(a) Any domestic insurer, either by itself or in cooperation with one or more persons, may organize or acquire one or more subsidiaries subject to the limitations of this section.

(b) In addition to investments in common stock, preferred stock, debt obligations, and other securities permitted under all other sections of this chapter, a domestic insurer may also do one or more of the following:

(1) Invest in common stock, preferred stock, debt obligations, and other securities of one or more subsidiaries, amounts that do not exceed the lesser of 10 percent of the insurer’s assets or 50 percent of the insurer’s surplus as regards policyholders. However, after these investments, the insurer’s surplus as regards policyholders shall be reasonable in relation to the insurer’s outstanding liabilities and adequate to its financial needs. In calculating the amount of these investments, there shall be excluded investments in insurance subsidiaries, and there shall be included (A) total net moneys or other consideration expended and obligations assumed in the acquisition or formation of a subsidiary, including all organizational expenses and contributions to capital and surplus of the subsidiary whether or not represented by the purchase of capital stock or issuance of other securities, and (B) all amounts expended in acquiring additional common stock, preferred stock, debt obligations, and other securities and all contributions to the capital or surplus of a subsidiary subsequent to its acquisition or formation.

“Insurance subsidiary” is an insurer that is organized within the United States and is controlled, directly or indirectly, by a reporting insurer subject to this article. For purposes of this paragraph, “investments in insurance subsidiaries” shall include the following:

(A) Any direct investment in an insurance subsidiary.

(B) The insurer’s proportionate share of any investment in an insurance subsidiary held by any subsidiary of the insurer. This shall be calculated by multiplying the amount of the subsidiary’s investment in the insurance subsidiary by the insurer’s percentage of ownership of the subsidiary.

(2) Invest any amount in common stock, preferred stock, debt obligations, and other securities of one or more subsidiaries, provided that each subsidiary agrees to limit its investments in any asset so that these investments will not cause the amount of the total investment of the insurer to exceed any of the investment limitations specified in paragraph (1) or in this chapter applicable to the insurer. For the purpose of this paragraph, “the total investment of the insurer” shall include (A) any direct investment by the insurer in an asset, and (B) the insurer’s proportionate share of any investment of an asset by any subsidiary of the insurer, which shall be calculated by multiplying the amount of the subsidiary’s investment by the percentage of the insurer’s ownership of that subsidiary.

(3) With the approval of the commissioner, invest any amount in common stock, preferred stock, debt obligations, or other securities of one or more subsidiaries, provided that after this investment the insurer’s surplus as regards policyholders shall be reasonable in relation to the insurer’s outstanding liabilities and adequate to its financial needs.

(c) Investments in common stock, preferred stock, debt obligations, or other securities of subsidiaries made pursuant to subdivision (b) shall neither limit nor be subject to any of the otherwise applicable authorizations, restrictions, or prohibitions contained in this article applicable to these investments of insurers.

(d) Whether any investment pursuant to subdivision (b) meets the applicable requirements thereof is to be determined immediately after the investment is made, taking into account the then outstanding principal balance on all previous investments in debt obligations, and the value of all previous investments in equity securities as of the date they were made.

(e) If an insurer ceases to control a subsidiary, it shall dispose of any investment therein made pursuant to this section within three years from the time of the cessation of control, or within any further time as the commissioner may prescribe, unless at any time after the investment has been made, the investment has met the requirements for investment under any other section of this part.

(Amended by Stats. 2015, Ch. 213, Sec. 3. (AB 553) Effective August 17, 2015.)