RCW 48.12.425 Assuming insurer maintains a trust fund—Payment of valid claims—Requirements.

(1) Credit is allowed when the reinsurance is ceded to an assuming insurer that maintains a trust fund in a qualified United States financial institution, as defined in RCW 48.12.465(2), for the payment of the valid claims of its United States ceding insurers, their assigns, and successors in interest. To enable the commissioner to determine the sufficiency of the trust fund, the assuming insurer must report annually to the commissioner information substantially the same as that required to be reported on the national association of insurance commissioners annual statement form by licensed insurers. The assuming insurer must submit to examination of its books and records by the commissioner and bear the expense of examination.

(2)(a) Credit for reinsurance shall not be granted under this section unless the form of the trust and any amendments to the trust have been approved by:

(i) The commissioner of the state where the trust is domiciled; or

(ii) The commissioner of another state who, pursuant to the terms of the trust instrument, has accepted principal regulatory oversight of the trust.

(b) The form of the trust and any trust amendments also must be filed with the commissioner of every state in which the ceding insurer beneficiaries of the trust are domiciled. The trust instrument must provide that contested claims are valid and enforceable upon the final order of any court of competent jurisdiction in the United States. The trust must vest legal title to its assets in its trustees for the benefit of the assuming insurer's United States ceding insurers, their assigns, and successors in interest. The trust and the assuming insurer are subject to examination as determined by the commissioner.

(c) The trust remains in effect for as long as the assuming insurer has outstanding obligations due under the reinsurance agreements subject to the trust. By February 28th of each year the trustee of the trust must report to the commissioner in writing the balance of the trust and listing the trust's investments at the preceding year end and certify the date of termination of the trust, if so planned, or certify that the trust will not expire prior to the following December 31st.

(3) The following requirements apply to the following categories of assuming insurer:

(a) The trust fund for a single assuming insurer consists of funds in trust in an amount not less than the assuming insurer's liabilities attributable to reinsurance ceded by United States ceding insurers, and, in addition, the assuming insurer must maintain a trusteed surplus of not less than twenty million dollars, except as provided in (b) of this subsection.

(b) At any time after the assuming insurer has permanently discontinued underwriting new business secured by the trust for at least three full years, the commissioner with principal regulatory oversight of the trust may authorize a reduction in the required trusteed surplus, but only after a finding, based on an assessment of the risk, that the new required surplus level is adequate for the protection of United States ceding insurers, policyholders, and claimants in light of reasonably foreseeable adverse loss development. The risk assessment may involve an actuarial review, including an independent analysis of reserves and cash flows, and must consider all material risk factors, including when applicable the lines of business involved, the stability of the incurred loss estimates, and the effect of the surplus requirements on the assuming insurer's liquidity or solvency. The minimum required trusteed surplus may not be reduced to an amount less than thirty percent of the assuming insurer's liabilities attributable to reinsurance ceded by United States ceding insurers covered by the trust.

(c)(i) In the case of a group including incorporated and individual unincorporated underwriters:

(A) For reinsurance ceded under reinsurance agreements with an inception, amendment, or renewal date on or after January 1, 1993, the trust must consist of a trusteed account in an amount not less than the respective underwriters' several liabilities attributable to business ceded by United States domiciled ceding insurers to any underwriter of the group;

(B) For reinsurance ceded under reinsurance agreements with an inception date on or before December 31, 1992, and not amended or renewed after that date, notwithstanding the other provisions of this subchapter, the trust must consist of a trusteed account in an amount not less than the respective underwriters' several insurance and reinsurance liabilities attributable to business written in the United States; and

(C) In addition to these trusts, the group must maintain in trust a trusteed surplus of which one hundred million dollars is held jointly for the benefit of the United States domiciled ceding insurers of any member of the group for all years of account.

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

(iii) Within ninety days after its financial statements are due to be filed with the group's domiciliary regulator, the group must provide to the commissioner an annual certification by the group'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 group.

(d) In the case of a group of incorporated underwriters under common administration, the group must:

(i) Have continuously transacted an insurance business outside the United States for at least three years immediately prior to making application for accreditation;

(ii) Maintain aggregate policyholders' surplus of at least ten billion dollars;

(iii) Maintain a trust fund in an amount not less than the group's several liabilities attributable to business ceded by United States domiciled ceding insurers to any member of the group pursuant to reinsurance contracts issued in the name of the group;

(iv) In addition, maintain a joint trusteed surplus of which one hundred million dollars is held jointly for the benefit of United States domiciled ceding insurers of any member of the group as additional security for these liabilities; and

(v) Within ninety days after its financial statements are due to be filed with the group's domiciliary regulator, make available to the commissioner an annual certification of each underwriter member's solvency by the member's domiciliary regulator and financial statements of each underwriter member of the group prepared by its independent public accountant.

[ 2015 c 63 § 6.]