56-12-211 - Detection and prevention of insurer insolvencies and impairments. - Tennessee Statutes

56-12-211. Detection and prevention of insurer insolvencies and impairments.

(a)  To aid in the detection and prevention of insurer insolvencies or impairments, it shall be the duty of the commissioner to:

     (1)  Notify the commissioner of insurance, or other appropriate official, of all the other states, territories of the United States and the District of Columbia, when the commissioner takes any of the following actions against a member insurer:

          (A)  Revocation of license;

          (B)  Suspension of license; or

          (C)  Makes any formal order that such company restrict its premium writing, obtain additional contributions to surplus, withdraw from the state, reinsure all or any part of its business, or increase capital, surplus, or any other account for the security of policyholders or creditors.

Such notice shall be mailed to all such commissioners or other appropriate officials within thirty (30) days following the action taken or the date on which such action occurs;

     (2)  Report to the board of directors when the commissioner has taken any of the actions set forth in subdivision (a)(1), or has received a report from any other commissioner indicating that any such action has been taken in another state. Such report to the board of directors shall contain all significant details of the action taken or the report received from another commissioner or other appropriate official;

     (3)  Report to the board of directors when the commissioner has reasonable cause to believe from any examination, whether completed or in process, of any member company, that such company may be an impaired or insolvent insurer; and

     (4)  Furnish to the board of directors of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, insurance regulatory information system ratios and listings of companies not included in the ratios developed by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. The board may then use the information contained therein in carrying out its duties and responsibilities under this section. Such report and the information contained in the report shall be kept confidential by the board of directors, until such time as made public by the commissioner or other lawful authority.

(b)  The commissioner may seek the advice and recommendations of the board of directors concerning any matter affecting the duties and responsibilities of the commissioner regarding the financial condition of member insurers and companies seeking admission to transact insurance business in this state.

(c)  The board of directors may, upon majority vote, make reports and recommendations to the commissioner upon any matter relative to the solvency, liquidation, rehabilitation or conservation of any member insurer or relative to the solvency of any company seeking to transact insurance business in this state. Such reports and recommendations shall not be considered public documents.

(d)  It is the duty of the board of directors, upon majority vote, to notify the commissioner of any information indicating any member insurer may be an impaired or insolvent insurer.

(e)  (1)  The board of directors may, upon majority vote, request that the commissioner order an examination of any member insurer that the board in good faith believes may be an impaired or insolvent insurer. Within thirty (30) days of the receipt of such request, the commissioner shall begin such examination. The examination may be conducted as a National Association of Insurance Commissioners examination or may be conducted by such persons as the commissioner designates. The cost of such examination shall be paid by the association and the examination report shall be treated as are other examination reports. In no event shall such examination report be released to the board of directors prior to its release to the public, but this shall not preclude the commissioner from complying with subsection (a).

     (2)  The commissioner shall notify the board of directors when the examination is completed. The request for an examination shall be kept on file by the commissioner, but it shall not be open to public inspection prior to the release of the examination report to the public.

(f)  The board of directors may, upon majority vote, make recommendations to the commissioner for the detection and prevention of insurer insolvencies.

(g)  The board of directors shall, at the conclusion of any insurer insolvency in which the association was obligated to pay covered claims, prepare a report to the commissioner containing such information as it may have in its possession relative to the history and causes of such insolvency. The board shall cooperate with the boards of directors of guaranty associations in other states in preparing a report on the history and causes of insolvency of a particular insurer, and may adopt by reference any report prepared by such other associations.

[Acts 1988, ch. 1032, § 11.]