A. A member insurer shall have at its option the right to show a certificate of contribution as an asset in the form approved by the Commission pursuant to subdivision 3a of subsection A of § 38.2-1606 at the original face amount for the calendar year of issuance. Such amount may be amortized as follows:

1. Certificates of contribution issued prior to January 1, 1998, shall be amortized in each succeeding calendar year through December 31, 1997, at an amount not to exceed 0.05 of one percent of the member's direct gross premium income for the classes of insurance in the account for which the member insurer is assessed. As used herein, the definition of direct gross premium income shall be the same as that specified in § 58.1-2500. If the amount of the certificate has not been fully amortized by the contributing insurer by December 31, 1997, the unamortized balance of the certificate amount shall be amortized, at the option of the contributing insurer, either (i) in the same manner as the certificate was amortized prior to January 1, 1998; however, if not amortized in full prior to calendar year 2010, the unamortized balance of the certificate shall be amortized in full during calendar year 2010, or (ii) over the 10 successive calendar years commencing January 1, 1998, in amounts each equal to 10 percent of such unamortized balance. A contributing insurer whose certificate has not been fully amortized by December 31, 1997, shall notify the Commission in writing of the amortization schedule option it has selected on or before March 1, 1998; however, if a contributing insurer fails to notify the Commission by such date, the insurer shall be deemed to have selected the option described in clause (i) of the preceding sentence.

2. Certificates of contribution issued on or after January 1, 1998, shall be amortized over the 10 calendar years following the year the contribution was paid in amounts each equal to 10 percent of the amount of the contribution.

B. The insurer may offset the amount of the certificate amortized in a calendar year as provided in subsection A. This amount shall be deducted from the premium tax liability incurred on business transacted in this Commonwealth for that year. However, the Association shall diligently pursue all rights available to it to recover its expenditures made in the fulfillment of its responsibilities under this chapter. In the event the Commission determines after a hearing that the Association is not diligently pursuing available measures of recovery, the Commission shall notify the Department of Taxation and participating insurers will not be able to offset amounts amortized during the period that the Commission determines that the Association has not been diligently pursuing available measures of recovery.

C. Any sums that have been (i) amortized by contributing insurers and offset against premium taxes as provided in subsection B and (ii) subsequently refunded pursuant to subdivision A 3 of § 38.2-1606 or subdivision B 6 of § 38.2-1606 shall be paid to the Department of Taxation and deposited with the State Treasurer for credit to the general fund of this Commonwealth.

D. The amount of any credit against premium taxes provided for in this section for an insurer shall be reduced by the amount of reduction in federal income taxes for any deduction claimed by the insurer for an assessment paid pursuant to this chapter.

1987, cc. 565, 655; 1991, c. 371; 1997, c. 160; 2011, c. 850; 2014, c. 154.