The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.

(1) “Derivative instrument” means an item appropriately reported in schedule DB (derivative instruments) or schedule DC (insurance futures and insurance futures options) of an insurer’s statutory financial statement or successor schedules, pursuant to applicable annual statement instructions or statutory accounting guidelines.

(2) “Derivative transaction” means a transaction involving the use of one or more derivative instruments.

(3) “Income generation” means a derivative transaction involving the writing of covered options, caps, or floors that is intended to generate income or enhance return.

(4) “Leverage” means the relationship of insurance and investment risks to capital and surplus as defined by the national association of insurance commissioners insurance regulatory information system and its other financial analysis solvency tools and reports.

(5) “Lower grade investment” means a rated credit instrument or debt-like preferred stock rated 4, 5, or 6 by the securities valuation office of the national association of insurance commissioners or any successor office.

(6) “Medium grade investment” means a rated credit instrument or debt-like preferred stock rated 3 by the securities valuation office of the national association of insurance commissioners or any successor office.

(7) “Minimum asset requirement” is the sum of an insurer’s liabilities and its minimum financial security benchmark.

(8) “Minimum financial security benchmark” is the amount an insurer is required to have under RCW 48.13.021.

(9) “Mutual fund” means a mutual fund or exchange traded fund registered with the securities and exchange commission of the United States under the investment company act of 1940.

(10) “Rated by the securities valuation office” means any security that is directly rated by the securities valuation office or that is given an equivalent filing exempt rating as prescribed in the purposes and procedures manual of the national association of insurance commissioners securities valuation office.

(11) “Replication” means a derivative transaction involving one or more derivative instruments being used to modify the cash flow characteristics of one or more investments held by an insurer in a manner so that the aggregate cash flows of the derivative instruments and investments reproduce the cash flows of another investment having a higher risk-based capital charge than the risk-based capital charge of the original instruments or investments.

(12) “Securities valuation office listed mutual fund” means a money market mutual fund or short-term bond fund that is registered with the United States securities and exchange commission under the investment company act of 1940, and that has been determined by the national association of insurance commissioners securities valuation office to be eligible for special reserve and reporting treatment, other than as common stock.

(13) “Surplus” means the excess of admitted assets over all liabilities.

(14) “United States government securities” means any security defined in the purposes and procedures manual of the national association of insurance commissioners securities valuation office as a United States government security.