Current through the 2024 Legislative Session
Section 431:19-204 - Certificate of authority(a) Any special purpose financial captive insurance company, when permitted by its organizational documents, may apply to the commissioner for a certificate of authority to transact insurance or reinsurance business as authorized in this part. A special purpose financial captive insurance company may only insure or reinsure the risks of its counterparty. Notwithstanding any other provision of this part, a special purpose financial captive insurance company may purchase reinsurance to cede the risks assumed under the special purpose financial captive insurance contracts, subject to the prior approval of the commissioner.(b) In conjunction with the issuance of a certificate of authority to a special purpose financial captive insurance company, the commissioner may issue an order that includes any provisions, terms, and conditions regarding the organization, licensing, and operation of the special purpose financial captive insurance company that are deemed appropriate by the commissioner and that are not inconsistent with this part. Except as provided in sections 431:19-212 and 431:19-213, a certificate of authority issued to a special purpose financial captive insurance company pursuant to this part shall not be revoked, suspended, amended, or modified other than as follows: (1) The special purpose financial captive insurance company consents to the revocation, suspension, amendment, or modification; or(2) The commissioner makes a showing of clear and convincing evidence demonstrating that the revocation, suspension, amendment, or modification is necessary to avoid irreparable harm to the special purpose financial captive insurance company, investors who hold special purpose financial captive insurance company securities, the public, or a counterparty, if applicable.(c) To qualify for a certificate of authority, a special purpose financial captive insurance company shall be subject, in addition to the requirements of section 431:19-102, to the following: (1) The special purpose financial captive insurance company shall submit its plan of operation to the commissioner for approval. The plan of operation shall include: (A) Draft documentation or, at the discretion of the commissioner, a written summary, of all agreements and material transactions, including but not limited to the name of the counterparty, the nature of risk being assumed, and the nature and purpose of the interrelationships between the various transactions that are entered into to effectuate the special purpose financial captive insurance company contract and the insurance securitization;(B) The source and form of the special purpose financial captive insurance company's initial and ongoing capital and surplus;(C) The proposed strategic investment policy of the special purpose financial captive insurance company;(D) A description of the underwriting, reporting, and claims reserving and payment methods by which losses covered by the special purpose financial captive insurance company are reported, accounted for, and settled; and(E) Projected financial statements of the special purpose financial captive insurance company using an expected and at least one adverse case scenario applied to the special purpose financial captive insurance company contract;(2) The special purpose financial captive insurance company shall submit an affidavit of or a declaration by its president, a vice president, the treasurer, or the chief financial officer, that includes the following statements, to the best of that person's knowledge and belief after reasonable inquiry:(A) That the proposed organization and operation of the special purpose financial captive insurance company complies with all applicable provisions of this part;(B) That the special purpose financial captive insurance company's strategic investment policy reflects and takes into account the liquidity of assets and the reasonable preservation, administration, and management of the assets with respect to the risks associated with the special purpose financial captive insurance company contract and the insurance securitization transaction; and(C) That the special purpose financial captive insurance company contract and any arrangement for securing the special purpose financial captive insurance company's obligations under the special purpose financial captive insurance company contract, including but not limited to any agreement or other documentation to implement the arrangement, comply with the provisions of this part;(3) The special purpose financial captive insurance company shall submit other documents or statements of the special purpose financial captive insurance company's officer as may be required by the commissioner to evaluate the special purpose financial captive insurance company's application for licensure; and(4) The application shall include an opinion of qualified legal counsel, in a form acceptable to the commissioner, that the offer and sale of any special purpose financial captive insurance company securities comply with all applicable registration requirements, or applicable exemptions from or exceptions to the requirements of the federal securities laws and that the offer and sale of securities by the special purpose financial captive insurance company itself comply with all registration requirements or applicable exemptions from or exceptions to the requirements of the security laws of this State. The legal opinions shall not be required as part of the application if the special purpose financial captive insurance company includes a specific statement in its plan of operation that the opinions shall be provided to the commissioner prior to the offer or sale of any special purpose financial captive insurance company securities.(d) The commissioner may issue a certificate of authority to transact insurance and reinsurance business as a special purpose financial captive insurance company in this State that shall be valid through the term of the insurance securitization and automatically renewed each April 1 following the date of initial issuance, except as provided for in section 431:19-212, and upon the commissioner's finding that: (1) The proposed plan of operation provides for a reasonable and expected successful operation;(2) The terms of the special purpose financial captive insurance company contract and related transactions comply with this part; and(3) The insurance regulator of the home domicile of each counterparty has notified the commissioner in writing or otherwise provided assurance satisfactory to the commissioner that it has approved or has not disapproved the transaction; provided that the commissioner shall not be precluded from issuing or renewing a certificate of authority in the event that the insurance regulator of the home domicile of a counterparty has not responded with respect to all or any part of the transaction.(e) Section 431:19-101.2 shall apply to all information submitted pursuant to subsection (c) and to any order issued to the special purpose financial captive insurance company pursuant to subsection (b). L 2008, c 190, pt of §1; am L 2009, c 11, §6 .