1.    Any domestic insurer, either by itself or in cooperation with one or more persons, may organize or acquire one or more subsidiaries. A subsidiary may conduct any kind of business and its authority to do so is not limited because it is a subsidiary of a domestic insurer.

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2.    In addition to investments in common stock, preferred stock, debt obligations, and other securities permitted under all other sections of this chapter, a domestic insurer may also:

a.    Invest, in common stock, preferred stock, debt obligations, and other securities of one or more subsidiaries, amounts which do not exceed the lesser of ten percent of the insurer’s assets or fifty percent of the insurer’s surplus as regards policyholders; provided, that after the investments the insurer’s surplus as regards policyholders will be reasonable in relation to the insurer’s outstanding liabilities and adequate to meet its financial needs. In calculating the amount of the investments, investments in domestic or foreign insurance subsidiaries and health maintenance organizations shall be excluded, and there must be included: (1) Total net moneys or other consideration expended and obligations assumed in the acquisition or formation of a subsidiary, including all organizational expenses and contributions to capital and surplus of such subsidiary whether or not represented by the purchase of capital stock or issuance of other securities; and

(2) All amounts expended in acquiring additional common stock, preferred stock, debt obligations, and other securities, and all contributions to the capital or surplus of a subsidiary subsequent to its acquisition or formation.

b.    Invest any amount in common stock, preferred stock, debt obligations, and other securities of one or more subsidiaries engaged or organized to engage exclusively in the ownership and management of assets authorized as investments for the insurer, provided that each subsidiary agrees to limit its investments in any asset so that the investments will not cause the amount of the total investment of the insurer to exceed any of the investment limitations specified in subdivision a. “The total investment of the insurer” includes:

(1) Any direct investment by the insurer in an asset; and

(2) The insurer’s proportionate share of any investment in an asset by any subsidiary of the insurer which must be calculated by multiplying the amount of the subsidiary’s investment by the percentage of the ownership of the subsidiary.

c.    With the approval of the commissioner, invest any greater amount in common stock, preferred stock, debt obligations, or other securities of one or more subsidiaries; provided, that after the investment the insurer’s surplus as regards policyholders will be reasonable in relation to the insurer’s outstanding liabilities and adequate to its financial needs.

3.    Investments in common stock, preferred stock, debt obligations, or other securities of subsidiaries made pursuant to subsection 2 are not subject to any of the otherwise applicable restrictions or prohibitions applicable to such investments of an insurer.

4.    Whether any investment pursuant to subsection 2 meets the applicable requirements thereof is to be determined before the investment is made, by calculating the applicable investment limitations as though the investment had already been made, taking into account the then outstanding principal balance on all previous investments in debt obligations, and the value of all previous investments in equity securities as of the date they were made net of any return of capital invested, not including dividends.

    5.    If an insurer ceases to control a subsidiary, it shall dispose of any investment therein made pursuant to this section within three years from the time of the cessation of control or within such further time as the commissioner prescribes, unless at any time after the investment has been made, the investment has met the requirements for investment under any other section, and the insurer has so notified the commissioner.