Sec. 16. (a) A preference is a transfer of any of the property of an insurer to or for the benefit of a creditor, for or on account of an antecedent debt, made or suffered by the insurer within one (1) year before the filing of a successful petition for liquidation under IC 27-9, the effect of which transfer may be to enable the creditor to obtain a greater percentage of this debt than another creditor of the same class would receive. If a liquidation order is entered while the insurer is already subject to a rehabilitation order, then that transfer shall be considered a preference if made or suffered within one (1) year before the filing of the successful petition for rehabilitation, or within two (2) years before the filing of the successful petition for liquidation, whichever time is shorter.

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Terms Used In Indiana Code 27-9-3-16

  • Attorney: includes a counselor or other person authorized to appear and represent a party in an action or special proceeding. See Indiana Code 1-1-4-5
  • 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.
  • Lien: A claim against real or personal property in satisfaction of a debt.
  • Property: includes personal and real property. See Indiana Code 1-1-4-5
  • Year: means a calendar year, unless otherwise expressed. See Indiana Code 1-1-4-5
     (b) A preference may be avoided by the liquidator if:

(1) the insurer was insolvent at the time of the transfer;

(2) the transfer was made within four (4) months before the filing of the petition;

(3) the creditor receiving it or to be benefited by it or his agent acting with reference to it had, at the time when the transfer was made, reasonable cause to believe that the insurer was insolvent or was about to become insolvent; or

(4) the creditor receiving it was an officer, or any employee or attorney or other person who was in fact in a position of comparable influence in the insurer to an officer whether or not he held such a position, or any shareholder holding directly or indirectly more than five percent (5%) of any class of any equity security issued by the insurer, or any other person, firm, limited liability company, corporation, association, or aggregation of persons with whom the insurer did not deal at arm’s length.

     (c) Where the preference is voidable, the liquidator may recover the property or, if it has been converted, its value from any person who has received or converted the property, except where a bona fide purchaser or lienor has given less than fair equivalent value, he shall have a lien upon the property to the extent of the consideration actually given by him. Where a preference by way of lien or security title is voidable, the court may on due notice order the lien or title to be preserved for the benefit of the estate, in which event the lien or title shall pass to the liquidator.

As added by Acts 1979, P.L.255, SEC.1. Amended by P.L.8-1993, SEC.433.

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