§ 23-90-115 - Payment of covered claims.

23-90-115. Payment of covered claims.

(a) (1) When an insurer has been determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to be an insolvent insurer, the receiver shall marshal all assets of the insolvent insurer, including, but not limited to, those which are designated as, or that constitute, reserve assets offsetting reserve liabilities for all liabilities falling within the term "covered claim" as defined in 23-90-103.

(2) The receiver shall apply all of the assets to the payment of covered claims but may utilize funds received from assessments in the payment of claims, pending orderly liquidation or disposition of the assets.

(3) When all covered claims have been paid or satisfied by the receiver, any balance remaining from the liquidation or disposition of the assets shall first be applied in repayment of funds expended from assessments.

(4) These repayments shall be credited as remaining balances and be refunded as provided in 23-90-114.

(b) In addition to authorization to make actual payment of covered claims, the receiver is specifically authorized to utilize the marshalled assets and funds derived from assessments for the purpose of negotiating and consummating contracts of reinsurance or assumption of liabilities or contracts of substitution to provide for outstanding liabilities of covered claims.

(c) This chapter shall not be construed to impose restrictions or limitations upon the authority granted or authorized the Insurance Commissioner or the receiver elsewhere in the Arkansas Insurance Code and other statutes of this state but shall be construed and authorized for use in conjunction with other portions of the Arkansas Insurance Code dealing with delinquency proceedings.

(d) In any lawsuit brought by a receiver of an insolvent insurer for the purpose of recovering assets of the insolvent insurer, the fact that claims against the insolvent insurer have been or will be paid under the provisions of this chapter shall not be admissible for any purposes and shall not be placed before any jury either by evidence or argument.