(1) An insurer may accept reinsurance only of such risks, and retain risk thereon within such limits, as it is otherwise authorized to insure.

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(2) Except as provided in ORS § 731.512, 732.517 to 732.546 or 742.150 to 742.162, an insurer may reinsure risks with an insurer authorized to transact such insurance in this state, or in any other solvent insurer approved or accepted by the Director of the Department of Consumer and Business Services for the purpose of such reinsurance. The director shall not approve or accept any such reinsurance by a ceding domestic insurer in an unauthorized insurer which the director finds for good cause would be contrary to the interests of the policyholders or stockholders of such domestic insurer.

(3) Credit shall not be allowed, as an asset or as a deduction from liability, to any ceding insurer for reinsurance unless the reinsurance contract provides, in substance, that in the event of the insolvency of the ceding insurer, the reinsurance shall be payable under a contract or contracts reinsured by the assuming insurer on the basis of reported claims allowed by the court hearing the liquidation proceeding, without diminution because of the insolvency of the ceding insurer. Such payments shall be made directly to the ceding insurer or to its domiciliary liquidator except:

(a) When the contract or other written agreement specifically provides another payee of the reinsurance in the event of the insolvency of the ceding insurer; or

(b) When the assuming insurer, with the consent of the direct insured or insureds, has assumed the policy obligations of the ceding insurer as direct obligations of the assuming insurer to the payees under such policies and in substitution for the obligations of the ceding insurer to such payees.

(4) For the purposes of subsection (3) of this section, the reinsurance agreement may provide that the domiciliary liquidator of an insolvent ceding insurer shall, within a reasonable time after the claim is filed in the liquidation proceeding, give written notice to the assuming insurer of the pendency of a claim against the ceding insurer on the contract reinsured. During the pendency of the claim, an assuming insurer may investigate the claim and interpose, at its own expense, in the proceeding in which the claim is to be adjudicated any defenses that the assuming insurer determines to be available to the ceding insurer or its liquidator. The expense may be filed as a claim against the insolvent ceding insurer to the extent of a proportionate share of the benefit that may accrue to the ceding insurer solely as a result of the defense undertaken by the assuming insurer. When two or more assuming insurers are involved in the same claim and a majority in interest elect to interpose one or more defenses to the claim, the expense shall be apportioned in accordance with the terms of the reinsurance agreement as though the expense had been incurred by the ceding insurer.

(5) The director may disallow credit that would otherwise be allowed if the director determines that allowing credit would be contrary to accurate financial reporting or proper financial management, or may be hazardous to policyholders of the insurer or the insurance-buying public generally. The director may make such a determination only according to standards established by the director by rule. This subsection applies only to insurers who transact life insurance or health insurance, or both.

(6) Upon request of the director, a ceding insurer promptly shall inform the director in writing of the cancellation or any other material change of any of its reinsurance treaties or arrangements.

(7) This section does not apply to wet marine and transportation insurance. [1967 c.359 § 104; 1993 c.447 § 68; 1995 c.30 § 9; 1995 c.638 § 1; 2001 c.318 § 14]