44-2707 Association; powers and duties; enumerated.
44-2707. Association; powers and duties; enumerated.In addition to the powers and duties enumerated in the Nebraska Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Association Act:(1) If a member insurer is an impaired insurer, the association may, at its discretion and subject to any conditions imposed by the association that do not impair the contractual obligations of the impaired insurer and that are approved by the director:(a) Guarantee, assume, or reinsure, or cause to be guaranteed, assumed, or reinsured, all the covered policies of the impaired insurer; and(b) Provide such money, pledges, loans, notes, guarantees, or other means as are proper to effectuate subdivision (1)(a) of this section and assure payment of the contractual obligations of the impaired insurer pending action under subdivision (1)(a) of this section;(2) If a member insurer is an insolvent insurer, the association shall, in its discretion, either:(a)(i)(A) Guarantee, assume, or reinsure, or cause to be guaranteed, assumed, or reinsured, the policies or contracts of the insolvent insurer; or(B) Assure payment of the contractual obligations of the insolvent insurer; and(ii) Provide such money, pledges, notes, guarantees, or other means as are reasonably necessary to discharge the association's duties; or(b) Provide benefits in accordance with the following provisions:(i) With respect to life and health insurance policies and annuities, assure payment of benefits for premiums identical to the premiums and benefits, except for terms of conversion and renewability, that would have been payable under the policies or contracts of the insolvent insurer for claims incurred:(A) With respect to group policies and contracts, not later than the earlier of the next renewal date under these policies or contracts or forty-five days but not less than thirty days after the date on which the association becomes obligated with respect to the policies and contracts;(B) With respect to nongroup policies, contracts, and annuities, not later than the earlier of the next renewal date under the policies or contracts or one year but not less than thirty days after the date on which the association becomes obligated with respect to the policies or contracts;(ii) Make diligent efforts to provide all known insureds or annuitants for nongroup policies and contracts, or group policy owners with respect to group policies and contracts, thirty days' notice of the termination made pursuant to subdivision (2)(b)(i) of this section of the benefits provided;(iii) With respect to nongroup life and health insurance policies and annuities covered by the association, make available to each known insured or annuitant, or owner if other than the insured or annuitant, and with respect to an individual formerly insured or formerly an annuitant under a group policy who is not eligible for replacement group coverage, make available substitute coverage on an individual basis in accordance with the provisions of subdivision (2)(b)(iv) of this section if the insureds or annuitants had a right under law or the terminated policy or annuity to convert coverage to individual coverage or to continue an individual policy or annuity in force until a specified age or for a specified time, during which the insurer had no right unilaterally to make changes in any provision of the policy or annuity or had a right only to make changes in premium by class;(iv)(A) In providing the substitute coverage required under subdivision (2)(b)(iii) of this section, the association may offer either to reissue the terminated coverage or to issue an alternative policy.(B) Alternative or reissued policies shall be offered without requiring evidence of insurability and shall not provide for any waiting period or exclusion that would not have applied under the terminated policy.(C) The association may reinsure any alternative or reissued policy;(v)(A) Alternative policies adopted by the association shall be subject to the approval of the domiciliary insurance commissioner and the receivership court. The association may adopt alternative policies of various types for future issuance without regard to any particular impairment or insolvency.(B) Alternative policies shall contain at least the minimum statutory provisions required in this state and provide benefits that shall not be unreasonable in relation to the premium charged. The association shall set the premium in accordance with a table of rates that it shall adopt. The premium shall reflect the amount of insurance to be provided and the age and class of risk of each insured but shall not reflect any changes in the health of the insured after the original policy was last underwritten.(C) Any alternative policy issued by the association shall provide coverage of a type similar to that of the policy issued by the impaired or insolvent insurer, as determined by the association;(vi) If the association elects to reissue terminated coverage at a premium rate different from that charged under the terminated policy, the premium shall be set by the association in accordance with the amount of insurance provided and the age and class of risk, subject to approval of the domiciliary insurance commissioner and the receivership court;(vii) The association's obligations with respect to coverage under any policy of the impaired or insolvent insurer or under any reissued or alternative policy shall cease on the date the coverage or policy is replaced by another similar policy by the policy owner, the insured, or the association; and(viii) When proceeding under subdivision (2)(b) of this section with respect to a policy or contract carrying guaranteed minimum interest rates, the association shall assure the payment or crediting of a rate of interest consistent with subdivision (2)(b)(iii) of section 44-2703;(3) Nonpayment of premiums within thirty-one days after the date required under the terms of any guaranteed, assumed, alternative, or reissued policy or contract or substitute coverage terminates the association's obligations under the policy or coverage under the act with respect to the policy or coverage, except with respect to any claims incurred or any net cash surrender value which may be due in accordance with the provisions of the act;(4) Premiums due for coverage after entry of an order of liquidation of an insolvent insurer shall belong to and be payable at the direction of the association. The association shall be liable for unearned premiums due to policy or contract owners arising after the entry of the order;(5) The protection provided by the act shall not apply if guaranty protection is provided to residents of this state by the laws of the domiciliary state or jurisdiction of the impaired or insolvent insurer other than this state;(6) In carrying out its duties under subdivision (2) of this section, the association may, subject to approval by a court in this state:(a) Impose permanent policy or contract liens in connection with a guarantee, assumption, or reinsurance agreement if:(i) The association finds that the amounts which can be assessed under the act are less than the amounts needed to assure full and prompt performance of the association's duties under the act; or(ii) That the economic or financial conditions as they affect member insurers are sufficiently adverse to render the imposition of such permanent policy or contract liens, to be in the public interest; and(b) Impose temporary moratoriums or liens on payments of cash values and policy loans or any other right to withdraw funds held in conjunction with policies or contracts in addition to any contractual provisions for deferral of cash or policy loan value.If the receivership court imposes a temporary moratorium or moratorium charge on payment of cash values or policy loans or on any other right to withdraw funds held in conjunction with policies or contracts out of the assets of the impaired or insolvent insurer, the association may defer the payment of cash values, policy loans, or other rights by the association for the period of the moratorium or moratorium charge imposed by the receivership court, except for claims covered by the association to be paid in accordance with a hardship procedure established by the liquidator or rehabilitator and approved by the receivership court;(7) A deposit in this state which is held pursuant to law or required by the director for the benefit of creditors and policy owners and not turned over to the domiciliary liquidator upon the entry of a final order of liquidation or order approving a rehabilitation plan of an insurer domiciled in this state or in a reciprocal state, pursuant to section 44-4852, shall be promptly paid to the association. The association shall be entitled to retain a portion of such amount equal to the percentage determined by dividing the aggregate amount of policy owners' claims related to that insolvency for which the association has provided statutory benefits by the aggregate amount of all policy owners' claims in this state related to that insolvency. The association shall remit to the domiciliary receiver the amount so paid to the association and not retained pursuant to this subdivision. Any amount paid to the association less the amount not retained by it shall be treated as a distribution of estate assets pursuant to section 44-4834 or similar provision of the state of domicile of the impaired or insolvent insurer;(8) If the association fails to act within a reasonable period of time with respect to an insolvent insurer, as provided in subdivision (2) of this section, the director shall have the powers and duties of the association under the act with respect to the insolvent insurer;(9) At the request of the director, the association may give assistance and advice to the director concerning rehabilitation, payment of claims, continuance of coverage, or the performance of other contractual obligations of an impaired or insolvent insurer;(10) The association shall have standing to appear before any court or administrative agency in this state with jurisdiction over an impaired or insolvent insurer concerning which the association is or may become obligated under the act or with jurisdiction over any person or property against which the association may have rights through subrogation or other basis. Such standing shall extend to all matters germane to the powers and duties of the association, including, but not limited to, proposals for reinsuring or guaranteeing the policies or contracts and contractual obligations of the impaired or insolvent insurer and the determination of the covered policies and contractual obligations. The association shall also have the right to appear or intervene before a court or agency in another state with jurisdiction over an impaired or insolvent insurer for which the association is or may become obligated or with jurisdiction over any person against whom the association may have rights through subrogation or otherwise;(11)(a) Any person receiving benefits under the act shall be deemed to have assigned his or her rights under and any causes of action against any person for losses arising under the covered policy to the association to the extent of the benefits received because of the act whether the benefits are payments of contractual obligations or continuation of coverage or provision of substitute or alternative coverage. The association may require an assignment to it of such rights by any payee, policy or contract owner, certificate holder, beneficiary, insured, or annuitant as a condition precedent to the receipt of any rights or benefits conferred by such act upon such person.(b) The subrogation rights of the association under this subdivision shall have the same priority against the assets of the impaired or insolvent insurer as that possessed by the person entitled to receive benefits under such act.(c) In addition to subdivisions (11)(a) and (b) of this section, the association shall have all common-law rights of subrogation and any other equitable or legal remedy that would have been available to the impaired or insolvent insurer or owner, beneficiary, or payee of a policy or contract with respect to the policy or contracts. Such common-law rights and equitable or legal remedies include, in the case of a structured settlement annuity, any rights of the owner, beneficiary, or payee of the annuity, to the extent of benefits received pursuant to the act, against a person originally or by succession responsible for the losses arising from the personal injury relating to the annuity or payment therefor. Nothing in this subdivision shall include any such person responsible solely by reason of serving as an assignee in respect of a qualified assignment under section 130 of the Internal Revenue Code.(d) If the provisions of this subdivision are invalid or ineffective with respect to any person or claim for any reason, the amount payable by the association with respect to the related covered obligations shall be reduced by the amount realized by any other person with respect to the person or claim that is attributable to the policies or portion of such amount covered by the association.(e) If the association has provided benefits with respect to a covered obligation and a person recovers amounts as to which the association has rights as described in subdivision (11) of this section, the person shall pay to the association the portion of the recovery attributable to the policies or any portion of such recovery covered by the association;(12) The association may:(a) Enter into such contracts as are necessary or proper to carry out the provisions and purposes of the act;(b) Sue or be sued, including taking any legal actions necessary or proper for recovery of any unpaid assessments under section 44-2708;(c) Borrow money to effect the purposes of the act. Any notes or other evidence of indebtedness of the association not in default shall be legal investments for domestic insurers and may be carried as admitted assets;(d) Employ or retain such persons as are necessary to handle the financial transactions of the association and to perform such other functions as become necessary or proper under the act;(e) Negotiate and contract with any liquidator, rehabilitator, conservator, or ancillary receiver to carry out the powers and duties of the association;(f) Take such legal action as may be necessary to avoid payment of improper claims;(g) Exercise, for the purposes of the act and to the extent approved by the director, the powers of a domestic life or health insurer, but in no case may the association issue insurance policies or annuity contracts other than those issued to perform the contractual obligations of the impaired or insolvent insurer;(h) Organize itself as a corporation or in other legal form permitted by the laws of the state;(i) Request information from a person seeking coverage from the association in order to aid the association in determining its obligations under the act with respect to the person, and the person shall promptly comply with the request;(j) Take other necessary or appropriate action to discharge its duties and obligations under the act or to exercise its powers under the act; and(k) Join an organization of one or more other state associations of similar purposes to further the purposes and administer the powers and duties of the association;(13)(a) At any time within one year after the coverage date, the association may elect to succeed to the rights and obligations of the member insurer that accrue on or after the coverage date and that relate to contracts covered, in whole or in part, by the association under any one or more indemnity reinsurance agreements entered into by the member insurer as a ceding insurer and selected by the association, except that the association may not exercise an election with respect to a reinsurance agreement if the receiver, rehabilitator, or liquidator of the member insurer has previously and expressly disaffirmed the reinsurance agreement. For purposes of this section, coverage date means the date on which the association becomes responsible for the obligations of a member insurer. The election shall be effected by a notice to the receiver, rehabilitator, or liquidator and to the affected reinsurers. If the association makes an election, subdivisions (13)(a)(i) through (iv) of this section apply to the agreements selected by the association:(i) The association shall be responsible for all unpaid premiums due under the agreements for periods both before and after the coverage date and shall be responsible for the performance of all other obligations to be performed after the coverage date in each case that relates to contracts covered, either in whole or in part, by the association. The association may charge contracts covered in part by the association, through reasonable allocation methods, the costs for reinsurance in excess of the obligations of the association;(ii) The association shall be entitled to any amounts payable by the reinsurer under the agreements with respect to losses or events that occur in periods after the coverage date and that relate to contracts covered by the association, in whole or in part, except that on receiving such amounts, the association shall pay to the beneficiary under the policy or contract on account of which the amounts were paid a portion of the amount equal to the excess of: (A) The amount received by the association, over (B) the benefits paid by the association on account of the policy or contract less the retention of the impaired or insolvent member insurer applicable to the loss or event;(iii) Within thirty days after the association's election, the association and each indemnity reinsurer shall calculate the net balance due to or from the association under each reinsurance agreement as of the date of the association's election, giving full credit to all items paid by either the member insurer, or its receiver, rehabilitator, or liquidator, or the indemnity reinsurer during the period between the coverage date and the date of the association's election. The association or indemnity reinsurer shall pay the net balance due the other within five days after the completion of such calculation. If the receiver, rehabilitator, or liquidator has received any amounts due the association pursuant to subdivision (13)(a)(ii) of this section, the receiver, rehabilitator, or liquidator shall, as promptly as practicable, pay such amounts to the association; and(iv) If the association, within sixty days after the election, pays the premiums due for periods both before and after the coverage date that relate to contracts covered by the association in whole or in part, the reinsurer shall not be entitled to terminate the reinsurance agreements to the extent that the agreements relate to contracts covered by the association either wholly or partially and may not set off any unpaid premium due for periods prior to the coverage date against amounts due the association;(b) If the association transfers its obligations to another insurer and if the association and the other insurer agree, such insurer shall succeed to the rights and obligations of the association under subdivision (13)(a) of this section effective as of the date agreed upon by the association and such insurer and regardless of whether the association has made the election referred to in subdivision (13)(a) of this section except that:(i) The indemnity reinsurance agreements shall automatically terminate for new reinsurance unless the indemnity reinsurer and the other insurer agree to the contrary;(ii) The obligations described in the exception set forth in subdivision (13)(a)(ii) of this section shall not apply on and after the date the indemnity reinsurance agreement is transferred to the third party insurer; and(iii) Subdivision (13)(b) of this section shall not apply if the association has previously stated in writing that it will not exercise the election referred to in subdivision (13)(a) of this section;(c) The provisions of subdivision (13) of this section shall supersede the provisions of any law of this state or of any affected reinsurance agreement that provides for or requires any payment of reinsurance proceeds on account of losses or events that occur in periods after the coverage date to the receiver, liquidator, or rehabilitator of the insolvent member insurer. The receiver, rehabilitator, or liquidator shall remain entitled to any amounts payable by the reinsurer under the reinsurance agreement with respect to losses or events that occur in periods prior to the coverage date, subject to applicable setoff provisions; and(d) Except as otherwise expressly set forth in subdivision (13) of this section, nothing in such subdivision shall alter or modify the terms and conditions of the indemnity reinsurance agreements of the insolvent member insurer. Nothing in the subdivision shall abrogate or limit any rights of any reinsurer to claim that it is entitled to rescind a reinsurance agreement. Nothing in such subdivision shall give a policyowner or beneficiary an independent cause of action against an indemnity reinsurer that is not otherwise set forth in the indemnity reinsurance agreement;(14) The board of directors of the association shall have discretion and may exercise reasonable business judgment to determine the means by which the association is to provide the benefits of the act in an economical and efficient manner;(15) If the association has arranged or offered to provide the benefits of the act to a covered person under a plan or arrangement that fulfills the association's obligations under the act, such person shall not be entitled to benefits from the association in addition to or other than those provided under the plan or arrangement; and(16) Venue in an action against the association arising under the act shall be in the district court of Lancaster County. The association shall not be required to give an appeal bond in an appeal that relates to a cause of action arising under the act. SourceLaws 1975, LB 217, § 7; Laws 1986, LB 593, § 7; Laws 2001, LB 360, § 16; Laws 2003, LB 216, § 11. AnnotationsThis section does not encompass the liability of an insolvent insurer arising under law rather than under the provisions of the policy such insurer issued. Nebraska Life & Health Ins. Guar. Assn. v. Dobias, 247 Neb. 900, 531 N.W.2d 217 (1995).