692A.1041 - Duty of title agent and insurer to deposit surety bond with Commissioner; title agency, title insurer and escrow agents required to be named as principals on bond; form and amount of bond.

692A.1041  Duty of title agent and insurer to deposit surety bond with Commissioner; title agency, title insurer and escrow agents required to be named as principals on bond; form and amount of bond.

      1.  In addition to all other requirements set forth in this title and except as otherwise provided in subsection 4 and NRS 692A.1042, as a condition to doing business in this State, each title agent and title insurer shall deposit with the Commissioner and keep in full force and effect a corporate surety bond payable to the State of Nevada, in the amount set forth in subsection 3, which is executed by a corporate surety satisfactory to the Commissioner and which names as principals the title agency or title insurer and all escrow officers employed by or associated with the title agent or title insurer.

      2.  The bond must be in substantially the following form:

      Know All Persons by These Presents, that ........................, as principal, and ........................, as surety, are held and firmly bound unto the State of Nevada for the use and benefit of any person who suffers damages because of a violation of any of the provisions of chapter 692A of NRS, in the sum of ............, lawful money of the United States, to be paid to the State of Nevada for such use and benefit, for which payment well and truly to be made, and that we bind ourselves, our heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns, jointly and severally, firmly by these presents.

      The condition of that obligation is such that: Whereas, the Commissioner of Insurance of the Department of Business and Industry of the State of Nevada has issued the principal a license or certificate of authority as a title agent or title insurer, and the principal is required to furnish a bond, which is conditioned as set forth in this bond:

      Now, therefore, if the principal, the principal’s agents and employees, strictly, honestly and faithfully comply with the provisions of chapter 692A of NRS, and pay all damages suffered by any person because of a violation of any of the provisions of chapter 692A of NRS, or by reason of any fraud, dishonesty, misrepresentation or concealment of material facts growing out of any transaction governed by the provisions of chapter 692A of NRS, then this obligation is void; otherwise it remains in full force.

      This bond becomes effective on the ..........(day) of ................(month) of ......(year), and remains in force until the surety is released from liability by the Commissioner of Insurance or until this bond is cancelled by the surety. The surety may cancel this bond and be relieved of further liability hereunder by giving 60 days’ written notice to the principal and to the Commissioner of Insurance of the Department of Business and Industry of the State of Nevada.

      In Witness Whereof, the seal and signature of the principal hereto is affixed, and the corporate seal and the name of the surety hereto is affixed and attested by its authorized officers at ........................, Nevada, this ................(day) of ................(month) of ......(year).

 

                                                                                    ......................................................... (Seal)

                                                                                                            Principal

                                                                                    ......................................................... (Seal)

                                                                                                              Surety

                                                                                                By..................................................

                                                                                                             Attorney-in-fact

                                                                                                .......................................................

                                                                                                       Licensed resident agent

 

      3.  Each title agent and title insurer shall deposit a corporate surety bond that complies with the provisions of this section or a substitute form of security that complies with the provisions of NRS 692A.1042 in an amount that:

      (a) Is not less than $20,000 or 2 percent of the average collected balance of the trust account or escrow account maintained by the title agent or title insurer pursuant to NRS 692A.250, whichever is greater; and

      (b) Is not more than $250,000.

Ê The Commissioner shall determine the appropriate amount of the surety bond or substitute form of security that must be deposited initially by the title agent or title insurer based upon the expected average collected balance of the trust account or escrow account maintained by the title agent or title insurer pursuant to NRS 692A.250. After the initial deposit, the Commissioner shall, on an annual basis, determine the appropriate amount of the surety bond or substitute form of security that must be deposited by the title agent or title insurer based upon the average collected balance of the trust account or escrow account maintained by the title agent or title insurer pursuant to NRS 692A.250.

      4.  A title agent or title insurer may offset or reduce the amount of the surety bond or substitute form of security that the title agent or title insurer is required to deposit pursuant to subsection 3 by the amount of any of the following:

      (a) Cash or securities deposited with the Commissioner in this State pursuant to NRS 680A.140 or 682B.015.

      (b) Reserves against unpaid losses and loss expenses maintained pursuant to NRS 692A.150 or 692A.170.

      (c) Unearned premium reserves maintained pursuant to NRS 692A.160 or 692A.170.

      (d) Fidelity bonds maintained by the title agent or title insurer.

      (e) Other bonds or policies of insurance maintained by the title agent or title insurer covering liability for economic losses to customers caused by the title agent or title insurer.

      (Added to NRS by 1999, 3811)