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2019 North Dakota Century Code
Title 26.1 Insurance
Chapter 26.1-31.2 Reinsurance Credit

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CHAPTER 26.1-31.2 REINSURANCE CREDIT 26.1-31.2-01. Credit allowed a domestic ceding insurer. Credit for reinsurance must be allowed a domestic ceding insurer as either an asset or a reduction from liability on account of reinsurance ceded only when the reinsurer meets the requirements of subsection 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6. Credit will be allowed under subsection 1, 2, or 3 only with respect to cessions of a kind or class of business that the assuming insurer is licensed or otherwise permitted to write or assume in its state of domicile or, in the case of a United States branch of an alien assuming insurer, in the state through which it is entered and licensed to transact insurance or reinsurance. Credit must be allowed under subsection 3 or 4 only if the applicable requirements of subsection 7 have been satisfied. 1. Credit must be allowed when the reinsurance is ceded to an assuming insurer that is licensed to transact insurance or reinsurance in this state. 2. Credit must be allowed when the reinsurance is ceded to an assuming insurer which is accredited by the commissioner as a reinsurer in this state. In order to be eligible for accreditation, a reinsurer: a. Shall file with the commissioner evidence of its submission to this state's jurisdiction; b. Shall submit to this state's authority to examine its books and records; c. Must be licensed to transact insurance or reinsurance in at least one state, or, in the case of a United States branch of an alien assuming insurer, be entered through and licensed to transact insurance or reinsurance in at least one state; d. Annually, shall file with the commissioner a copy of its annual statement filed with the insurance department of its state of domicile and a copy of its most recent audited financial statement; and e. Shall demonstrate to the satisfaction of the commissioner the assuming insurer has adequate financial capacity to meet the assuming insurer's reinsurance obligations and is otherwise qualified to assume reinsurance from domestic insurers. An assuming insurer is deemed to meet this requirement as of the time of application the assuming insurer maintains a surplus as regards policyholders in an amount which is not less than twenty million dollars and the assuming insurer's accreditation has not been denied by the commissioner within ninety days after submission of its application. 3. a. Credit must be allowed when the reinsurance is ceded to an assuming insurer domiciled in, or in the case of a United States branch of an alien assuming insurer, is entered through, a state which employs standards regarding credit for reinsurance substantially similar to those applicable under this statute and the assuming insurer or United States branch of an alien assuming insurer: (1) Maintains a surplus as regards policyholders in an amount not less than twenty million dollars; and (2) Submits to the authority of this state to examine its books and records. b. The requirement of subdivision a does not apply to reinsurance ceded and assumed pursuant to pooling arrangements among insurers in the same holding company system. 4. a. Credit must be allowed when the reinsurance is ceded to an assuming insurer that maintains a trust fund in a qualified United States financial institution, as defined in subsection 2 of section 26.1-31.2-03, for the payment of valid claims of its United States 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 national association of insurance commissioners annual statement form by licensed insurers. The assuming insurer shall submit to examination of the insurer's books and records by the commissioner and bear the expense of examination. Page No. 1 b. c. (1) Credit for reinsurance may not be granted under this subsection unless the form of the trust and any amendments to the trust have been approved by: (a) The commissioner of the state in which the trust is domiciled; or (b) The commissioner of another state who, pursuant to the terms of the trust instrument, accepted principal regulatory oversight of the trust. (2) The form of the trust and any trust amendments also must be filed with the commissioner of every state in which the ceding insurer beneficiaries of the trust are domiciled. The trust instrument must provide that contested claims are valid and enforceable upon the final order of any court of competent jurisdiction in the United States. The trust must vest legal title to the trust's assets in the trust's trustees for the benefit of the assuming insurer's United States ceding insurers, their assigns, and successors in interest. The trust and the assuming insurer are 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 twenty-eighth of each year the trustee of the trust shall report to the commissioner in writing the balance of the trust and listing of the trust's investments at the preceding year-end and shall certify the date of termination of the trust, if so planned, or certify the trust will not expire before the following December thirty-first. The following requirements apply to the following categories of assuming insurer: (1) The trust fund for a single assuming insurer must consist of funds in trust in an amount not less than the assuming insurer's liabilities attributable to reinsurance ceded by United States ceding insurers and, in addition, the assuming insurer shall maintain a trusteed surplus of not less than twenty million dollars, except as provided in paragraph 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 United States 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 must 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 thirty percent of the assuming insurer's liabilities attributable to reinsurance ceded by United States 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 a reinsurance agreement with an inception, amendment, or renewal date after December 31, 1992, the trust must consist of a trusteed account in an amount not less than the respective underwriters' several liabilities attributable to business ceded by United States domiciled ceding insurers to any underwriter of the group; [2] For reinsurance ceded under a reinsurance agreement with an inception date before January 1, 1993, and not amended or renewed after that date, notwithstanding the other provisions of this chapter, the trust must consist of a trusteed account in an amount not less than the respective underwriters' several Page No. 2 5. insurance and reinsurance liabilities attributable to business written in the United States; and [3] In addition to these trusts, the group shall maintain a trusteed surplus of one hundred million dollars which must be held jointly for the benefit of the United States domiciled ceding insurers of any member of the group for all years of account. (b) The incorporated members of the group may not be engaged in any business other than underwriting as a member of the group and are subject to the same level of regulation and solvency control by the group's domiciliary regulator as are the unincorporated members. (c) Within ninety 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: (a) Must have continuously transacted an insurance business outside the United States for at least three years immediately prior to making application for accreditation; (b) Shall maintain aggregate policyholders' surplus of at least ten billion dollars; (c) Shall maintain a trust fund in an amount not less than the group's several liabilities attributable to business ceded by United States domiciled ceding insurers to any member of the group pursuant to reinsurance contracts issued in the name of the group; (d) Shall maintain a joint trusteed surplus of which one hundred million dollars must be held jointly for the benefit of United States domiciled ceding insurers of any member of the group as additional security for these liabilities; and (e) Within ninety days after its financial statements are due to be filed with the group's domiciliary regulator, shall 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. Credit must be allowed when the reinsurance is ceded to an assuming insurer that has been certified by the commissioner as a reinsurer in this state and secures the assuming insurer's obligations in accordance with the requirements of this subsection. a. In order to be eligible for certification, the assuming insurer shall meet the following requirements: (1) The assuming insurer must be domiciled and licensed to transact insurance or reinsurance in a qualified jurisdiction, as determined by the commissioner pursuant to subdivision c; (2) The assuming insurer shall maintain minimum capital and surplus, or its equivalent, in an amount to be determined by the commissioner pursuant to rule; (3) The assuming insurer shall maintain financial strength ratings from two or more rating agencies deemed acceptable by the commissioner pursuant to rule; (4) The assuming insurer shall agree to submit to the jurisdiction of this state, appoint the commissioner as its agent for service of process in this state, and agree to provide security for one hundred percent of the assuming insurer's liabilities attributable to reinsurance ceded by United States ceding Page No. 3 b. c. insurers if the assuming insurer resists enforcement of a final United States judgment; (5) The assuming insurer shall agree to meet applicable information filing requirements as determined by the commissioner, both with respect to an initial application for certification and on an ongoing basis; and (6) The assuming insurer shall satisfy any other requirements for certification deemed relevant by the commissioner. An association, including incorporated and individual unincorporated underwriters, may be a certified reinsurer. In order to be eligible for certification, in addition to satisfying requirements of subdivision a: (1) The association shall satisfy its minimum capital and surplus requirements through the capital and surplus equivalents, net of liabilities, of the association and the association's members which must include a joint central fund that may be applied to any unsatisfied obligation of the association or any of the association's members, in an amount determined by the commissioner to provide adequate protection; (2) The incorporated members of the association may not be engaged in any business other than underwriting as a member of the association and are subject to the same level of regulation and solvency control by the association's domiciliary regulator as are the unincorporated members; and (3) Within ninety days after the association's financial statements are due to be filed with the association's domiciliary regulator, the association shall provide to the commissioner an annual certification by the association'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 association. The commissioner shall create and publish a list of qualified jurisdictions, under which an assuming insurer licensed and domiciled in such jurisdiction is eligible to be considered for certification by the commissioner as a certified reinsurer. (1) In order to determine whether the domiciliary jurisdiction of a non-United States assuming insurer is eligible to be recognized as a qualified jurisdiction, the commissioner shall evaluate the appropriateness and effectiveness of the reinsurance supervisory system of the jurisdiction, both initially and on an ongoing basis, and consider the rights, benefits, and the extent of reciprocal recognition afforded by the non-United States jurisdiction to reinsurers licensed and domiciled in the United States. A qualified jurisdiction must agree to share information and cooperate with the commissioner with respect to all certified reinsurers domiciled within that jurisdiction. A jurisdiction may not be recognized as a qualified jurisdiction if the commissioner has determined the jurisdiction does not adequately and promptly enforce final United States judgments and arbitration awards. Additional factors may be considered in the discretion of the commissioner. (2) A list of qualified jurisdictions must be published through the national association of insurance commissioner committee process. The commissioner shall consider this list in determining qualified jurisdictions. If the commissioner approves a jurisdiction as qualified which does not appear on the list of qualified jurisdictions, the commissioner shall provide thoroughly documented justification in accordance with criteria to be developed under regulations. (3) United States jurisdictions that meet the requirement for accreditation under the national association of insurance commissioners financial standards and accreditation program must be recognized as qualified jurisdictions. (4) If a certified reinsurer's domiciliary jurisdiction ceases to be a qualified jurisdiction, in lieu of revocation, the commissioner may suspend the reinsurer's certification indefinitely. Page No. 4 d. e. f. g. The commissioner shall assign a rating to each certified reinsurer. Giving due consideration to the financial strength ratings that have been assigned by rating agencies deemed acceptable to the commissioner pursuant to rule. The commissioner shall publish a list of all certified reinsurers and the reinsurer's ratings. A certified reinsurer shall secure obligations assumed from United States ceding insurers under this subsection at a level consistent with the certified reinsurer's rating, as specified in rules adopted by the commissioner. (1) In order for a domestic ceding insurer to qualify for full financial statement credit for reinsurance ceded to a certified reinsurer, the certified reinsurer shall maintain security in a form acceptable to the commissioner and consistent with the provisions of section 26.1-31.2-02 or in a multibeneficiary trust in accordance with subsection 4, except as otherwise provided in this subsection. (2) If a certified reinsurer maintains a trust to fully secure the certified reinsurer's obligations subject to subsection 4, and chooses to secure the certified reinsurer's obligations incurred as a certified reinsurer in the form of a multibeneficiary trust, the certified reinsurer shall maintain separate trust accounts for the certified reinsurer's obligations incurred under reinsurance agreements issued or renewed as a certified reinsurer with reduced security as permitted by this subsection or comparable laws of other United States jurisdictions and for the certified reinsurer's obligations subject to subsection 4. As a condition to the grant of certification under subsection 5, the certified reinsurer must have bound itself, by the language of the trust and agreement with the commissioner with principal regulatory oversight of each such trust account, to fund, upon termination of any such trust account, out of the remaining surplus of such trust any deficiency of any other such trust account. (3) The minimum trusteed surplus requirements provided in subsection 4 are not applicable with respect to a multibeneficiary trust maintained by a certified reinsurer for the purpose of securing obligations incurred under this subsection, except that such trust must maintain a minimum trusteed surplus of ten million dollars. (4) With respect to obligations incurred by a certified reinsurer under this subsection, if the security is insufficient, the commissioner shall reduce the allowable credit by an amount proportionate to the deficiency, and may impose further reductions in allowable credit upon finding there is a material risk the certified reinsurer's obligations will not be paid in full when due. (5) For purposes of this subsection, a certified reinsurer whose certification has been terminated for any reason must be treated as a certified reinsurer required to secure one hundred percent of the certified reinsurer's obligations. (a) As used in this subsection, "terminated" refers to revocation, suspension, voluntary surrender, and inactive status. (b) If the commissioner continues to assign a higher rating as permitted by other provisions of this section, this requirement does not apply to a certified reinsurer in inactive status or to a reinsurer whose certification has been suspended. If an applicant for certification has been certified as a reinsurer in a national association of insurance commissioners accredited jurisdiction, the commissioner may defer to that jurisdiction's certification, and may defer to the rating assigned by that jurisdiction, and such assuming insurer must be considered to be a certified reinsurer in this state. A certified reinsurer that ceases to assume new business in this state may request to maintain the certified reinsurer's certification in inactive status in order to continue to qualify for a reduction in security for the certified reinsurer's in-force Page No. 5 6. 7. 8. 9. business. An inactive certified reinsurer shall continue to comply with all applicable requirements of this subsection, and the commissioner shall assign a rating that takes into account, if relevant, the reasons why the reinsurer is not assuming new business. Credit must be allowed when the reinsurance is ceded to an assuming insurer not meeting the requirements of subsection 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 but only as to the insurance of risks located in jurisdictions where the reinsurance is required by applicable law or regulation of that jurisdiction. a. If the assuming insurer is not licensed, accredited, or certified to transact insurance or reinsurance in this state, the credit permitted by subsections 3 and 4 may not be allowed unless the assuming insurer agrees in the reinsurance agreements: (1) In the event of the failure of the assuming insurer to perform its obligations under the terms of the reinsurance agreement, the assuming insurer, at the request of the ceding insurer, shall submit to the jurisdiction of any court of competent jurisdiction in any state of the United States, will comply with all requirements necessary to give the court jurisdiction, and will abide by the final decision of the court or of any appellate court in the event of an appeal; and (2) To designate the commissioner or a designated attorney as its true and lawful attorney upon whom may be served any lawful process in any action, suit, or proceeding instituted by or on behalf of the ceding insurer. b. This subsection is not intended to conflict with or override the obligation of the parties to a reinsurance agreement to arbitrate their disputes, if this obligation is created in the agreement. If the assuming insurer does not meet the requirements of subsection 1, 2, or 3, the credit permitted by subsection 4 or 5 may not be allowed unless the assuming insurer agrees in the trust agreements to the following conditions: a. Notwithstanding any other provisions in the trust instrument, if the trust fund is inadequate because the trust fund contains an amount less than the amount required by subdivision c of subsection 4, or if the grantor of the trust has been declared insolvent or placed into receivership, rehabilitation, liquidation, or similar proceedings under the laws of its state or country of domicile, the trustee shall comply with an order of the commissioner with regulatory oversight over the trust or with an order of a court of competent jurisdiction directing the trustee to transfer to the commissioner with regulatory oversight all of the assets of the trust fund. b. The assets must be distributed by and claims must be filed with and valued by the commissioner with regulatory oversight in accordance with the laws of the state in which the trust is domiciled which are applicable to the liquidation of domestic insurers. c. If the commissioner with regulatory oversight determines the assets of the trust fund or any part of this trust fund are not necessary to satisfy the claims of the United States ceding insurers of the grantor of the trust, the assets or part of the assets must be returned by the commissioner with regulatory oversight to the trustee for distribution in accordance with the trust agreement. d. The grantor shall waive any right otherwise available to the grantor under United States law that is inconsistent with this provision. If an accredited or certified reinsurer ceases to meet the requirements for accreditation or certification, the commissioner may suspend or revoke the reinsurer's accreditation or certification. a. The commissioner shall give the reinsurer notice and opportunity for a hearing. The suspension or revocation may not take effect until after the commissioner's order on a hearing, unless: (1) The reinsurer waives the reinsurer's right to a hearing; Page No. 6 (2) b. 10. a. b. c. The commissioner's order is based on regulatory action by the reinsurer's domiciliary jurisdiction or the voluntary surrender or termination of the reinsurer's eligibility to transact insurance or reinsurance business in the reinsurer's domiciliary jurisdiction or in the primary certifying state of the reinsurer under subdivision f of subsection 5; or (3) The commissioner finds an emergency requires immediate action and a court of competent jurisdiction has not stayed the commissioner's action. During the period of suspension of a reinsurer's accreditation or certification, a reinsurance contract issued or renewed after the effective date of the suspension does not qualify for credit except to the extent that the reinsurer's obligations under the contract are secured in accordance with section 26.1-31.2-02. If a reinsurer's accreditation or certification is revoked, credit for reinsurance may not be granted after the effective date of the revocation, except to the extent the reinsurer's obligations under the contract are secured in accordance with subdivision e of subsection 5 of section 26.1-31.2-02. A ceding insurer shall take steps to manage the ceding insurer's reinsurance recoverables proportionate to the ceding insurer's own book of business. A domestic ceding insurer shall notify the commissioner within thirty days after reinsurance recoverables from any single assuming insurer, or group of affiliated assuming insurers, exceed fifty percent of the domestic ceding insurer's last reported surplus to policyholders, or after it is determined reinsurance recoverables from any single assuming insurer, or group of affiliated assuming insurers, is likely to exceed this limit. The notification must demonstrate the exposure is safely managed by the domestic ceding insurer. A ceding insurer shall take steps to diversify the ceding insurer's reinsurance program. A domestic ceding insurer shall notify the commissioner within thirty days after ceding to any single assuming insurer, or group of affiliated assuming insurers, more than twenty percent of the ceding insurer's gross written premium in the prior calendar year, or after the ceding insurer's determined the reinsurance ceded to any single assuming insurer, or group of affiliated assuming insurers, is likely to exceed this limit. The notification must demonstrate the exposure is safely managed by the domestic ceding insurer. Credit for reinsurance ceded to a certified reinsurer is limited to reinsurance contracts entered or renewed on or after the effective date of the commissioner's certification of the assuming insurer. 26.1-31.2-02. Asset or reduction from liability for reinsurance ceded by a domestic insurer to an assuming insurer not meeting the requirements of section 26.1-31.2-01. An asset or reduction from liability for the reinsurance ceded by a domestic insurer to an assuming insurer not meeting the requirements of section 26.1-31.2-01 must be allowed in an amount not exceeding the liabilities carried by the ceding insurer. The reduction must be in the amount of funds held by or on behalf of the ceding insurer, including funds held in trust for the ceding insurer, under a reinsurance contract with the assuming insurer as security for the payment of obligations thereunder, if the security is held in the United States subject to withdrawal solely by, and under the exclusive control of, the ceding insurer; or, in the case of a trust, held in a qualified United States financial institution, as defined in subsection 2 of section 26.1-31.2-03. This security may be in the form of: 1. Cash; 2. Securities listed by the securities valuation office of the national association of insurance commissioners, including those securities deemed exempt from filing as defined by the purposes and procedures manual of the securities valuation office, and qualifying as admitted assets; 3. a. Clean, irrevocable, unconditional letters of credit issued or confirmed by a qualified United States institution, as defined in subsection 1 of section 26.1-31.2-03, effective no later than December thirty-first of the year for which the Page No. 7 4. filing is being made, and in the possession of, or in trust for, the ceding insurer on or before the filing date of its annual statement; or b. Letters of credit meeting applicable standards of issuer acceptability as of the dates of their issuance or confirmation must, notwithstanding the issuing or confirming institution's subsequent failure to meet applicable standards of issuer acceptability, continue to be acceptable as security until their expiration, extension, renewal, modification, or amendment, whichever first occurs; or Any other form of security acceptable to the commissioner. 26.1-31.2-03. Qualified United States financial institutions. 1. For purposes of subsection 3 of section 26.1-31.2-02, a "qualified United States financial institution" means an institution that: a. Is organized, or in case of a United States office of a foreign banking organization, is licensed, under the laws of the United States or any state thereof; b. Is regulated, supervised, and examined by United States federal or state authorities having regulatory authority over banks and trust companies; and c. Has been determined by either the commissioner, or the securities valuation office of the national association of insurance commissioners, to meet such standards of financial condition and standing as are considered necessary and appropriate to regulate the quality of financial institutions whose letters of credit will be acceptable to the commissioner. 2. A "qualified United States financial institution" means, for purposes of those provisions of this chapter specifying those institutions that are eligible to act as a fiduciary of a trust, an institution that: a. Is organized, or in the case of a United States branch or agency office of a foreign banking organization, is licensed, under the laws of the United States or any state thereof and has been granted authority to operate with fiduciary powers; and b. Is regulated, supervised, and examined by federal or state authorities having regulatory authority over banks and trust companies. 26.1-31.2-04. Rulemaking authority. The commissioner may adopt rules for the implementation and administration of this chapter. 26.1-31.2-05. Reinsurance agreements affected. Sections 26.1-31.2-01, 26.1-31.2-02, 26.1-31.2-03, and 26.1-31.2-04 apply to all cessions after July 7, 1991, under reinsurance agreements which have had an inception, anniversary, or renewal date not less than six months after July 7, 1991. Page No. 8
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