Sec. 443.011. ACTIONS BY AND AGAINST RECEIVER. (a) An allegation by the receiver of improper or fraudulent conduct against any person may not be the basis of a defense to the enforcement of a contractual obligation owed to the insurer by a third party, unless the conduct is found to have been materially and substantially related to the contractual obligation for which enforcement is sought.

(b) A prior wrongful or negligent action of any present or former officer, manager, director, trustee, owner, employee, or agent of the insurer may not be asserted as a defense to a claim by the receiver under a theory of estoppel, comparative fault, intervening cause, proximate cause, reliance, mitigation of damages, or otherwise, except that the affirmative defense of fraud in the inducement may be asserted against the receiver in a claim based on a contract, and a principal under a surety bond or a surety undertaking is entitled to credit against any reimbursement obligation to the receiver for the value of any property pledged to secure the reimbursement obligation to the extent that the receiver has possession or control of the property or that the insurer or its agents commingled or otherwise misappropriated the property. Evidence of fraud in the inducement is admissible only if the evidence is contained in the records of the insurer.

(c) An action or inaction by the department or the insurance regulatory authorities in any state may not be asserted as a defense to a claim by the receiver.

(d) Except as provided by Subsection (e), a judgment or order entered against an insured or the insurer in contravention of any stay or injunction under this chapter, or at any time by default or collusion, may not be considered as evidence of liability or of the amount of damages in adjudicating claims filed in the estate arising out of the subject matter of the judgment or order.

(e) Subsection (d) does not apply to guaranty associations' claims for amounts paid on settlements and judgments in pursuit of their statutory obligations.

(f) The receiver may not be deemed a governmental entity for the purposes of any state law awarding fees to a litigant who prevails against a governmental entity.

Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 995 (H.B. 2157), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2005.

Redesignated from Insurance Code - Not Codified, Art/Sec 21A.011 by Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 730 (H.B. 2636), Sec. 3B.004(a)(1), eff. September 1, 2007.

Redesignated from Insurance Code - Not Codified, Art/Sec 21A.011 by Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 921 (H.B. 3167), Sec. 9.004(a)(1), eff. September 1, 2007.