§ 7112. Application; fee; plan

(a) An assuming company shall file a plan with the Commissioner and, at the time of filing, shall pay to the Commissioner the fee described in subdivision 7116(a)(1) of this chapter.

(b) A plan shall include the following:

(1) A list of all policies and inward reinsurance agreements in the closed block to be transferred under the plan.

(2) A list of all outward reinsurance agreements attaching to policies or inward reinsurance agreements in the closed block.

(3) A list of all policyholders and inward reinsurance counterparties to policies and inward reinsurance agreements in the closed block to be transferred under the plan.

(4) The identities of the transferring insurer and the assuming company and their respective controlling parties, if any.

(5) Certificates issued by the domicile regulator of the transferring insurer and, if applicable, of any controlling party that is a regulated insurance company, in each case attesting to the good standing of the transferring insurer and the controlling party under the insurance regulatory laws of the jurisdiction of their respective domiciles; or, if any such certificate is not obtainable under the laws or practices of a domicile regulator, a certificate of the transferring insurer or the controlling party, as applicable, attesting to the foregoing, verified by oath of two of its executive officers.

(6) A letter of no objection, or the equivalent, from the domicile regulator of the transferring insurer confirming that the regulator has no objection to the transfer of the closed block under the plan; or, if any such certificate is not obtainable under the laws or practices of a domicile regulator, a certificate of the transferring insurer or the controlling party, as applicable, attesting to the foregoing, verified by oath of two of its executive officers.

(7) A list of policies and inward reinsurance agreements in the closed block to be transferred under the plan, if any, that by their terms and conditions prohibit assignment and assumption of the rights, liabilities, and obligations of the transferring insurer without the prior written consent of the respective policyholder or inward reinsurance counterparty, together with a statement describing such terms and conditions of any such policy or inward reinsurance agreement.

(8) The most recent audited financial statements and annual reports of the transferring insurer filed with its domicile regulator and such other financial information, if any, with respect to the transferring insurer or any controlling party of the transferring insurer, as the Commissioner may reasonably require.

(9) An actuarial study or opinion in a form satisfactory to the Commissioner that quantifies the liabilities to be transferred to the assuming company under the policies or inward reinsurance agreements in the closed block.

(10) A statement of the outward reinsurance agreement assets, if any, attaching to any policy or inward reinsurance agreement in the closed block.

(11) Three years of pro-forma financial statements demonstrating the solvency of the assuming company.

(12) Officer’s certificates of the transferring insurer and the assuming company attesting that each has obtained all required internal approvals and authorizations regarding the plan and completed all necessary and appropriate actions relating to the plan.

(13) The form of notice to be provided under the plan to any policyholder or inward reinsurance counterparty in connection with any policy or inward reinsurance agreement in the closed block and how such notice shall be provided.

(14) The form of notice to be provided under the plan to any outward reinsurance counterparty attaching to any policy or inward reinsurance agreement in the closed block and how such notice shall be provided.

(15) A statement describing any pending dispute between the transferring insurer and any policyholder or inward reinsurance counterparty in connection with any policy or inward reinsurance agreement in the closed block or any disputed claim by a third party with respect to any policy or inward reinsurance agreement in the closed block.

(16) A statement describing the assuming company’s proposed investment policies, officers, directors, key employees, and other arrangements regarding matters such as:

(A) any contemplated third-party claims management and administration arrangements;

(B) operations, management, and solvency relating to the closed block; and

(C) a detailed plan for annual or other periodic financial reporting to the Commissioner, including an annual financial audit with actuarial opinion.

(17) A statement from the assuming company consenting to the jurisdiction of the Commissioner with regard to ongoing oversight of operations, management, and solvency relating to the closed block, including the authority of the Commissioner to conduct examinations under section 7117 of this chapter and to set reasonable standards for oversight of the assuming company, including oversight standards relating to:

(A) material transactions with affiliates;

(B) adequacy of surplus; and

(C) dividends and other distributions, including limitations on extraordinary dividends.

(18) A statement from the assuming company submitting to the jurisdiction and authority of the Commissioner of Insurance, or the equivalent regulatory authority, in states in which policyholders or reinsurance counterparties reside, for the purposes of implementing each such state‘s Unfair Claims Settlement Practices Act, or its equivalent, if any, in such state’s market conduct statutory framework and confirmation of the delivery of such statements of submission.

(19) A plan summary that includes all information regarding the plan as reasonably required by the Commissioner.

(20) The statement described in subsection (c) of this section regarding the information and documents submitted as part of or with respect to a plan that are confidential.

(21) Any other information the Commissioner may reasonably require with respect to the plan in the exercise of his or her discretion.

(c)(1) Information in the plan identifying policyholders and reinsurance counterparties shall be exempt from public inspection and copying under the Public Records Act.

(2) The plan shall include a statement of the information and documentation included in the plan that the assuming company or the transferring insurer requests be given confidential treatment. The Commissioner shall determine whether information designated in the statement, including any information designated as trade secrets, is exempt from public inspection and copying under the Public Records Act. If such information is exempt, it shall not be subject to subpoena and shall not be made public by the Commissioner or by any other person; provided, however, the Commissioner may in his or her discretion grant access to such information to public officers having jurisdiction over the regulation of insurance in any other state or country, to public officers of a foreign or alien financial regulatory authority, or to state or federal law enforcement officers pursuant to a validly issued subpoena or search warrant, provided that such officers receiving the information agree in writing to hold it in a manner consistent with this subsection.

(d) Within 10 business days of the date the application is filed and the fee payable under subsection (a) of this section is paid in full, the Commissioner shall notify the assuming company whether the plan is complete. In his or her discretion, the Commissioner may extend the 10-business-day application review period for an additional 10 business days. With the written consent of the assuming company, the application review period may be extended beyond 20 business days.

(e) Upon submission of a plan, the assuming company shall have a continuing obligation to notify the Commissioner promptly and in a full and accurate manner of any material change to information in the plan.

(f) If the Commissioner notifies the assuming company that the plan is not complete, the Commissioner shall specify any modifications, supplements, or amendments to the plan that are required, and any additional information or documentation with respect to the plan that must be provided to the Commissioner before the Commissioner issues the notice referenced in subsection (d) of this section.

(g) If the Commissioner notifies the assuming company that the plan is complete, the Commissioner shall set a date, time, and place for a hearing on the plan as required under subsection (m) of this section.

(h) Within 30 days of the date the Commissioner notifies the assuming company under subsection (g) of this section that the plan is complete, the assuming company shall cause direct written notice to be provided, in the form and manner specified in the plan, to all policyholders and reinsurance counterparties listed in the plan. The notice shall:

(1) comply with the plan and the provisions of 3 V.S.A. § 809(b);

(2) include the plan summary;

(3) describe the effect of the plan and the transfer on each policyholder and reinsurance counterparty and on his or her respective policy or reinsurance agreement, as applicable;

(4) state the right of each policyholder or inward reinsurance counterparty to:

(A) accept or object to the plan, together with a description of the means by which a policyholder or inward reinsurance counterparty may expressly accept or object to the plan and the effect of such acceptance or objection;

(B) file written comments on the plan with the Commissioner; and

(C) appear and present evidence on the plan at the hearing;

(5) describe the terms and conditions under which a policyholder or inward reinsurance counterparty shall be deemed to have accepted the plan;

(6) specify the date, time, and place of the hearing on the plan;

(7) include all other information reasonably required by the Commissioner; and

(8) be published in two newspapers of general nationwide circulation on two separate occasions, as determined by the Commissioner.

(i) During the comment period:

(1) any party may file written comments on the plan with the Commissioner;

(2) any policyholder or inward reinsurance counterparty may, by delivery of such notice in accordance with the terms and conditions of the plan and prior to the expiration of the comment period, provide an express written notice that he or she accepts or objects to the plan; and

(3) the assuming company shall file with the Commissioner such additional documentation and information regarding the plan as the Commissioner may reasonably require.

(j) In the event that, prior to the expiration of the comment period, any policyholder or inward reinsurance counterparty provides express written notice that he or she objects to the plan and specifies the policy or agreement with respect to which such objection is made, the assuming company shall, not later than 15 days after the end of the comment period, submit to the Commissioner either:

(1) an amended list of policies and reinsurance agreements in the plan, excluding such policyholder or inward reinsurance counterparty and its respective policy or inward reinsurance agreement from the plan; or

(2) an express written notice from such policyholder or inward reinsurance counterparty accepting the plan and consenting to the transfer having the full force and effect of a statutory novation of its respective policy or reinsurance agreement, as applicable, and withdrawing and rescinding its prior notice of objection.

(k) Except as provided in subsection 7114(f) of this chapter, any policyholder or inward reinsurance counterparty that, prior to the expiration of the comment period, has not provided express written notice objecting to the plan shall be deemed to have accepted the plan and the transfer shall have the full force and effect of a statutory novation of his or her respective policy or inward reinsurance agreement, as applicable.

(l) Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter to the contrary, if a policy or inward reinsurance agreement contains a provision prohibiting the transfer of the policy or inward reinsurance agreement without the consent of the policyholder or inward reinsurance counterparty, then such policy or inward reinsurance agreement shall not be transferred under this chapter unless the applicable policyholder or inward reinsurance counterparty provides written consent to the proposed transfer.

(m) The hearing on the plan shall be held not later than 60 days after the end of the comment period. In his or her discretion, the Commissioner may postpone the hearing for an additional 10 days. With the written consent of the assuming company, the hearing may be postponed beyond 70 days. Each party participating in the hearing shall bear his or her own costs and attorney’s fees. (Added 2013, No. 93 (Adj. Sess.), § 3, eff. Feb. 19, 2014; amended 2021, No. 105 (Adj. Sess.), § 263, eff. July 1, 2022.)