  insurer,  the  corporation shall with the approval of the superintendent:    (1)  guarantee, assume or reinsure, or cause to be guaranteed, assumed  or  reinsured,  the  covered  policies  of  residents,  or  arrange  for  replacement  by policies found by the superintendent to be substantially  similar to such covered policies;    (2) assure payment of the contractual obligations of the  impaired  or  insolvent insurer to residents; and    (3)  provide such moneys, pledges, notes, guarantees or other means as  are reasonably necessary to discharge such duties.    The aggregate liability of the corporation under this subsection shall  not exceed five hundred thousand dollars  for  all  benefits,  including  cash values, with respect to any one life or, to the extent benefits are  not  allocated  pursuant to a covered policy to any one life, to any one  covered policy; provided, however, (i)  that  the  foregoing  limitation  shall  not apply to any group or blanket accident or health insurance or  accident and health insurance policy and (ii) that the corporation shall  be liable under this subsection in an amount not to exceed  one  million  dollars  for  all  benefits,  including cash values, with respect to any  group annuity contract (or portion of any such contract) that  does  not  guarantee  annuity  benefits  with  respect  to  any specific individual  identified in the contract and with respect  to  any  funding  agreement  issued to fund benefits under any employee benefit plan.    (b) If a foreign or alien insurer is an impaired or insolvent insurer,  the corporation shall with the approval of the superintendent:    (1)  guarantee,  assume or reinsure or cause to be guaranteed, assumed  or  reinsured  the  covered  policies  of  residents,  or  arrange   for  replacement  by policies found by the superintendent to be substantially  similar to such covered policies;    (2) assure payment of the contractual  obligations  of  the  insolvent  insurer to residents; and    (3)  provide such moneys, pledges, notes, guarantees or other means as  are reasonably necessary to discharge such duties.    The aggregate liability of the corporation under this subsection shall  be the excess over any amount that the superintendent determines  to  be  the  statutory  obligation of the guaranty corporation or association of  the foreign or alien insurer's state of domicile or state of entry,  but  in  no event shall the corporation's liability, when added to the amount  so determined to be available from such other  guaranty  corporation  or  association,  exceed  five  hundred  thousand  dollars for all benefits,  including cash values, with respect to any one life, or, to  the  extent  benefits are not allocated pursuant to a covered policy to any one life,  to  any  one  covered  policy; provided, however, (i) that the foregoing  five hundred thousand dollar limitation shall not apply to any group  or  blanket  accident  or  health insurance or accident and health insurance  policy; and (ii) that the liability of all such guaranty corporations or  associations may in the  aggregate  equal,  but  shall  not  exceed  one  million dollars for all benefits, including cash values, with respect to  any  group  annuity contract (or portion of any such contract) that does  not guarantee annuity benefits with respect to any  specific  individual  identified  in  the  contract  and with respect to any funding agreement  issued to fund benefits under any employee benefit plan.    (c) (1) The superintendent  may,  with  the  approval  of  the  court,  suspend  cash  surrender rights and policy loan rights under any coveredpolicy for an initial period not to exceed one year and  for  additional  successive  periods, each not to exceed one year, all in addition to any  contractual provision for deferral of cash or policy loan values, upon a  finding that:    (A) The amounts which can be assessed under this article are less than  the amounts needed to assure full and prompt performance of the impaired  or  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, or    (B) Such suspension  is  necessary  and  proper  to  effectuate  at  a  reasonable cost any guarantee, assumption or reinsurance agreement.    (2)  The obligations of the corporation under subsection (a) or (b) of  this section, whichever is applicable, with  regard  to  maintaining  in  force  any  policy  or  contract of group life insurance or group health  insurance shall be limited to one hundred eighty days from the date  the  impaired  or insolvent insurer was placed under an order of liquidation,  rehabilitation  or  conservation  under  article  seventy-four  of  this  chapter, and the corporation shall have no obligation with regard to any  claim  incurred  pursuant  to  any  such  policy  or contract beyond one  hundred eighty days from such date, provided (A) that the superintendent  shall have discretion to extend the period of one hundred eighty days up  to three hundred sixty-six days with regard to any  policy  or  contract  when he believes circumstances warrant, and    (B)  that the superintendent and the corporation may make such further  extensions of such period as they mutually agree are warranted.    (3) If the superintendent or the corporation shall find  that  at  the  time a covered annuity contract or funding agreement or a class thereof,  other than an annuity contract, funding agreement or class thereof which  funds  a  compromise  or  settlement  contained  in  a judgment or order  entered pursuant to the provisions of section twelve  hundred  seven  of  the  civil  practice  law  and  rules,  was  issued  by  the impaired or  insolvent insurer the interest rate guaranteed under  such  contract  or  agreement or class thereof was clearly excessive, the superintendent may  petition  the  court having jurisdiction in this state, upon appropriate  notice  to  and  opportunity  for  submission  of  comments   from   the  corporation  and  owners  of  contracts  and  agreements  proposed to be  affected, to limit the corporation's obligations under this article with  respect to payment of interest to an interest rate which the court finds  would have been appropriate and reasonable at the time the  contract  or  agreement  or class thereof was issued. Nothing in this subsection shall  limit the rights of a holder of a contract or agreement so  affected  as  against the impaired or insolvent insurer.    (4) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this article, under no  circumstances shall the corporation have any obligation on account of an  impaired  or insolvent insurer either to, or which inures to the benefit  of, any person or firm  which  at  the  time  the  policy,  contract  or  agreement  was  issued  or renewed or within ninety days of the date the  insurer was determined to be impaired or insolvent, as the case may  be,  directly  or  indirectly owned ten percent or more of or controlled such  impaired or insolvent insurer; provided, however, that nothing  in  this  subsection  shall  relieve the corporation of responsibility with regard  to  contractual  obligations  of  such  insurer  under  certificates  of  insurance issued to, and inuring solely to the benefit of, the employees  of such person or firm.    (d) If the corporation fails to act within a reasonable period of time  as  provided  in  subsection  (a)  or  (b) of this section, whichever is  applicable, the superintendent shall have the powers and duties  of  thecorporation under this article with respect to any impaired or insolvent  insurer.    (e)   The   corporation  may  render  assistance  and  advice  to  the  superintendent, upon his request, concerning rehabilitation, payment  of  claims, continuance of coverage, or the performance of other contractual  obligations of any impaired or insolvent insurer.    (f)  When  any  person  receives  benefits  under  this  article,  the  corporation shall possess all of the rights  under  the  covered  policy  that  such  person  had immediately before such receipt to the extent of  the benefits received because of this article whether the  benefits  are  payments   of  contractual  obligations  or  continuation  of  coverage;  provided, however, that the  corporation  shall  not  have  any  greater  priority  against  the  assets  of  an  impaired or insolvent insurer by  reason of this subsection than  is  expressly  given  by  section  seven  thousand  four  hundred thirty-five of this chapter. The corporation may  require an assignment to it, or the execution of  any  other  instrument  evidencing  the  corporation's  possession, of such rights by any payee,  policy or contract owner, beneficiary, insured or annuitant. The receipt  of  such  assignment  or  other  instrument,  and   its   validity   and  enforceability by the corporation in accordance with its terms under the  laws  of  the  insurer's state of domicile or state of entry, shall be a  condition precedent to the receipt of any rights or  benefits  conferred  by this article upon such person.    (g)  The  contractual obligations of the impaired or insolvent insurer  for which the corporation becomes or  may  become  liable  shall  be  no  greater  than  the  contractual obligations of the impaired or insolvent  insurer would have been in the absence of an impairment or insolvency.    (h) The corporation may:    (1) Enter into such contracts as are necessary or proper to carry  out  the provisions and purposes of this article.    (2)  Sue  or  be sued, including taking any legal actions necessary or  proper for recovery  of  any  unpaid  assessments  under  section  seven  thousand seven hundred nine of this article.    (3)  Borrow  money  to  effect  the  purposes  of  this  article.  The  corporation may agree, as a condition of any borrowing, that the  lender  will be subrogated to the rights of the corporation against the impaired  or  insolvent  insurer to the extent of the amount borrowed and interest  accruing thereon. Any note or other  evidence  of  indebtedness  of  the  corporation  not  in  default  shall  be a legal investment for domestic  insurers and may be carried as admitted assets.    (4) Employ or retain such persons as are necessary or proper to handle  the financial transactions of the corporation, and to perform such other  functions as become necessary or proper under this article.    (5) With the approval of the superintendent,  negotiate  and  contract  with any liquidator, rehabilitator, conservator or ancillary receiver to  carry out the powers and duties of the corporation.    (6)  Take  such  legal  action as may be necessary to avoid payment of  improper claims.    (7) Exercise, for the purposes of  this  article  and  to  the  extent  approved  by the superintendent, the powers of a domestic life insurance  company, but in no case may the corporation issue insurance policies  or  annuity  contracts  other  than  those issued to perform the contractual  obligations of the impaired or insolvent insurer.    (8) Exercise all powers necessary or convenient for  the  purposes  of  this article.