(a) A stock insurer other than a title insurer may become a mutual insurer under such plan and procedure as may be approved by the commissioner after a hearing thereon.
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Terms Used In Alabama Code 27-27-43

  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. Source: U.S. Courts
  • person: includes a corporation as well as a natural person. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
  • state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
  • year: means a calendar year; but, whenever the word "year" is used in reference to any appropriations for the payment of money out of the treasury, it shall mean fiscal year. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
(b) The commissioner shall not approve any such plan, procedure, or mutualization unless:

(1) It is equitable to stockholders and policyholders;
(2) It is subject to approval by the holders of not less than three-fourths of the insurer’s outstanding capital stock having voting rights and by not less than three-fourths of the insurer’s policyholders who vote on such plan in person, by proxy, or by mail pursuant to such notice and procedure as may be approved by the commissioner;
(3) If a life insurer, the right to vote thereon is limited to holders of policies other than term or group policies and whose policies have been in force for more than one year;
(4) Mutualization will result in retirement of shares of the insurer’s capital stock at a reasonable price as specified in the plan;
(5) The plan provides for the purchase of the shares of any nonconsenting stockholder in the same manner and subject to the same applicable conditions as provided by the general corporation laws of the state as to rights of nonconsenting stockholders with respect to consolidation or merger of private corporations;
(6) The plan provides for definite conditions to be fulfilled by a designated early date upon which such mutualization will be deemed effective; and
(7) The mutualization leaves the insurer with surplus funds reasonably adequate for the security of its policyholders and to enable it to continue successfully in business in the states in which it is then authorized to transact insurance and for the kinds of insurance included in its certificates of authority in such states.
(c) This section shall not apply to mutualization under order of court pursuant to rehabilitation or reorganization of an insurer under Chapter 32 of this title.
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