(a) Credit shall be allowed a domestic insurer when the reinsurance is ceded to an assuming insurer that has been certified by the commissioner as a reinsurer in this state and secures its obligations in accordance with this section. Credit shall be allowed at all times for which statutory financial statement credit for reinsurance is claimed under this section. The credit allowed shall be based upon the security held by or on behalf of the ceding insurer in accordance with a rating assigned to the certified reinsurer by the commissioner. The security shall be in a form consistent with this section, any regulations promulgated by the commissioner, and Section 922.5.

(b) In order to be eligible for certification, the assuming insurer shall meet the following requirements:

(1) The assuming insurer shall be domiciled and licensed to transact insurance or reinsurance in a qualified jurisdiction, as determined by the commissioner pursuant to subdivisions (f) and (g).

(2) The assuming insurer shall maintain minimum capital and surplus, or its equivalent, in an amount to be determined by the commissioner, but no less than two hundred fifty million dollars ($250,000,000) calculated in accordance with paragraph (4) of subdivision (f) of this section or Section 922.5. This requirement may also be satisfied by an association including incorporated and individual unincorporated underwriters having minimum capital and surplus equivalents (net of liabilities) of at least two hundred fifty million dollars ($250,000,000) and a central fund containing a balance of at least two hundred fifty million dollars ($250,000,000).

(3) The assuming insurer shall maintain financial strength ratings from two or more rating agencies deemed acceptable by the commissioner. These ratings shall be based on interactive communication between the rating agency and the assuming insurer and shall not be based solely on publicly available information. These financial strength ratings will be one factor used by the commissioner in determining the rating that is assigned to the assuming insurer. Acceptable rating agencies include the following:

(A) Standard & Poor’s.

(B) Moody’s Investors Service.

(C) Fitch Ratings.

(D) A.M. Best Company.

(E) Any other nationally recognized statistical rating organization.

(4) The assuming insurer shall agree to submit to the jurisdiction of this state, appoint the commissioner or a designated attorney in this state as its agent for service of process in this state, and agree to provide security for 100 percent of the assuming insurer’s liabilities attributable to reinsurance ceded by United States ceding insurers if it resists enforcement of a final United States judgment.

(5) The assuming insurer shall agree to meet applicable information filing requirements as determined by the commissioner, both with respect to an initial application for certification and on an ongoing basis.

(6) The certified reinsurer shall comply with any other requirements deemed relevant by the commissioner.

(c) (1) If an applicant for certification has been certified as a reinsurer in a National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) accredited jurisdiction, the commissioner may defer to that jurisdiction’s certification, and has the discretion to defer to the rating assigned by that jurisdiction if the assuming insurer submits a properly executed Form CR-1, as published on the department’s internet website, and additional information as the commissioner requires. The commissioner, however, may perform an independent review and determination of an applicant. The assuming insurer shall then be considered to be a certified reinsurer in this state.

(2) If the commissioner defers to a certification determination by another state, a change in the certified reinsurer’s status or rating in the other jurisdiction shall apply automatically in this state as of the date it takes effect in the other jurisdiction unless the commissioner otherwise determines. The certified reinsurer shall notify the commissioner of a change in its status or rating within 10 days after receiving notice of the change.

(3) The commissioner may withdraw recognition of the other jurisdiction’s rating at any time and assign a new rating in accordance with subdivision (h).

(4) The commissioner may withdraw recognition of the other jurisdiction’s certification at any time, with written notice to the certified reinsurer. Unless the commissioner suspends or revokes the certified reinsurer’s certification in accordance with this section and Section 922.42, the certified reinsurer’s certification shall remain in good standing in this state for a period of three months, which shall be extended if additional time is necessary to consider the assuming insurer’s application for certification in this state.

(d) An association, including incorporated and individual unincorporated underwriters, may be a certified reinsurer. In order to be eligible for certification, in addition to satisfying requirements of subdivision (b), the reinsurer shall meet all of the following requirements:

(1) The association shall satisfy its minimum capital and surplus requirements through the capital and surplus equivalents (net of liabilities) of the association and its members, which shall include a joint central fund that may be applied to an unsatisfied obligation of the association or any of its members, in an amount determined by the commissioner to provide adequate protection.

(2) The incorporated members of the association shall not be engaged in any business other than underwriting as a member of the association and shall be subject to the same level of regulation and solvency control by the association’s domiciliary regulator as are the unincorporated members.

(3) Within 90 days after its financial statements are due to be filed with the association’s domiciliary regulator, the association shall provide to the commissioner an annual certification by the association’s domiciliary regulator of the solvency of each underwriter member or, if a certification is unavailable, financial statements, prepared by independent public accountants, of each underwriter member of the association.

(e) (1) The commissioner shall post notice on the department’s internet website promptly upon receipt of an application for certification, including instructions on how members of the public may respond to the application. The commissioner shall not take final action on the application until at least 30 days after posting the notice required by this subdivision.

(2) The commissioner shall issue written notice to an assuming insurer that has made application and has been approved as a certified reinsurer. Included in that notice shall be the rating assigned the certified reinsurer in accordance with subdivision (h). The commissioner shall publish a list of all certified reinsurers and their ratings.

(f) The certified reinsurer shall agree to meet applicable information filing requirements as determined by the commissioner, both with respect to an initial application for certification and on an ongoing basis. All information submitted by certified reinsurers that is not otherwise public information subject to disclosure shall be exempted from disclosure under Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 6250) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code, and shall be withheld from public disclosure. The applicable information filing requirements are as follows:

(1) Notification within 10 days of a regulatory action taken against the certified reinsurer, a change in the provisions of its domiciliary license, or a change in rating by an approved rating agency, including a statement describing those changes and the reasons for those changes.

(2) Annually, Form CR-F or CR-S, as applicable pursuant to the instructions published on the department’s internet website.

(3) Annually, the report of the independent auditor on the financial statements of the insurance enterprise, on the basis described in paragraph (4).

(4) Annually, audited financial statements, (audited United States Generally Accepted Accounting Principles basis, if available, audited International Financial Reporting Standards basis statements are allowed, but must include an audited footnote reconciling equity and net income to a United States Generally Accepted Accounting Principles basis, or, with the written permission of the commissioner, audited International Financial Reporting Standards statements with reconciliation to United States Generally Accepted Accounting Principles certified by an officer of the company), regulatory filings, and actuarial opinion (as filed with the certified reinsurer’s supervisor). Upon the initial certification, audited financial statements for the last three years filed with the certified reinsurer’s supervisor.

(5) At least annually, an updated list of all disputed and overdue reinsurance claims regarding reinsurance assumed from United States domestic ceding insurers.

(6) A certification from the certified reinsurer’s domestic regulator that the certified reinsurer is in good standing and maintains capital in excess of the jurisdiction’s highest regulatory action level.

(7) Any other information that the commissioner may reasonably require.

(g) If the commissioner certifies a non-United States domiciled insurer, the commissioner shall create and publish a list of qualified jurisdictions, under which an assuming insurer licensed and domiciled in that jurisdiction is eligible to be considered for certification by the commissioner as a certified reinsurer.

(1) In order to determine whether the domiciliary jurisdiction of a non-United States assuming insurer is eligible to be recognized as a qualified jurisdiction, the commissioner shall evaluate the appropriateness and effectiveness of the reinsurance supervisory system of the jurisdiction, both initially and on an ongoing basis, and consider the rights, benefits, and the extent of reciprocal recognition afforded by the non-United States jurisdiction to reinsurers licensed and domiciled in the United States. The commissioner shall determine the appropriate process for evaluating the qualifications of those jurisdictions. Before its listing, a qualified jurisdiction shall agree in writing to share information and cooperate with the commissioner with respect to all certified reinsurers domiciled within that jurisdiction. A jurisdiction may not be recognized as a qualified jurisdiction if the commissioner has determined that the jurisdiction does not adequately and promptly enforce final United States judgments and arbitration awards. Additional factors may be considered in the discretion of the commissioner, including, but not limited to, the following:

(A) The framework under which the assuming insurer is regulated.

(B) The structure and authority of the domiciliary regulator with regard to solvency regulation requirements and financial surveillance.

(C) The substance of financial and operating standards for assuming insurers in the domiciliary jurisdiction.

(D) The form and substance of financial reports required to be filed or made publicly available by reinsurers in the domiciliary jurisdiction and the accounting principles used.

(E) The domiciliary regulator’s willingness to cooperate with United States regulators in general and the commissioner in particular.

(F) The history of performance by assuming insurers in the domiciliary jurisdiction.

(G) Any documented evidence of substantial problems with the enforcement of final United States judgments in the domiciliary jurisdiction.

(H) Any relevant international standards or guidance with respect to mutual recognition of reinsurance supervision adopted by the International Association of Insurance Supervisors or a successor organization.

(I) Any other matters deemed relevant by the commissioner.

(2) The commissioner shall consider the list of qualified jurisdictions published through the NAIC committee process in determining qualified jurisdictions. The commissioner may include on the list published pursuant to this section any jurisdiction on the NAIC list of qualified jurisdictions or on any equivalent list of the United States Treasury.

(3) If the commissioner approves a jurisdiction as qualified that does not appear on either the NAIC list of qualified jurisdictions, or the United States Treasury list, the commissioner shall provide thoroughly documented justification in accordance with criteria to be developed under this section.

(4) United States jurisdictions that meet the requirements for accreditation under the NAIC financial standards and accreditation program shall be recognized as qualified jurisdictions.

(5) If a certified reinsurer’s domiciliary jurisdiction ceases to be a qualified jurisdiction, the commissioner has the discretion to suspend the reinsurer’s certification indefinitely, in lieu of revocation.

(h) The commissioner shall assign a rating to each certified reinsurer, giving due consideration to the financial strength ratings that have been assigned by rating agencies deemed acceptable to the commissioner pursuant to this section. The commissioner shall publish a list of all certified reinsurers and their ratings.

(1) Each certified reinsurer shall be rated on a legal entity basis, with due consideration being given to the group rating where appropriate, except that an association including incorporated and individual unincorporated underwriters that has been approved to do business as a single certified reinsurer may be evaluated on the basis of its group rating. Factors that may be considered as part of the evaluation process include, but are not limited to, the following:

(A) The certified reinsurer’s financial strength rating from an acceptable rating agency. The maximum rating that a certified reinsurer may be assigned shall correspond to its financial strength rating as set forth in clauses (i) to (vi), inclusive. The commissioner shall use the lowest financial strength rating received from an approved rating agency in establishing the maximum rating of a certified reinsurer. A failure to obtain or maintain at least two financial strength ratings from acceptable rating agencies shall result in loss of eligibility for certification.

(i) Ratings category “Secure - 1” corresponds to A.M. Best Company rating A++; Standard & Poor’s rating AAA; Moody’s Investors Service rating Aaa; and Fitch Ratings rating AAA.

(ii) Ratings category “Secure - 2” corresponds to A.M. Best Company rating A+; Standard & Poor’s rating AA+, AA, or AA-; Moody’s Investors Service rating Aa1, Aa2, or Aa3; and Fitch Ratings rating AA+, AA, or AA-.

(iii) Ratings category “Secure - 3” corresponds to A.M. Best Company rating A; Standard & Poor’s rating A+ or A; Moody’s Investors Service rating A1 or A2; and Fitch Ratings rating A+ or A.

(iv) Ratings category “Secure - 4” corresponds to A.M. Best Company rating A-; Standard & Poor’s rating A-; Moody’s Investors Service rating A3; and Fitch Ratings rating A-.

(v) Ratings category “Secure - 5” corresponds to A.M. Best Company rating B++ or B+; Standard & Poor’s rating BBB+, BBB, or BBB-; Moody’s Investors Service rating Baa1, Baa2, or Baa3; and Fitch Ratings rating BBB+, BBB, or BBB-.

(vi) Ratings category “Vulnerable - 6” corresponds to A.M. Best Company rating B, B-, C++, C+, C, C-, D, E, or F; Standard & Poor’s rating BB+, BB, BB-, B+, B, B-, CCC, CC, C, D, or R; Moody’s Investors Service rating Ba1, Ba2, Ba3, B1, B2, B3, Caa, Ca, or C; and Fitch Ratings rating BB+, BB, BB-, B+, B, B-, CCC+, CC, CCC-, or DD.

(B) The business practices of the certified reinsurer in dealing with its ceding insurers, including its record of compliance with reinsurance contractual terms and obligations.

(C) For certified reinsurers domiciled in the United States, a review of the most recent applicable NAIC Annual Statement Blank, either Schedule F (for property/casualty reinsurers) or Schedule S (for life and health reinsurers).

(D) For certified reinsurers not domiciled in the United States, a review annually of Form CR-F (for property/casualty reinsurers) or Form CR-S (for life and health reinsurers) (as published on the department’s internet website).

(E) The reputation of the certified reinsurer for prompt payment of claims under reinsurance agreements, based on an analysis of ceding insurers’ Schedule F reporting of overdue reinsurance recoverables, including the proportion of obligations that are more than 90 days past due or are in dispute, with specific attention given to obligations payable to companies that are in administrative supervision or receivership.

(F) Regulatory actions against the certified reinsurer.

(G) The report of the independent auditor on the financial statements of the insurance enterprise, on the basis described in subparagraph (H).

(H) For certified reinsurers not domiciled in the United States, audited financial statements, (audited United States Generally Accepted Accounting Principles basis, if available, audited International Financial Reporting Standards basis statements are allowed, but must include an audited footnote reconciling equity and net income to a United States Generally Accepted Accounting Principles basis, or, with the written permission of the commissioner, audited International Financial Reporting Standards statements with reconciliation to United States Generally Accepted Accounting Principles certified by an officer of the company), regulatory filings, and actuarial opinion (as filed with the non-United States jurisdiction supervisor). Upon the initial application for certification, the commissioner shall consider audited financial statements for the last three years filed with its non-United States jurisdiction supervisor.

(I) The liquidation priority of obligations to a ceding insurer in the certified reinsurer’s domiciliary jurisdiction in the context of an insolvency proceeding.

(J) A certified reinsurer’s participation in a solvent scheme of arrangement, or similar procedure, that involves United States ceding insurers. The commissioner shall receive prior notice from a certified reinsurer that proposes participation by the certified reinsurer in a solvent scheme of arrangement.

(K) Any other information deemed relevant by the commissioner.

(2) Based on the analysis conducted under subparagraph (E) of paragraph (1) of a certified reinsurer’s reputation for prompt payment of claims, the commissioner may make appropriate adjustments in the security the certified reinsurer is required to post to protect its liabilities to United States ceding insurers, provided that the commissioner shall, at a minimum, increase the security the certified reinsurer is required to post by one rating level under regulations promulgated by the commissioner, if the commissioner finds either of the following:

(A) More than 15 percent of the certified reinsurer’s ceding insurance clients have overdue reinsurance recoverables on paid losses of 90 days or more that are not in dispute and that exceed one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) for each ceding insurer.

(B) The aggregate amount of reinsurance recoverables on paid losses that are not in dispute and that are overdue by 90 days or more exceeds fifty million dollars ($50,000,000).

(3) The assuming insurer shall submit a properly executed Form CR-1, as published on the department’s internet website, as evidence of its submission to the jurisdiction of this state, appointment of the commissioner as an agent for service of process in this state, and agreement to provide security for 100 percent of the assuming insurer’s liabilities attributable to reinsurance ceded by United States ceding insurers if it resists enforcement of a final United States judgment. The commissioner shall not certify an assuming insurer that is domiciled in a jurisdiction that the commissioner has determined does not adequately and promptly enforce final United States judgments or arbitration awards.

(4) (A) In the case of a downgrade by a rating agency or other disqualifying circumstance, the commissioner shall, upon written notice, assign a new rating to the certified reinsurer in accordance with the requirements of this subdivision.

(B) The commissioner shall have the authority to suspend, revoke, or otherwise modify a certified reinsurer’s certification at any time if the certified reinsurer fails to meet its obligations or security requirements under this section, or if other financial or operating results of the certified reinsurer, or documented significant delays in payment by the certified reinsurer, lead the commissioner to reconsider the certified reinsurer’s ability or willingness to meet its contractual obligations.

(C) If the rating of a certified reinsurer is upgraded by the commissioner, the certified reinsurer may meet the security requirements applicable to its new rating on a prospective basis, but the commissioner shall require the certified reinsurer to post security under the previously applicable security requirements as to all contracts in force on or before the effective date of the upgraded rating. If the rating of a certified reinsurer is downgraded by the commissioner, the commissioner shall require the certified reinsurer to meet the security requirements applicable to its new rating for all business it has assumed as a certified reinsurer.

(D) Upon revocation of the certification of a certified reinsurer by the commissioner, the assuming insurer shall be required to post security in accordance with Section 922.5 in order for the ceding insurer to continue to take credit for reinsurance ceded to the assuming insurer. If funds continue to be held in trust in accordance with subdivision (d) of Section 922.4, the commissioner may allow additional credit equal to the ceding insurer’s pro rata share of those funds, discounted to reflect the risk of uncollectibility and anticipated expenses of trust administration. Notwithstanding the change of a certified reinsurer’s rating or revocation of its certification, a domestic insurer that has ceded reinsurance to that certified reinsurer shall not be denied credit for reinsurance for a period of three months for all reinsurance ceded to that certified reinsurer, unless the reinsurance is found by the commissioner to be at high risk of uncollectibility.

(i) A certified reinsurer shall secure obligations assumed from United States ceding insurers under this subdivision at a level consistent with its rating. The amount of security required in order for full credit to be allowed shall correspond with the following requirements:

Ratings security required

Secure - 1: 0 percent

Secure - 2: 10 percent

Secure - 3: 20 percent

Secure - 4: 50 percent

Secure - 5: 75 percent

Vulnerable - 6: 100 percent

(1) In order for a domestic ceding insurer to qualify for full financial statement credit for reinsurance ceded to a certified reinsurer, the certified reinsurer shall maintain security in a form acceptable to the commissioner and consistent with Section 922.5, or in a multibeneficiary trust in accordance with subdivision (d) of Section 922.4, except as otherwise provided in this subdivision. In order for a domestic insurer to qualify for full financial statement credit, reinsurance contracts entered into or renewed under this section shall include a proper funding clause that requires the certified reinsurer to provide and maintain security in an amount sufficient to avoid the imposition of a financial statement penalty on the ceding insurer under this section for reinsurance ceded to the certified reinsurer.

(2) If a certified reinsurer maintains a trust to fully secure its obligations subject to subdivision (d) of Section 922.4, and chooses to secure its obligations incurred as a certified reinsurer in the form of a multibeneficiary trust, the certified reinsurer shall maintain separate trust accounts for its obligations incurred under reinsurance agreements issued or renewed as a certified reinsurer with reduced security as permitted by this subdivision or comparable laws of other United States jurisdictions and for its obligations subject to subdivision (d) of Section 922.4. It shall be a condition to the grant of certification under this section that the certified reinsurer shall have bound itself, by the language of the trust and agreement with the commissioner with principal regulatory oversight of each of those trust accounts, to fund, upon termination of any of those trust accounts, out of the remaining surplus of those trusts any deficiency of any other of those trust accounts.

(3) The minimum trusteed surplus requirements provided in subdivision (d) of Section 922.4 are not applicable with respect to a multibeneficiary trust maintained by a certified reinsurer for the purpose of securing obligations incurred under this subdivision, except that the trust shall maintain a minimum trusteed surplus of ten million dollars ($10,000,000).

(4) With respect to obligations incurred by a certified reinsurer under this subdivision, if the security is insufficient, the commissioner shall reduce the allowable credit by an amount proportionate to the deficiency, and have the discretion to impose further reductions in allowable credit upon finding that there is a material risk that the certified reinsurer’s obligations will not be paid in full when due.

(5) For purposes of this subdivision, a certified reinsurer whose certification has been terminated for any reason shall be treated as a certified reinsurer required to secure 100 percent of its obligations.

(A) As used in this subdivision, the term “terminated” means revocation, suspension, voluntary surrender, and inactive status.

(B) If the commissioner continues to assign a higher rating as permitted by other provisions of this section, this requirement shall not apply to a certified reinsurer in inactive status or to a reinsurer whose certification has been suspended.

(6) The commissioner shall require the certified reinsurer to post 100-percent security in accordance with Section 922.5, for the benefit of the ceding insurer or its estate, upon the entry of an order of rehabilitation, liquidation, or conservation against the ceding insurer.

(7) Affiliated reinsurance transactions shall receive the same opportunity for reduced security requirements as all other reinsurance transactions.

(8) In order to facilitate the prompt payment of claims, a certified reinsurer shall not be required to post security for catastrophe recoverables for a period of one year from the date of the first instance of a liability reserve entry by the ceding company as a result of a loss from a catastrophic occurrence that is likely to result in significant insured losses, as recognized by the commissioner. The one-year deferral period is contingent upon the certified reinsurer continuing to pay claims in a timely manner, as determined by the commissioner, in writing. Reinsurance recoverables for only the following lines of business as reported on the NAIC annual financial statement related specifically to the catastrophic occurrence shall be included in the deferral:

(A) Line 1: Fire.

(B) Line 2: Allied lines.

(C) Line 3: Farmowners’ multiple peril.

(D) Line 4: Homeowners’ multiple peril.

(E) Line 5: Commercial multiple peril.

(F) Line 9: Inland marine.

(G) Line 12: Earthquake.

(H) Line 21: Auto physical damage.

(9) Credit for reinsurance under this section shall apply only to reinsurance contracts entered into or renewed on or after the effective date of the certification of the assuming insurer. A reinsurance contract entered into before the effective date of the certification of the assuming insurer that is subsequently amended by mutual agreement of the parties to the reinsurance contract after the effective date of the certification of the assuming insurer, or a new reinsurance contract, covering a risk for which collateral was provided previously, shall only be subject to this section with respect to losses incurred and reserves reported from and after the effective date of the amendment or new contract.

(10) This section shall not be construed to prohibit the parties to a reinsurance agreement from agreeing to provisions establishing security requirements that exceed the minimum security requirements established for certified reinsurers under this section.

(j) A certified reinsurer that ceases to assume new business in this state may request to maintain its certification in inactive status in order to continue to qualify for a reduction in security for its in-force business. An inactive certified reinsurer shall continue to comply with all applicable requirements of this section, and the commissioner shall assign a rating that takes into account, if relevant, the reasons why the reinsurer is not assuming new business.

(k) Notwithstanding this section, credit for reinsurance or deduction from liability by a domestic ceding insurer for cessions to a certified reinsurer may be disallowed upon a finding by the commissioner that the application of the literal provisions of this section does not accomplish its intent, or either the financial condition of the reinsurer or the collateral or other security provided by the reinsurer does not, in substance, satisfy the credit for reinsurance requirements in Section 922.4.

(Amended by Stats. 2019, Ch. 201, Sec. 4. (AB 1813) Effective January 1, 2020.)