Current through Reg. 50, No. 13; March 28, 2025
(a) Definitions. The following words and
terms, when used in this section, shall have the following meanings, unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise.
(1)
Affiliate or affiliated--Has the same meaning as the term affiliate is used,
defined, or applied in the Insurance Code §
823.003.
(2) Minimum surplus or floor--The amount of
surplus specified in the written agreement evidencing the subordinated
indebtedness which may not be used for payments or repayments of subordinated
indebtedness and which amount must exceed the greater of the following:
(A) a minimum surplus stated and fixed in the
agreement; or
(B) a minimum surplus
of $500,000 for that insurer.
(3) Subordinated indebtedness, surplus notes,
surplus debenture, contribution certificates, surplus capital notes, and
premium income notes, bonds, or debentures--Any contingent indebtedness issued
by an insurer for which such insurer assumes a subordinated liability for
repayment of principal and payment of interest pursuant to a written agreement
providing for payment only out of that portion of an insurer's surplus that
exceeds a minimum surplus stated in such agreement. Subordinated indebtedness
includes advances or loans made in accordance with the Insurance Code
§§
882.253,
883.162,
912.309,
942.158, and
961.206.
(b) General Provisions.
(1) A subordinated indebtedness agreement
issued by an insurer on or after September 1, 1995, is subject to the prior
approval of the commissioner, as to form and content, regardless of
amount.
(2) An insurer may not
issue a subordinated indebtedness until the commissioner has approved the
subordinated indebtedness agreement under Insurance Code, Chapter 823,
Subchapter C or Article 1.39.
(3)
All written applications and notices contemplated by this section shall be
filed with Financial Analysis/Examinations, Mail Code 303-1A, Texas Department
of Insurance, P.O. Box 149104, 333 Guadalupe, Austin, Texas
78714-9104.
(4) The consideration
received by an insurer in return for the issuance of subordinated indebtedness
shall be in the form of cash, cash equivalent securities, or other assets that
have a readily determinable value and are satisfactory to the commissioner. In
the instance of an issuer required by the department to increase its surplus as
regards policyholders, the subordination of a current liability owed by the
issuer to the prospective holder of the subordinated indebtedness, may be
considered in an amount acceptable to the commissioner.
(c) Written Agreements. When issuing
subordinated indebtedness, the insurer must execute a written agreement with
the creditor, providing the following:
(1)
the creditor may be paid only out of the portion of the insurer's surplus that
exceeds the minimum surplus stated in the agreement;
(2) the minimum surplus or floor shall exceed
the greater of the following:
(A) a minimum
surplus stated and fixed in the agreement; or
(B) a minimum surplus of $500,000 for that
insurer;
(3) repayment
provisions shall be clearly set forth in the written agreement;
(4) if the subordinated indebtedness is in
the form of a premium note, bond, or debenture, which includes a provision for
the payment or repayment only out of a sinking fund established by the insurer
by setting aside a specified amount during a specified period, all payments
must be made from the established sinking fund, subject to the minimum surplus
stated in the written agreement, and such amount accumulated and held in the
sinking fund shall be a legal liability and financial statement liability of
the insurer.
(5) in the event of
liquidation, any payment of interest and repayment of principal under the
written agreement shall be made in accordance with the provisions of the
Insurance Code Chapter 21A.
(d) Written Application.
(1) The written application for approval of
the issuance of the subordinated indebtedness agreement shall include
information including, but not limited to, the following:
(A) the identity of all parties to the
transaction;
(B) the nature and
purpose of the transaction including a description of how the subordinated
indebtedness relates to the future business plans of the insurer;
(C) a description of the consideration to be
received by the insurer in exchange for the issuance of the subordinated
indebtedness;
(D) a description of
how the value of the consideration was determined;
(E) a statement as to whether any officers or
directors of a party are pecuniarily interested in the transaction;
(F) a copy of the proposed written agreement;
and
(G) a signed and notarized
affidavit of an executive officer of the insurer which states that the insurer
is aware of the requirements of the Insurance Code, Article 1.39(e) and
subsection (e) of this section regarding notices to the Texas Department of
Insurance relating to the payment of interest or the repayment of principal
corresponding to subordinated indebtedness and agrees to comply with such
requirements. The affidavit shall contain an affirmation that the insurer
agrees to issue the subordinated indebtedness and receive funding within 15
days of the date the order of the commissioner is entered approving the
subordinated indebtedness, and that the executive officer further agrees to
provide the Texas Department of Insurance with written evidence that the
subordinated indebtedness has been funded.
(2) No application for the issuance of
subordinated indebtedness shall be deemed filed with the commissioner until the
date that all material listed in subsection (d)(1) of this section has been
provided.
(e) Payments
of Interest and Repayments of Principal.
(1)
An insurer may not repay principal or pay interest on a subordinated
indebtedness issued under either the Insurance Code, Chapter 823, Subchapter C
or Article 1.39, on or after September 1, 1995, unless either:
(A) such payment or repayment complies with a
specific schedule of payments contained within the terms of the previously
approved written agreement; or
(B)
written notice is provided to the commissioner at least 15 days before the date
scheduled for any payment or repayment if either a schedule of payments is not
contained within the terms of the previously approved agreement, or such
payment or repayment does not comply with the specific schedule of payments
contained within the terms of the previously approved agreement.
(2) Notice required by this
subsection
(f)
Accounting Requirements.
(1) A loan or
advance made under the written agreement, and any interest accruing on the loan
or advance, is a legal liability and financial statement liability of the
insurer only to the extent provided by the terms and conditions of the loan or
advance agreement, and the loan or advance may not otherwise be a legal
liability or financial statement liability of the insurer. Such a loan or
advance agreement, whether or not containing a provision for a minimum sum
certain payable, repayment schedule, maturity date, prepayment or any
combination thereof, shall not be considered a legal liability or financial
statement liability of the insurer, and shall be considered a subordinated
indebtedness to be recorded with the capital and surplus items in the financial
statements of the insurer. If such a written agreement provides specific terms
for the payment of principal and interest, and only after such payment of
principal or interest is due, and the minimum surplus requirements for such
payment of principal and interest have been met, then there shall be a
financial statement liability only to the extent of such payment that is due of
principal or interest and only to the extent the minimum surplus requirements
have been met. Assuming such terms have been satisfied, then any provision
providing that no financial statement liability exists shall be considered to
be in conflict with the specific terms for the payment of principal and
interest; and, for financial statement purposes, the terms for the payment of
principal and interest shall result in the reflection of a financial statement
liability.
(2) All agreements shall
be clearly reported in an insurer's "Notes to Financial Statements" of the
Annual Statement and shall disclose all pertinent aspects of payment and
prepayment provisions.
(3) An
insurer may invest in, purchase, acquire, own, and hold as an admitted asset a
subordinated indebtedness of a non-affiliated insurer that meets the
requirements for rated and non-rated notes under the NAIC's Accounting
Practices and Procedures Manual, Statement of Statutory Accounting Principles
No.41. An insurer shall calculate such subordinated indebtedness pursuant to
the NAIC's Accounting Practices and Procedures Manual, Statement of Statutory
Accounting Principles No.41. An insurer may report such subordinated
indebtedness as an admitted asset on its financial statements in an amount
authorized by the Insurance Code.
(4) An insurer may invest in, purchase,
acquire, own, and hold a subordinated indebtedness of an affiliated insurer and
may report it as an admitted asset on its financial statements in an amount
equal to the amount then due and payable under the terms of the subordinated
indebtedness agreement.
(g) Applicability to Foreign Insurers. The
provisions of this section shall apply to insurers domiciled in another state
unless such other state regulates the issuance of subordinated indebtedness
under laws, rules, or bulletins that the commissioner finds are substantially
similar in substance and effect to Texas law and rules. To pursue this
exception, the insurer shall provide, upon request, to the commissioner
evidence of similarity in the form of statutes, regulations, and interpretation
of the standards utilized by the state of domicile.