The Florida Senate

631.717  Powers and duties of the association.--

(1)  If a domestic insurer is an impaired insurer, the association may, subject to the approval of the impaired insurer and the department:

(a)  Guarantee or reinsure, or cause to be guaranteed, assumed, or reinsured, any or all of the covered policies of the impaired insurer;

(b)  Provide such moneys, pledges, notes, guarantees, or other means as are proper to effectuate paragraph (a) and assure payment of the contractual obligations of the impaired insurer pending action under paragraph (a); and

(c)  Loan money to the impaired insurer.

(2)  If a domestic insurer is an insolvent insurer, the association shall, subject to the approval of the department:

(a)  Guarantee, assume, or reinsure, or cause to be guaranteed, assumed, or reinsured, the covered policies of persons referred to in s. 631.713(2); and

(b)  Provide moneys, pledges, notes, guarantees, or other means that are proper and reasonably necessary to implement paragraph (a) in order to assure payment of the contractual obligations of the insolvent insurer with regard to persons referred to in s. 631.713(2).

(3)  If a foreign or alien insurer is an insolvent insurer, the association shall, subject to the approval of the department:

(a)  Guarantee, assume, or reinsure, or cause to be guaranteed, assumed, or reinsured, the covered policies of residents of this state; and

(b)  Provide moneys, pledges, notes, guarantees, or other means that are proper and reasonably necessary to implement paragraph (a) in order to assure payment of the contractual obligations of the insolvent insurer with regard to persons referred to in s. 631.713(2).

However, this subsection does not apply when the department has determined that the foreign or alien insurer's domiciliary jurisdiction or state of entry provides, by statute, protection substantially similar to that provided by this part for residents of this state.

(4)(a)  In carrying out its duties under the provisions of subsections (2) and (3), the association may impose a lien on the premiums of any permanent policy or contract in connection with any guarantee, assumption, or reinsurance agreement made by it. Such lien may be enforced by a court of competent jurisdiction if the court:

1.  Finds that the amounts which may be assessed under this part are less than the amounts needed to assure full and prompt performance of the 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; and

2.  Approves the specific policy liens or contract liens to be used.

(b)  Before becoming obligated under the provisions of subsections (2) and (3), the association may request that temporary moratoria or liens be imposed on payments of cash values and policy loans in addition to any contractual provisions for deferral of cash or policy loan values. Such temporary moratoria and liens may be imposed if they are approved by a court of competent jurisdiction.

(5)  If the association fails to act within a reasonable period of time as provided in subsections (2) and (3), the department shall have the powers and duties of the association under this part with respect to insolvent insurers.

(6)  The association may assist and advise the department, upon its request, concerning rehabilitation, payment of claims, continuance of coverage, or the performance of other contractual obligations of any impaired or insolvent insurer. The association may also assist and advise departments of insurance of other states; other guaranty associations; and conservators, rehabilitators, and receivers appointed or acting in regard to any member insured wherever located, for the purpose of developing plans to coordinate protection of policyholders. Costs of such activities may be charged against the health insurance account, the life insurance account, or the annuity account created by s. 631.715, at the discretion of the board of directors, notwithstanding any other provision of this part.

(7)  The association shall have standing to appear before any court in this state which has jurisdiction over an impaired or insolvent insurer to which the association is or may become obligated under this part. Such standing shall extend to all matters germane to the powers and duties of the association, including but not limited to, proposals for reinsuring or guaranteeing the covered policies of the impaired or insolvent insurer and the determination of the covered policies and contractual obligations.

(8)(a)  Any person receiving benefits under this part shall be deemed to have assigned her or his rights under the covered policy to the association to the extent of the benefits received, whether the benefits are payments of contractual obligations or continuations of coverages. The association may require an assignment to it of such rights by any payee, policy or contract owner, beneficiary, insured, or annuitant as a condition precedent to the receipt of any rights or benefits conferred by this part upon such person. The association shall have subrogation rights against the assets of any insolvent insurer.

(b)  The subrogation rights of the association under this subsection shall have the same priority against the assets of the insolvent insurer as those possessed by the person entitled to receive benefits under this part.

(9)  The association's liability for the contractual obligations of the insolvent insurer shall be as great as, but no greater than, the contractual obligations of the insurer in the absence of such insolvency, unless such obligations are reduced as permitted by subsection (4), but the aggregate liability of the association shall not exceed $100,000 in cash values, or $300,000 for all benefits including cash values, with respect to any one life. In no event shall the association be liable for any penalties or interest.

(10)  The association may:

(a)  Enter into such contracts as are necessary or proper to carry out the provisions and purposes of this part.

(b)  Sue or be sued, including the taking of any legal actions necessary or proper for the recovery of any unpaid assessments under s. 631.718, provided that service of process shall be made upon the person registered with the department as agent for receipt of service of process.

(c)  Borrow money to effect the purposes of this part. Any notes or other evidence of indebtedness of the association not in default shall be legal investments for domestic insurers and may be carried as admitted assets.

(d)  Employ or retain such persons as are necessary to handle the financial transactions of the association and to perform such other functions as become necessary or proper under this part.

(e)  Negotiate and contract with any liquidator, rehabilitator, conservator, or ancillary receiver to carry out the powers and duties of the association.

(f)  Take such legal action as may be necessary to avoid payment of improper claims.

(g)  Exercise, for the purposes of this part and to the extent approved by the department, the powers of a domestic life or health insurer, but in no case may the association issue insurance policies or annuity contracts other than those issued to satisfy the contractual obligations of the impaired or insolvent insurer.

(11)  The association shall not be liable for any civil action under s. 624.155 arising from any acts alleged to have been committed by a member insurer prior to its liquidation; however, this subsection does not affect the association's obligation to pay valid claims presented to it.

(12)(a)  The association, when dealing only with life and health insurance policies under subsections (2) and (3), may make substitute coverage on an individual or group basis available to each known insured, or owner if other than the insured, or to an individual who is insured under a group policy as of the date the association became obligated and who is not eligible for replacement group coverage. When providing the substitute coverage, the association may offer either to reissue the terminated policy or to issue an alternative policy without requiring evidence of insurability or any waiting period or exclusion that would not have applied under the terminated policy.

(b)  The association may reinsure any alternative or reissued policy under this subsection.

(c)  Alternative or reissued policies adopted by the association are subject to the approval of the department upon terms and conditions the department considers appropriate, given the function and special purpose of the association. The association may adopt alternative policies of various types for future issuance without regard to any particular impairment or insolvency.

(d)  Alternative or reissued policies must contain at least the minimum statutory provisions required under this code and provide benefits that are reasonable with respect to the premium charged. The association shall set the premium in accordance with a table of rates adopted by the association. The premium must reflect the amount of insurance to be provided and the age and class of risk of each insured, but may not reflect any changes in the health of the insured occurring since the original policy was last underwritten.

(e)  Alternative policies issued by the association must provide coverage of a type generally similar to that of the policy issued by the impaired or insolvent insurer, as determined by the association.

(f)  The association's obligations with respect to coverage under any policy of the impaired or insolvent insurer or under any reissued or alternative policy must cease on the date that the coverage is replaced by another similar policy by the association. Any reissued, reinsured, or alternative policy must, however, be subject to association coverage if the replacement insurer becomes impaired or insolvent as otherwise provided for in this part.

History.--s. 7, ch. 79-189; s. 809(1st), ch. 82-243; s. 10, ch. 85-339; ss. 99, 187, 188, ch. 91-108; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 12, ch. 92-328; s. 4, ch. 95-213; s. 414, ch. 97-102.