HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.B. NO. |
2394 |
THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2024 |
H.D. 1 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
S.D. 1 |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO INSURANCE.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
"§431:19- Dormant captive insurance companies. (a)
A captive insurance company may apply to the commissioner for a
certificate of dormancy and the commissioner may grant a certificate of
dormancy. The
certificate of dormancy shall be subject to renewal every five years and shall
expire if not renewed. The application
for renewal shall be submitted not less than ninety days before the certificate
expiration date. The issuance
of a certificate of dormancy shall automatically cause the certificate of
authority of the captive insurance company to be placed in inactive status.
(b)
A dormant captive insurance company that has been issued a certificate
of dormancy shall:
(1) Possess and thereafter maintain
unimpaired, paid-in capital and surplus of not less than $25,000;
(2) Before March 1 of each year, submit
to the commissioner a report of its financial condition, verified by oath of
two of its executive officers, in a form as may be prescribed by the
commissioner; and
(3) Pay a certificate of dormancy
renewal fee of $300.
(c)
A dormant captive insurance company that has been issued a certificate
of dormancy shall not:
(1) Conduct the business of insurance;
(2) Be subject to or liable for the
payment of any tax under section 431:19-116;
(3) Be required to file audited annual financial
statements and other reports required under section 431:19-107; and
(4) Be
subject to examination under section 431:19-108, except for non-compliance with
this section.
(d)
Before
conducting any insurance business, a dormant captive insurance company shall
apply for approval from the commissioner to surrender its certificate of
dormancy and to reactivate its certificate of authority.
(e)
A certificate of dormancy shall be revoked if a dormant captive
insurance company violates any provisions of subsections (a) through (c).
(f)
The commissioner may adopt rules as necessary to carry out this section.
(g)
As used in this section, unless the context requires otherwise,
"dormant captive insurance company" means a captive insurance company
that as of the filing of its application for a certificate of dormancy under
this section:
(1) Has never transacted the business of
insurance; or
(2) Has ceased transacting the business
of insurance and has no remaining insurance liabilities associated with any
business of insurance transacted by it."
SECTION 2.
Section 431:2-217, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as
follows:
"[[]§431:2-217[]] Trade name.
(a) [Prior to] Before the use or
change of a trade name to sell, solicit, or negotiate insurance in this State,
the licensee shall register the trade name with the department of commerce and
consumer affairs pursuant to part II of chapter 482.
(b)
Upon registration of the trade name with the
department of commerce and consumer affairs, the licensee may apply, on a form
approved by the commissioner, to add or remove a trade name on a license.
The applicant shall provide proof of
registration of a trade name to the commissioner.
(c) If the commissioner finds the application for
use or change of a trade name is substantially identical to another trade name
registered with the department of commerce and consumer affairs, or
substantially identical to a legal name or trade name of a revoked license, the
commissioner shall deny use of the trade name on a license issued pursuant to
this chapter.
(d) A licensee shall inform the commissioner, by
any means acceptable to the commissioner, of any change of status of a trade
name registered with the department of commerce and consumer affairs within
thirty days of the change.
(e) For purposes of this article, "trade
name" shall include the name under which an individual or business entity
is conducting business or doing business as."
SECTION 3.
Section 431:9A-154, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as
follows:
"§431:9A-154
Self-study courses. (a) In addition to the requirements of courses
generally, an approved continuing education course provider shall also require
for self-study courses, including computer-based courses, a written or
computer-based examination at the conclusion of the self-study course.
The examination shall:
(1) Be composed of multiple choice questions, essay questions, or both;
(2) Have at least three different versions of itself, used on a random or rotating basis;
(3) If composed of multiple choice questions for a course approved for up to four credit hours, include at least twenty-five multiple choice questions;
(4) If composed of multiple choice questions for a course approved for more than four credit hours, include at least fifty multiple choice questions;
(5) Be graded by the continuing education course provider or the continuing education course provider's agent;
(6) If the examination is computer-based, not include prompts designed to aid the person taking the examination; and
(7) If the course is a computer-based course with a computer-based examination, be designed to prevent the licensee from taking the examination without reviewing the course materials.
(b) To pass a multiple-choice self-study course, the licensee shall answer at least seventy per cent of the examination questions correctly.
(c)
A self-study course examination shall not be
administered by a person who:
(1) Is related to, or is a business associate of, the licensee taking the examination; or
(2) Has a financial interest in the success or failure of a licensee taking the examination.
(d) The effective date of a completed examination pursuant to this section shall be the date the continuing education course provider receives the completed examination. Upon receipt of the completed examination, the continuing education course provider or the continuing education course provider's agent shall grade the examination and mail the results to the licensee within fifteen days.
(e) The written or computer-based examination and
contents shall be made available by the continuing education course provider,
upon request, to the commissioner, and shall not be required to be submitted
for filing."
SECTION 4. Section 431:9B-102, Hawaii Revised Statutes,
is amended by amending subsection (c) to read as follows:
"(c) The
commissioner may require a reinsurance intermediary-manager subject to
subsection (b) to[:
(1) File a bond from an insurance
company licensed to do business within the State or with an insurance company
approved by the commissioner, in an amount equal to $500,000 or ten per cent of
the annual reinsurance premiums managed by the reinsurance intermediary‑manager,
whichever is greater, except that the bond amount under this paragraph shall
not exceed $10,000,000, for the protection of the reinsurer;
(2) Maintain an errors and omissions
policy with an insurance company licensed to do business within the State or
with an insurance company approved by the commissioner, in an amount equal to
$250,000 or twenty-five per cent of the annual reinsurance premiums managed by
the reinsurance intermediary‑manager, whichever is greater, except that
the policy limits under this paragraph shall not exceed $10,000,000; and
(3) Provide] provide any [other]
report required by the commissioner.
[At
the commissioner's request, the reinsurance intermediary‑manager shall
provide the commissioner with proof of the bond and policy and appropriate
documentation to show that the bond and policy continue to be in effect, or
that a new bond and new policy have been secured.]"
SECTION 5. Section 431:9B-106, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:
"§431:9B-106
Required contract provisions; reinsurance intermediary-managers. Transactions
between a reinsurance intermediary-manager and the reinsurer it represents in
that capacity shall only be entered into pursuant to a written contract,
specifying the responsibilities of each party that shall be approved by the
reinsurer's board of directors. The
contract, at a minimum, shall provide that:
(1) The
reinsurer may terminate the contract for cause upon written notice to the
reinsurance intermediary-manager. The
reinsurer may immediately suspend the authority of the reinsurance
intermediary-manager to assume or cede business during the pendency of any
dispute regarding the cause for termination;
(2) The reinsurance
intermediary-manager shall render accounts to the reinsurer accurately
detailing all material transactions, including information necessary to support
all commissions, charges, and other fees received by or owing to the
reinsurance intermediary-manager, and remit all funds due under the contract to
the reinsurer on not less than a monthly basis;
(3) All funds collected
for the reinsurer's account shall be held by the reinsurance
intermediary-manager in a fiduciary capacity and deposited in a bank that is a
qualified United States financial institution.
The reinsurance intermediary-manager may retain no more than three
months estimated claims payments and allocated loss adjustment expenses. The reinsurance intermediary-manager shall
maintain a separate bank account for each reinsurer that it represents;
(4) For
at least ten years after expiration of each contract of reinsurance transacted
by the reinsurance intermediary-manager, the reinsurance intermediary-manager
shall keep a complete record for each transaction showing:
(A) The
type of contract, limits, underwriting restrictions, classes or risks, and
territory;
(B) Period
of coverage, including effective and expiration dates, cancellation provisions
and notice required for cancellation, and disposition of outstanding reserves
on covered risks;
(C) Reporting
and settlement requirements of balances;
(D) Rate
used to compute the reinsurance premium;
(E) Names
and addresses of reinsurers;
(F) Rates
of all reinsurance commissions, including the commissions on any retrocessions
handled by the reinsurance intermediary-manager;
(G) Related
correspondence and memoranda;
(H) Proof
of placement;
(I) Details
regarding retrocessions handled by the reinsurance intermediary-manager, as
permitted by section [431:9B-108(d),] 431:9B-108(e), including
the identity of retrocessionaires and percentage of each contract assumed or
ceded;
(J) Financial
records, including but not limited to, premium and loss accounts; and
(K) When
the reinsurance intermediary-manager places a reinsurance contract on behalf of
a ceding insurer:
(i) Directly from any assuming reinsurer, written evidence that the
assuming reinsurer has agreed to assume the risk; or
(ii) If placed through a representative of the assuming reinsurer, other
than an employee, written evidence that the reinsurer has delegated binding
authority to the representative;
(5) The
reinsurer shall have access and the right to copy all accounts and records
maintained by the reinsurance intermediary-manager related to its business in a
form usable by the reinsurer;
(6) The
contract shall not be assigned in whole or in part by the reinsurance
intermediary-manager;
(7) The
reinsurance intermediary-manager shall comply with the written underwriting and
rating standards established by the insurer for the acceptance, rejection, or
cession of all risks;
(8) The
contract sets forth the rates, terms, and purposes of commissions, charges, and
other fees that the reinsurance intermediary-manager may levy against the
reinsurer;
(9) If
the contract permits the reinsurance intermediary-manager to settle claims on
behalf of the reinsurer:
(A) All claims shall
be reported to the reinsurer in a timely manner;
(B) A copy of the
claim file shall be sent to the reinsurer at its request or as soon as it
becomes known that the claim:
(i) Has the potential to exceed the lesser of an amount determined by
the commissioner or the limit set by the reinsurer;
(ii) Involves a coverage dispute;
(iii) May exceed the reinsurance intermediary-manager's claims settlement
authority;
(iv) Is open for more than six months; or
(v) Is closed by payment of the lesser of an amount set by the
commissioner or an amount set by the reinsurer;
(C) All claim files
shall be the joint property of the reinsurer and reinsurance
intermediary-manager. However, upon an
order of liquidation of the reinsurer, the files shall become the sole property
of the reinsurer or its estate; the reinsurance intermediary-manager shall have
reasonable access to and the right to copy the files on a timely basis; and
(D) Any
settlement authority granted to the reinsurance intermediary-manager may be
terminated for cause upon the reinsurer's written notice to the reinsurance
intermediary-manager or upon the termination of the contract. The reinsurer may suspend the settlement
authority during the pendency of the dispute regarding the cause of
termination;
(10) If
the contract provides for a sharing of interim profits by the reinsurance
intermediary-manager, interim profits shall not be paid until one year after
the end of each underwriting period for property business and five years after
the end of each underwriting period for casualty business (or a later period
set by the commissioner for specified lines of insurance) and not until the
adequacy of reserves on remaining claims has been verified pursuant to section
431:9B-108(c);
(11) The
reinsurance intermediary-manager shall annually provide the reinsurer with a
statement of its financial condition prepared by an independent certified
accountant;
(12) The
reinsurer shall, at a minimum, semiannually conduct an on-site review of the
underwriting and claims processing operations of the reinsurance
intermediary-manager;
(13) The
reinsurance intermediary-manager shall disclose to the reinsurer any
relationship it has with any insurer prior to ceding or assuming any business
with the insurer pursuant to the contract; and
(14) Within the scope of its actual or apparent authority the acts of the reinsurance intermediary-manager shall be deemed to be the acts of the reinsurer on whose behalf it is acting."
SECTION 6.
Section 431:9B-108, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as
follows:
"[[]§431:9B-108[]]
Duties of reinsurers utilizing the services of
a reinsurance intermediary-manager. (a) A reinsurer shall not engage the services of
any person, firm, association, or corporation to act as a reinsurance
intermediary-manager on its behalf unless the person, firm, association, or
corporation is licensed as required by section 431:9B-102(b).
(b)
The reinsurer shall annually obtain a copy of
statements of the financial condition of each reinsurance intermediary-manager
which the reinsurer has engaged prepared by an independent certified accountant
in a form acceptable to the commissioner.
(c)
If a reinsurance intermediary-manager
establishes loss reserves, the reinsurer shall annually obtain the opinion of
an actuary attesting to the adequacy of loss reserves established for losses
incurred and outstanding on business produced by the reinsurance
intermediary-manager. This opinion shall be in addition to any other
required loss reserve certification.
(d) The reinsurer shall require the reinsurance
intermediary-manager to:
(1) File a bond for the protection of
the reinsurer from an insurance company licensed to do business within the
State or with an insurance company approved by the commissioner, in an amount
equal to $500,000 or ten per cent of the annual reinsurance premiums managed by
the reinsurance intermediary‑manager, whichever is greater, except that
the bond amount under this paragraph shall not exceed $10,000,000; and
(2) Maintain an errors and omissions
policy with an insurance company licensed to do business within the State or
with an insurance company approved by the commissioner, in an amount equal to
$250,000 or twenty-five per cent of the annual reinsurance premiums managed by
the reinsurance intermediary‑manager, whichever is greater, except that
the policy limits under this paragraph shall not exceed $10,000,000.
At the commissioner's request, the
reinsurance intermediary‑manager shall provide the commissioner with
proof of the bond and policy required, and appropriate documentation to show
that the bond and policy continue to be in effect, or that a new bond and new
policy have been secured.
[(d)] (e) Binding authority for all retrocessional
contracts or participation in reinsurance syndicates shall rest with an officer
of the reinsurer who shall not be affiliated with the reinsurance
intermediary-manager.
[(e)] (f)
Within thirty days of termination of a
contract with a reinsurance intermediary-manager, the reinsurer shall provide
written notification of the termination to the commissioner.
[(f)] (g)
A reinsurer shall not appoint to its board of
directors any officer, director, employee, controlling shareholder, or subagent
of its reinsurance intermediary-manager; provided that this subsection shall
not apply to relationships governed by article 11."
SECTION
7. Section 431:9J-103, Hawaii Revised
Statutes, is amended to read as follows:
"§431:9J-103 Surety
bond required. (a)
Before the issuance of the administrator license, the
administrator shall file with the commissioner, and maintain in force while so
licensed, a surety bond of at least $100,000[,] during the
administrator's first licensing biennial, and at least $300,000 for every
licensing renewal thereafter, in the form and penal sum acceptable to the
commissioner, and shall provide that the bond may not be canceled or otherwise
terminated until two years have elapsed from the last day the applicant was an
administrator, unless the commissioner has given prior written consent. The surety bond shall be undertaken and may
be enforced in the name of "Commissioner of Insurance, State of
Hawaii".
SECTION 8.
Section 431:9J-112, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as
follows:
"§431:9J-112 Annual report required. (a) An
administrator shall file an annual report for the preceding calendar year with
the commissioner on or before March 1 of each year, in a form and manner
prescribed by the commissioner.
(b) The
annual report shall include:
(1) The names and addresses of all insurers
with which the administrator had an agreement during the preceding calendar
year; and
(2) A renewal certificate for the surety
bond required in section 431:9J-103 and an updated surety bond form, if needed[;
and
(3) An audited financial statement
prepared by an independent certified public accountant].
(c) An administrator shall file with the
commissioner an audited financial statement for the preceding calendar year by
an independent certified public accountant on or before June 1 of each year.
(d) An audited financial statement and annual
report prepared on a consolidated basis shall include a columnar consolidating
or combining worksheet filed with the report and shall include the following:
(1) Worksheet or worksheets showing the
amounts shown on the consolidated audited financial report;
(2) Amounts for each entity that shall
be stated separately; and
(3) Explanations of consolidating and
eliminating entries.
(e) The annual report shall be in the form, and
contain the matters, as the commissioner prescribes and shall be verified by at
least two officers of the administrator."
SECTION 9.
Section 431:19-101, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended as follows:
1.
By amending the definition of "controlled unaffiliated
business" to read:
""Controlled
unaffiliated business" means, in the case of a pure captive insurance
company, any person[:], or in the case of a sponsored captive
insurance company, any participant:
(1) That is not in the corporate system of a parent or sponsor and its affiliated entities;
(2) That has an existing contractual relationship with a parent or sponsor or one of its affiliated entities; and
(3) Whose risks are managed by the pure
captive insurance company[.] or the sponsored captive insurance
company."
2. By amending the definition of
"participant" to read:
""Participant" means an
entity that meets the requirements of section 431:19-305, and any affiliated or
controlled unaffiliated business entities thereof that are insured by a
sponsored captive insurance company where the losses of the participant may be
limited through a participant contract to the participant's pro rata share of
the assets of one or more protected cells identified in the participant contract."
SECTION 10.
Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 11. This Act shall take effect upon its approval; provided that section 6 shall take effect on July 1, 2025.
Report Title:
Insurance Code; Captive Insurers; Producers; Trade Name; Third Party Administrators; Surety Bond; Reinsurance Intermediary-Managers; Reinsurers
Description:
Amends various provisions of the Insurance Code to update and improve existing provisions. Defines "dormant captive insurance company", sets out a procedure to apply for a certificate of dormancy, and exempts certified dormant captive insurance companies from certain tax and reporting requirements. Includes in the term "trade name", names under which individuals or business entities are conducting business or doing business as. Clarifies continuing education provider filing requirements. Clarifies reinsurance intermediary-manager filing requirements. Amends the surety bond threshold requirement for third party administrators and clarifies the audited financial statements requirements. Amends the definitions of "controlled unaffiliated business" and "participant" as applied to captive insurance companies. (SD1)
The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.