2019 Delaware Code
Title 18 - Insurance Code
Chapter 49. Organization and Corporate Powers; Procedures of Domestic Stock and Mutual Insurers
§ 4937 Merger, consolidation of mutual insurers — Approval by members.
(a) After the Commissioner has approved the proposed agreement of merger or consolidation and if the insurer is then unimpaired, the agreement shall be submitted to the domestic insurer’s members for approval at a regular or special meeting of members. If a life insurer, right to vote shall be limited to members whose policies are other than term policies for terms of less than 20 years and other than group policies and have been in force for at least 1 year.
(b) Not less than 15 days before such meeting written notice of the meeting and of the proposed merger or consolidation shall be given to each member of the insurer. The notice shall state the day, hour, place and purposes of the meeting and be accompanied by a copy or summary of agreement of merger or consolidation as the case may be. Notice and accompanying copy or summary shall be deemed given when enclosed in an envelope addressed to the member at the member’s address last of record with the insurer and deposited postage paid in a depository of the United States post office. In the case of mutual insurers with more than 10,000 members, in lieu of such notice by mail, such notice may be given by publication in a newspaper of general circulation in either of the 2 largest cities in each state in which the insurer shall be authorized to transact an insurance business.
(c) Upon receiving the affirmative vote of 2/3 of all votes cast by members present or represented at the meeting, the agreement shall be deemed to have been approved. Each member of the insurer shall be bound by such vote without right of dissent other than the right to vote against the proposal at the meeting. Such a dissenting member shall have no right or equity as to the assets of the insurer except as expressly provided in the member’s policy or policies.
(d) In the event that a mutual insurer shall have no members entitled to vote, the merger agreement need not be submitted to its members, and notice need not be given to its members, and the Commissioner may approve the agreement of merger or consolidation without a hearing thereon, and the same may be effectuated without approval of the insurer’s members.
18 Del. C. 1953, § 4937; 56 Del. Laws, c. 380, § 1; 59 Del. Laws, c. 79, §§ 37, 38; 70 Del. Laws, c. 186, § 1.
