Montana Code 33-11-104. Risk retention groups not chartered in this state
33-11-104. Risk retention groups not chartered in this state. A risk retention group chartered in a state other than this state and seeking to do business as a risk retention group in this state must observe and abide by the laws of this state as follows:
Terms Used In Montana Code 33-11-104
- Hazardous financial condition: means that, based on its present or reasonably anticipated financial condition, a risk retention group, although not yet financially impaired or insolvent, is unlikely to be able to:
(a)meet obligations to policyholders with respect to known claims and reasonably anticipated claims; or
(b)pay other obligations in the normal course of business. See Montana Code 33-11-102
- Injunction: An order of the court prohibiting (or compelling) the performance of a specific act to prevent irreparable damage or injury.
- Insurance: means primary insurance, excess insurance, reinsurance, surplus line insurance, and any other arrangement for shifting and distributing risk that is determined to be insurance under the laws of this state. See Montana Code 33-11-102
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- Liability: means legal liability for damages, including costs of defense, legal costs and fees, and other claims expenses, because of injuries to other persons, damage to their property, or other damage or loss to other persons resulting from or arising out of:
(i)a business, whether profit or nonprofit, trade, product, service (including professional service), premises, or operation; or
(ii)an activity of any state or local government or an agency or political subdivision of state or local government. See Montana Code 33-11-102
- Person: includes a corporation or other entity as well as a natural person. See Montana Code 1-1-201
- Plan of operation or a feasibility study: means an analysis that presents the expected activities and results of a risk retention group, including at a minimum:
(a)the coverages, deductibles, coverage limits, rates, and rating classification systems for each line of insurance the group intends to offer;
(b)historical and expected loss experience of the proposed members and national experience of similar exposures to the extent this experience is reasonably available;
(c)pro forma financial statements and projections;
(d)appropriate opinions by a qualified independent casualty actuary, including a determination of minimum premium or participation levels required to commence operations and to prevent a hazardous financial condition;
(e)identification of management, underwriting procedures, managerial oversight methods, and investment policies; and
(f)other matters as may be prescribed by the commissioner for liability insurance companies authorized by the insurance laws of the state where the risk retention group is chartered. See Montana Code 33-11-102
- Process: means a writ or summons issued in the course of judicial proceedings. See Montana Code 1-1-202
- Public law: A public bill or joint resolution that has passed both chambers and been enacted into law. Public laws have general applicability nationwide.
- Risk retention group: means a corporation or other limited liability association formed under the laws of any state, Bermuda, or the Cayman Islands:
(a)whose primary activity consists of assuming and spreading all or any portion of the liability exposure of its group members;
(b)that is organized for the primary purpose of conducting the activity described under subsection (8)(a);
(c)(i) that is chartered and licensed as a liability insurance company and authorized to engage in the business of insurance under the laws of any state; or
(ii)that, before January 1, 1985, was chartered or licensed and authorized to engage in the business of insurance under the laws of Bermuda or the Cayman Islands and, before that date, had certified to the insurance regulatory official of at least one state that it satisfied the capitalization requirements of that state. See Montana Code 33-11-102
- State: means any state of the United States or the District of Columbia. See Montana Code 33-11-102
(1)Before offering insurance in this state, a risk retention group shall submit to the commissioner:
(a)a statement identifying the state or states where the risk retention group is chartered and authorized as a casualty insurer, date of chartering, its principal place of business, and other information, including information on its membership, as the commissioner requires to verify that the risk retention group is qualified under 33-11-102(8);
(b)a copy of its plan of operation or a feasibility study and revisions of the plan or study submitted to its state of domicile. However, this provision relating to the submission of a plan of operation or a feasibility study does not apply with respect to any line or classification of liability insurance that was defined in the federal Product Liability Risk Retention Act of 1981 (15 U.S.C. § 3901 through 3904) before it was amended by Public Law 99-563, approved on October 27, 1986, and that was offered before that date by a risk retention group that had been chartered and operated for not less than 3 years before that date; and
(c)a statement of registration that designates the commissioner as its agent for the purpose of receiving service of legal documents or process.
(2)A risk retention group doing business in this state shall submit to the commissioner:
(a)a copy of the group’s financial statement submitted to its state of domicile, which must be certified by an independent public accountant and contain a statement of opinion on loss and loss adjustment expense reserves made by a member of the American academy of actuaries or by a qualified loss reserve specialist under criteria established by the national association of insurance commissioners;
(b)a copy of each examination of the risk retention group as certified by the insurance regulatory official of the state in which the examination was conducted or public official conducting the examination;
(c)upon request by the commissioner, a copy of any audit performed with respect to the risk retention group; and
(d)any information as may be required to verify the group’s continuing qualification as a risk retention group under 33-11-102(8).
(3)(a) Each risk retention group is liable for the payment of premium taxes and taxes on premiums of direct business for risks resident or located within this state and shall report to the commissioner the net premiums written for risks resident or located within this state. The risk retention group is subject to taxation and any applicable interest, fines, and penalties for nonpayment that apply to foreign admitted insurers.
(b)To the extent that an insurance producer is used, the insurance producer shall report to the commissioner the premiums of direct business for risks resident or located within this state that the licensees have placed with or on behalf of a risk retention group not chartered in this state.
(c)To the extent that an insurance producer is used, the insurance producer shall keep a complete and separate record of all policies procured from each risk retention group. The record is open to examination by the commissioner, as provided in 33-1-408. The records must, for each policy and each kind of insurance provided under the policy, include the limit of liability, the time period covered, the effective date, the name of the risk retention group that issued the policy, the gross premium charged, and the amount of return premiums, if any.
(4)Each risk retention group, its insurance producers, and its representatives shall comply with Title 33, chapter 18, part 2.
(5)Each risk retention group shall comply with the provisions of Title 33, chapter 18, part 2, regarding deceptive, false, or fraudulent acts or practices. However, if the commissioner seeks an injunction regarding the risk retention group’s conduct, the injunction must be obtained from a court of competent jurisdiction.
(6)Each risk retention group shall submit to an examination by the commissioner to determine its financial condition if the insurance regulatory official of the jurisdiction where the group is chartered has not initiated an examination or does not initiate an examination within 60 days after a request by the commissioner. The examination must be coordinated to avoid unjustified repetition and be conducted in an expeditious manner in accordance with the national association of insurance commissioners examiners handbook.
(7)Each policy issued by a risk retention group must contain, in 10-point type on the front page and the declaration page, the following notice:
“NOTICE
This policy is issued by your risk retention group. Your risk retention group may not be subject to all of the insurance laws and regulations of your state. State insurance insolvency guaranty funds are not available for your risk retention group.”
(8)The following acts by a risk retention group are prohibited:
(a)the solicitation or sale of insurance by a risk retention group to any person who is not eligible for membership in the group; and
(b)the solicitation or sale of insurance by or operation of a risk retention group that is in a hazardous financial condition or is financially impaired.
(9)A risk retention group is not allowed to do business in this state if an insurer is directly or indirectly a member or owner of the risk retention group, other than in the case of a risk retention group all of whose members are insurers.
(10)A risk retention group may not offer insurance policy coverage declared unlawful by the Montana supreme court.
(11)A risk retention group not chartered in this state and doing business in this state shall comply with a lawful order issued in a voluntary dissolution proceeding or in a delinquency proceeding commenced by the insurance regulatory official of any state if there has been a finding of financial impairment after an examination under subsection (6).
(12)Upon completion of registration requirements, the commissioner shall issue to the risk retention group a proper certificate of registration.
(13)A risk retention group that violates any provision of this chapter is subject to fines and penalties, including revocation of the right to do business in this state, applicable to licensed insurers generally.