When either Fidelity Corporation or the insurer providing the fidelity bond or insurance policy, if any, under Section 17310, or both, pay an obligation on behalf of a member, Fidelity Corporation and the insurer shall be subrogated to the rights, claims, and remedies of the member up to the amount paid by Fidelity Corporation and the insurer on behalf of the member. Independent of any duty or obligation of Fidelity Corporation, the member shall do nothing to prejudice those rights. In any subrogation action filed by Fidelity Corporation, the provider of the fidelity bond or insurance policy if payment was made thereunder, or both, Fidelity Corporation shall have the first right to the proceeds of any judgment or settlement obtained against the principal obligors and any other party who is held liable jointly or severally, in whole or in part, with the principal obligors, up to the amount actually paid on the claim by Fidelity Corporation. Fidelity Corporation and the insurer, as subrogees, shall also recover in the subrogation action reasonable costs and attorney’s fees which may be awarded either as part of any judgment or as an item of costs, as provided for in paragraph (10) of subdivision (a) and paragraph (5) of subdivision (c) of Section 1033.5 of the Code of Civil Procedure. No member engaged in business pursuant to Section 17200 shall be required to pay those costs and attorney’s fees awarded pursuant to this section. Amounts recouped by Fidelity Corporation through subrogation, minus all costs, attorney’s fees, and other administrative expenses incurred in obtaining that recovery, shall be credited to the fidelity fund.

(Amended by Stats. 2004, Ch. 180, Sec. 7. Effective January 1, 2005.)