Contractual requirements for insurance coverage. The Annual Contributions Contract (ACC) between PHAs and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development requires that PHAs maintain specified insurance coverage for property and casualty losses that would jeopardize the financial stability of the PHAs. The insurance coverage is required to be obtained under procedures that provide “for open and competitive bidding.” The HUD Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 1992 provided that a PHA could purchase insurance coverage without regard to competitive selection procedures when it purchases it from a nonprofit insurance entity owned and controlled by PHAs approved by HUD in accordance with standards established by regulation. This section specifies the standards.

Method of selecting insurance coverage. While 2 CFR 200.319 requires that grantees solicit full and open competition for their procurements, the HUD Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 1992 provides an exception to this requirement. PHAs are authorized to obtain any line of insurance from a nonprofit insurance entity that is owned and controlled by PHAs and approved by HUD in accordance with this section, without regard to competitive selection procedures. Procurement of insurance from other entities is subject to competitive selection procedures.

Approval of a nonprofit insurance entity. Under the following conditions, HUD will approve a nonprofit self-funded insurance entity created by PHAs that limits participation to PHAs (and to nonprofit entities associated with PHAs that engage in activities or perform functions only for housing authorities or housing authority residents):

An insurance company (including a risk retention group). (i) The insurance company is licensed or authorized to do business in the State by the State Insurance Commissioner and has submitted documentation of this approval to HUD; and

The insurance company has not been suspended from providing insurance coverage in the State or been suspended or debarred from doing business with the federal government. The insurance company is obligated to send to HUD a copy of any action taken by the authorizing official to withdraw the license or authorization.

An entity not organized as an insurance company. (i) The entity has competent underwriting staff (hired directly or engaged by contract with a third party), as evidenced by professionals with an average of at least five years of experience in large risk (exceeding $100,000 in annual premiums) commercial underwriting or at least five years of experience in the underwriting of risks for public entity risk pools. This standard may be satisfied by submission of evidence of competent underwriting staff, including copies of resumes of underwriting staff for the entity;

The entity has efficient and qualified management (hired directly or engaged by contract with a third party), as evidenced by the report submitted to HUD in accordance with paragraph (d)(3) of this section and by having at least one senior staff person who has a minimum of five years of experience:

At the management level of Vice President of a property/casualty insurance entity;

As a senior branch manager of a branch office with annual property/casualty premiums exceeding $5 million; or

As a senior manager of a public entity risk pool. Documentation for this standard must include copies of resumes of key management personnel responsible for oversight and for the day-to-day operation of the entity;

The entity maintains internal controls and cost containment measures, as evidenced by an annual budget;

The entity maintains sound investments consistent with the State insurance commissioner's requirements for licensed insurance companies, or other State statutory requirements controlling investments of public entities, in the State in which the entity is organized, investing only in assets that qualify as “admitted assets”;

The entity maintains adequate surplus and reserves for undischarged liabilities of all types, as evidenced by a current audited financial statement and an actuarial review conducted in accordance with paragraph (d) of this section; and

Upon application for initial approval, the entity has proper organizational documentation, as evidenced by copies of the articles of incorporation, by-laws, business plans, copies of contracts with third party administrators, and an opinion from legal counsel that establishment of the entity conforms with all legal requirements under Federal and State law. Any material changes made to these documents after initial approval must be submitted for review and approval before becoming effective.

Professional evaluations of performance. Audits and actuarial reviews are required to be prepared and submitted annually to the HUD Office of Public and Indian Housing, for review and appropriate action, by nonprofit insurance entities that are not insurance companies approved under paragraph (c)(1) of this section. In addition, an evaluation of other management factors is required to be performed by an insurance professional every three years. For fiscal years ending on or after December 31, 1993, the initial audit, actuarial review, and insurance management review required for a nonprofit insurance entity must be submitted to HUD within 90 days after the entity's fiscal year.

The annual financial statement prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (including any supplementary data required under GASB 10) is to be audited by an independent auditor (see 2 CFR part 200, subpart F), in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards. The independent auditor shall express an opinion on whether the entity's financial statement is presented fairly in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. A copy of this audit must be submitted to HUD.

The actuarial review must be done consistent with requirements established by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and must be conducted by an independent property/casualty actuary who is an Associate or Fellow of a recognized professional actuarial organization, such as the Casualty Actuary Society. The report issued, a copy of which must be submitted to HUD, must include an opinion on any over or under reserving and the adequacy of the reserves maintained for the open claims and for incurred but unreported claims.

A review must be conducted, a copy of which must be submitted to HUD, by an independent insurance consulting firm that has at least one person on staff who has received the professional designation of chartered property/casualty underwriter (CPCU), associate in risk management (ARM), or associate in claims (AIC), of the following:

Efficiency of any Third Party Administrator;

Timeliness of the claim payments and reserving practices; and

The adequacy of reinsurance coverage.

Revocation of approval of a nonprofit insurance entity. HUD may revoke its approval of a nonprofit insurance entity under this section when it no longer meets the requirements of this section. The nonprofit insurance entity will be notified in writing of: the proposed revocation of its approval, the reasons for the action, and the manner and time in which to request a hearing to challenge the determination. The procedure to be followed is specified in 24 CFR part 26, subpart A.