Code of Maine Rules
02 - DEPARTMENT OF PROFESSIONAL AND FINANCIAL REGULATION
031 - BUREAU OF INSURANCE
Chapter 740 - CREDIT FOR REINSURANCE
Section 031-740-10 - Reinsurers domiciled and licensed in reciprocal jurisdictions

Universal Citation: 02 ME Code Rules ยง 031-740-10

Current through 2024-38, September 18, 2024

A. Pursuant to Title 24-A M.R.S.A. §731-B(1) (B-3), the Superintendent shall allow credit for reinsurance ceded by a domestic insurer to an assuming insurer that has its domicile or head office in a Reciprocal Jurisdiction and which meets the other requirements of this rule.

B. A "Reciprocal Jurisdiction" is a jurisdiction, as designated by the Superintendent pursuant to Subsection D, that meets one of the following:

(1) A non-U.S. jurisdiction that is subject to an in-force covered agreement with the United States, as long as each agreeing jurisdiction is within its legal authority to enter the agreement, or, in the case of a covered agreement between the United States and the European Union, is a member state of the European Union. For purposes of this section, a "covered agreement" is an agreement entered into pursuant to the federal Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, 31 U.S.C. §§ 313 and 314, that is currently in effect or in a period of provisional application and addresses the elimination, under specified conditions, of collateral requirements as a condition for entering into any reinsurance agreement with a ceding insurer domiciled in this State or for allowing the ceding insurer to recognize credit for reinsurance;

(2) A U.S. jurisdiction that meets the requirements for accreditation under the NAIC financial standards and accreditation program; or

(3) A qualified jurisdiction, as determined by the Superintendent pursuant to Title 24-A M.R.S.A. §731-B(1) (B-2)(3) and Subsection 6(D) of this rule, which is not otherwise described in Paragraph (1) or (2) above and which the Superintendent determines meets all of the following additional requirements:
(a) Provides that an insurer which has its head office or is domiciled in that jurisdiction shall receive credit for reinsurance ceded to a U.S.-domiciled assuming insurer in the same manner as credit for reinsurance is received in this State for reinsurance assumed by insurers domiciled in that jurisdiction;

(b) Does not require a U.S.-domiciled assuming insurer to establish or maintain a local presence as a condition for entering into a reinsurance agreement with any ceding insurer subject to regulation by that jurisdiction or as a condition to allow the ceding insurer to recognize credit for such reinsurance;

(c) Recognizes the U.S. state regulatory approach to group supervision and group capital, by providing written confirmation by a competent regulatory authority in that jurisdiction, that insurers and insurance groups that are domiciled or maintain their headquarters in this State or another jurisdiction accredited by the NAIC shall be subject only to worldwide prudential insurance group supervision, including worldwide group governance, solvency and capital, and reporting, by the Superintendent or the insurance regulator of the domiciliary state, as applicable, and will not be subject to group supervision at the level of the worldwide parent undertaking of the insurance or reinsurance group by the qualified jurisdiction; and

(d) Provides written confirmation by a competent regulatory authority in that jurisdiction that information regarding insurers and their parent, subsidiary, or affiliated entities, if applicable, shall be provided to the Superintendent in accordance with a memorandum of understanding or similar document between the Superintendent and that jurisdiction, including but not limited to the International Association of Insurance Supervisors Multilateral Memorandum of Understanding or other multilateral memoranda of understanding coordinated by the NAIC.

C. Credit shall be allowed when the reinsurance is ceded from an insurer domiciled in this State to an assuming insurer meeting each of the conditions set forth below.

(1) The assuming insurer must be licensed to transact reinsurance by, and have its domicile or head office in, a Reciprocal Jurisdiction.

(2) The assuming insurer must have and maintain on an ongoing basis minimum capital and surplus, or its equivalent, calculated on at least an annual basis as of the preceding December 31 or at the annual date otherwise statutorily reported to the Reciprocal Jurisdiction, and confirmed as set forth in Paragraph (7) according to the methodology of its domiciliary jurisdiction, in the following amounts:
(a) No less than $250,000,000; or

(b) If the assuming insurer is an association including incorporated and individual unincorporated underwriters:
(i) Minimum capital and surplus equivalents (net of liabilities) or own funds of the equivalent of at least $250,000,000; and

(ii) A central fund containing a balance of the equivalent of at least $250,000,000.

(3) The assuming insurer must have and maintain on an ongoing basis a minimum solvency or capital ratio, as applicable, as follows:
(a) If the assuming insurer has its head office or is domiciled in a Reciprocal Jurisdiction designated under Paragraph B(1), the ratio specified in the applicable covered agreement;

(b) If the assuming insurer is domiciled in a Reciprocal Jurisdiction designated under Paragraph B(2), a risk-based capital (RBC) ratio of three hundred percent (300%) of the authorized control level, as defined in Title 24-A M.R.S.A. §6451(8)(C); or

(c) If the assuming insurer is domiciled in a Reciprocal Jurisdiction designated under Paragraph B(3), after consultation with the Reciprocal Jurisdiction and considering any recommendations published through the NAIC Committee Process, such solvency or capital ratio as the Superintendent determines to be an effective measure of solvency.

(4) The assuming insurer must agree to and provide adequate assurance, in the form of a properly executed Form RJ-1 (attached as an appendix to this rule), of its agreement to the following:
(a) The assuming insurer must agree to provide prompt written notice and explanation to the Superintendent if it falls below the minimum requirements set forth in Paragraphs (2) or (3), or if any regulatory action is taken against it for serious noncompliance with applicable law.

(b) The assuming insurer must consent in writing to the jurisdiction of the courts of this State and to the appointment of the Superintendent as agent for service of process.
(i) The Superintendent may also require that such consent be provided and included in each reinsurance agreement under the Superintendent's jurisdiction.

(ii) Nothing in this provision shall limit or in any way alter the capacity of parties to a reinsurance agreement to agree to alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, except to the extent that such agreements are unenforceable under applicable insolvency or delinquency laws.

(c) The assuming insurer must consent in writing to pay all final judgments obtained by a ceding insurer, wherever enforcement is sought, that have been declared enforceable in the territory where the judgment was obtained.

(d) Each reinsurance agreement must include a provision requiring the assuming insurer to provide security in the full amount of the assuming insurer's liabilities attributable to reinsurance ceded pursuant to that agreement if the assuming insurer resists enforcement of a final judgment that is enforceable under the law of the jurisdiction in which it was obtained or a properly enforceable arbitration award, whether obtained by the ceding insurer or by its legal successor on behalf of its estate, if applicable.

(e) The assuming insurer must confirm that it is not presently participating in any solvent scheme of arrangement that involves this State's ceding insurers, and agrees to notify the ceding insurer and the Superintendent and to provide 100% security to the ceding insurer consistent with the terms of the scheme, should the assuming insurer enter into such a solvent scheme of arrangement. Such security shall be in a form consistent with the provisions of Title 24-A M.R.S.A. §§731-B(1) (B-2) & 731-B(3) and Sections 12 through 17 of this rule. For purposes of this rule, the term "solvent scheme of arrangement" means a foreign or alien statutory or regulatory compromise procedure subject to requisite majority creditor approval and judicial sanction in the assuming insurer's home jurisdiction either to finally commute liabilities of duly noticed classed members or creditors of a solvent debtor, or to reorganize or restructure the debts and obligations of a solvent debtor on a final basis, and which may be subject to judicial recognition and enforcement of the arrangement by a governing authority outside the ceding insurer's home jurisdiction.

(f) The assuming insurer must agree in writing to meet the applicable information filing requirements as set forth in Paragraph (5).

(5) The assuming insurer or its legal successor must provide the following documentation to the Superintendent, if requested by the Superintendent, on behalf of itself and any legal predecessors:
(a) For the two years preceding entry into the reinsurance agreement and on an annual basis thereafter, the assuming insurer's annual audited financial statements, in accordance with the applicable law of its head-office or domiciliary jurisdiction, as applicable, including the external audit report;

(b) For the two years preceding entry into the reinsurance agreement, the solvency and financial condition report or actuarial opinion, if filed with the assuming insurer's supervisor;

(c) Before entry into the reinsurance agreement and not more than semi-annually thereafter, an updated list of all disputed and overdue reinsurance claims outstanding for 90 days or more, regarding reinsurance assumed from ceding insurers domiciled in the United States; and

(d) Before entry into the reinsurance agreement and not more than semi-annually thereafter, information regarding the assuming insurer's assumed reinsurance by ceding insurer, ceded reinsurance by the assuming insurer, and reinsurance recoverable on paid and unpaid losses by the assuming insurer to allow for the evaluation of the criteria set forth in Paragraph (6).

(6) The assuming insurer must maintain a practice of prompt payment of claims under reinsurance agreements. Any of the following criteria shall be evidence of failure to pay claims promptly:
(a) More than 15% of the reinsurance recoverables from the assuming insurer are overdue and in dispute as reported to the Superintendent:

(b) More than 15% of the assuming insurer's ceding insurers or reinsurers have overdue reinsurance recoverable on paid losses of 90 days or more which are not in dispute and which exceed for each ceding insurer $100,000, or as otherwise specified in a covered agreement; or

(c) The aggregate amount of reinsurance recoverable on paid losses which are not in dispute, but are overdue by 90 days or more, exceeds $50,000,000, or as otherwise specified in a covered agreement.

(7) The assuming insurer's supervisory authority must confirm to the Superintendent on an annual basis that the assuming insurer complies with the requirements set forth in Paragraphs (2) and (3).

(8) Nothing in this provision precludes an assuming insurer from providing the Superintendent with information on a voluntary basis.

D. The Superintendent shall create and publish a list of Reciprocal Jurisdictions in a timely manner.

(1) The Superintendent's list shall include any Reciprocal Jurisdiction designated under Paragraphs B(1) and (2). If a list of Reciprocal Jurisdictions is published through the NAIC Committee Process, the Superintendent shall consider any other Reciprocal Jurisdiction included on the NAIC list for designation under Paragraph B(3). The Superintendent may approve a jurisdiction that does not appear on the NAIC list of Reciprocal Jurisdictions as provided by applicable law or in accordance with criteria published through the NAIC Committee Process.

(2) The Superintendent may remove a jurisdiction that has been designated under Paragraph B(3) from the list of Reciprocal Jurisdictions upon a determination that the jurisdiction no longer meets one or more of the requirements for Reciprocal Jurisdiction status. Upon removal of a Reciprocal Jurisdiction from this list, credit for reinsurance ceded to an assuming insurer domiciled in that jurisdiction shall be allowed, if otherwise allowed pursuant to the applicable provisions of Title 24-A M.R.S.A. §731-B and this rule.

E. The Superintendent shall create and publish, in a timely manner, a list of assuming insurers that have satisfied the conditions set forth in this section and to which cessions shall be granted credit in accordance with this section.

(1) If an NAIC-accredited jurisdiction has determined that the conditions set forth in Subsection C have been met, the Superintendent has the discretion to defer to that jurisdiction's determination, and add such assuming insurer to the list of assuming insurers to which cessions shall be granted credit in accordance with this subsection. The Superintendent may accept financial documentation filed with another NAIC-accredited jurisdiction or with the NAIC in satisfaction of the requirements of Subsection C.

(2) When requesting that the Superintendent defer to another NAIC-accredited jurisdiction's determination, an assuming insurer must submit a properly executed Form RJ-1 and additional information as the Superintendent may require. Upon receiving such a request, the Superintendent shall promptly notify other states through the NAIC Committee Process and provide relevant information with respect to the determination of eligibility.

F. If the Superintendent determines that an assuming insurer no longer meets one or more of the requirements under this section, the Superintendent may revoke or suspend the eligibility of the assuming insurer for recognition under this section.

(1) While an assuming insurer's eligibility is suspended, no reinsurance agreement issued, amended or renewed after the effective date of the suspension qualifies for credit except to the extent that the assuming insurer's obligations under the contract are secured in accordance with Sections 12 through 17 of this rule.

(2) If an assuming insurer's eligibility is revoked, no credit for reinsurance may be granted after the effective date of the revocation with respect to any reinsurance agreements entered into by the assuming insurer, including reinsurance agreements entered into before the date of revocation, except to the extent that the assuming insurer's obligations under the contract are secured in a form acceptable to the Superintendent and consistent with the provisions of Sections 12 through 17 of this rule.

G. Before denying statement credit or imposing a requirement to post security pursuant to Subsection F or adopting any similar requirement that will have substantially the same regulatory impact as security, the Superintendent shall:

(1) Notify the ceding insurer, the assuming insurer, and the assuming insurer's supervisory authority that the assuming insurer no longer satisfies one of the conditions listed in Subsection C;

(2) Provide the assuming insurer with 30 days from the initial communication to submit a plan to remedy the defect, and 90 days from the initial communication to remedy the defect, except in exceptional circumstances in which a shorter period is necessary for policyholder and other consumer protection;

(3) After the expiration of 90 days, or such lesser period as ordered in accordance with Paragraph (2), if the Superintendent determines that the assuming insurer has not taken sufficient action, order appropriate remedial measures, including the posting of security or denial or reduction of statement credit; and

(4) Provide a written explanation to the assuming insurer of any remedial measures ordered.

H. If subject to a legal process of rehabilitation, liquidation, or conservation, the ceding insurer or its representative may seek and, if determined appropriate by the court in which the proceedings are pending, may obtain an order requiring that the assuming insurer post security for all outstanding liabilities.

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