(a) The commissioner shall:

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Terms Used In Tennessee Code 56-12-109

  • Association: means the Tennessee insurance guaranty association created under §. See Tennessee Code 56-12-104
  • Commissioner: means the commissioner of commerce and insurance. See Tennessee Code 56-12-104
  • Common law: The legal system that originated in England and is now in use in the United States. It is based on judicial decisions rather than legislative action.
  • Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
  • Insolvent insurer: means an insurer authorized to transact insurance in this state, either when the policy was issued or when the insured event occurred, and against whom a final order of liquidation has been entered after March 31, 1999, with a finding of insolvency by a court of competent jurisdiction in the insurer's state of domicile. See Tennessee Code 56-12-104
  • 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.
  • Member insurer: means any person who:
    (i) Writes any kind of insurance to which this part applies under §. See Tennessee Code 56-12-104
  • Month: means a calendar month. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Net direct written premiums: means direct gross premiums written in this state on insurance policies to which this part applies, less return premiums and dividends paid or credited to policyholders on this direct business. See Tennessee Code 56-12-104
  • 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 Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Writ of certiorari: An order issued by the Supreme Court directing the lower court to transmit records for a case for which it will hear on appeal.
  • written: includes printing, typewriting, engraving, lithography, and any other mode of representing words and letters. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
(1) Notify the association of the existence of an insolvent insurer not later than three (3) days after receiving notice of the determination of the insolvency. The association shall be entitled to a copy of any complaint seeking an order of liquidation with a finding of insolvency against a member company at the same time such complaint is filed with a court of competent jurisdiction; and
(2) Upon request of the board of directors, provide the association with a statement of the net direct written premiums of each member insurer.
(b) The commissioner may:

(1) Require that the association notify the insureds of the insolvent insurer and any other interested parties of the determination of insolvency and of their rights under this part. Such notification shall be by mail at their last known address, where available, but if sufficient information for notification by mail is not available, notice by publication in a newspaper of general circulation shall be sufficient;
(2)

(A) Suspend or revoke, after notice and hearing, the certificate of authority to transact insurance in this state of any member insurer which fails to pay an assessment when due or that fails to comply with the plan of operation; or
(B) As an alternative, the commissioner may levy a forfeiture on any member insurer who fails to pay an assessment when due. Such forfeiture shall not exceed five percent (5%) of an unpaid assessment per month, but no forfeiture shall be less than one hundred dollars ($100) per month; and
(3) Revoke the designation of any servicing facility if the commissioner finds claims are being handled unsatisfactorily.
(c) Any final action or order of the commissioner under this part shall be subject to judicial review exclusively by common law writ of certiorari in the chancery court of Davidson County.