(a) Notwithstanding any provisions of this chapter to the contrary, the following types of employers or employers’ groups may apply for permission to self-insure their workers’ compensation risk.

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(1) The types of employers are:

(A) Any employer who is of sufficient capability and financial responsibility to ensure the payment to injured employees and the dependents of fatally injured employees of benefits provided in this chapter at least equal in value to the compensation provided for in this chapter;

(B) Any employer or group of employers as provided in §23-2-9(a)(1)(A) of this code of such capability and financial responsibility that maintains its own benefit fund or system of compensation to which its employees are not required or permitted to contribute and whose benefits are at least equal in value to those provided in this chapter; or

(C) Any employer who is signatory to a collective bargaining agreement that allows for participation in a group workers’ compensation insurance program may join with any other employer or employers that are signatory to a collective bargaining agreement or agreements that allow for participation in a group workers’ compensation program and jointly apply to the Insurance Commissioner to collectively self-insure their obligations under this chapter. The employers must collectively meet the conditions set forth in §23-2-9(a)(1)(A) and (B) of this code. There shall be joint and several liability for all employers who choose to jointly self-insure under the provisions of this article.

(2) In order to be approved for self-insurance status, the employer shall:

(A) Submit all information requested by the Insurance Commissioner;

(B) Provide security or bond, in an amount and form determined by the Insurance Commissioner, which shall balance the employer’s financial condition based upon an analysis of its audited financial statements and the full accrued value of current liability for future claim payments based upon generally accepted actuarial and accounting principles of the employer’s existing and expected liability;

(C) Meet the financial responsibility requirements set forth in rules promulgated by the industrial council;

(D) Obtain and maintain a policy of excess insurance if required to do so by the Insurance Commissioner; and

(E) Have an effective health and safety program at its workplaces.

(3) Upon a finding that the employer has met all of the requirements of this section and any rules promulgated thereunder, the employer may be permitted self-insurance status. An annual review of each self-insurer’s continuing ability to meet its obligations and the requirements of this section shall be made by the Insurance Commissioner. At the time of such review, the Insurance Commissioner may require that the self-insured employer post a bond or security or obtain and maintain an excess insurance policy. This review shall also include a recalculation of the amount of any security, bond, or policy of excess insurance previously required to be posted or obtained under any provision of this chapter or any rules promulgated thereunder. Failure to provide the required amount or form of security or bond or to obtain or maintain the required excess insurance policy may cause the employer’s self-insurance status to be terminated by the Insurance Commissioner.

(4) Whenever a self-insured employer furnishes security or bond, including replacement and amended bonds and other securities, as surety to ensure the employer’s or guarantor‘s payment of all obligations under this chapter for which the security or bond was furnished, the security or bond shall be in the most current form or forms approved and authorized by the Insurance Commissioner for use by the employer or its guarantors, surety companies, banks, financial institutions, or others in its behalf for that purpose.

(b)(1) Notwithstanding any provision in this chapter to the contrary, self-insured employers shall, effective July 1, 2004, administer their own claims. The Insurance Commissioner shall, pursuant to rules promulgated by the industrial council, regulate the administration of claims by employers granted permission to self-insure their obligations under this chapter. A self-insured employer shall comply with rules promulgated by the industrial council governing the self-administration of its claims.

(2) An employer or employers’ group that self-insures its risk and self-administers its claims shall exercise all authority and responsibility granted to the Insurance Commissioner or private carriers in this chapter and provide notices of action taken to effect the purposes of this chapter to provide benefits to persons who have suffered injuries or diseases covered by this chapter. An employer or employers’ group granted permission to self-insure and self-administer its obligations under this chapter shall at all times be bound and shall comply fully with all of the provisions of this chapter. Furthermore, all of the provisions contained in § 23-4-1 et seq. of this code pertaining to disability and death benefits are binding on and shall be strictly adhered to by the self-insured employer in its administration of claims presented by employees of the self-insured employer. Violations of the provisions of this chapter and such rules relating to this chapter as may be approved by the industrial council may constitute sufficient grounds for the termination of the authority for any employer to self-insure its obligations under this chapter.

(c) Each self-insured employer shall, on or before the last day of the first month of each quarter or other assigned reporting period, file with the Insurance Commissioner a certified statement of the total gross wages and earnings of all of the employer’s employees subject to this chapter for the preceding quarter or other assigned reporting period.

(d)(1) If a self-insured employer defaults in the payment of any portion of surcharges or assessments required under this chapter or rules promulgated thereunder, or in any payment required to be made as benefits provided by this chapter to the employer’s injured employees or dependents of fatally injured employees, the Insurance Commissioner shall, in an appropriate case, determine the full accrued value based upon generally accepted actuarial and accounting principles of the employer’s liability, including the costs of all awarded claims and of all incurred but not reported claims. The amount determined may, in an appropriate case, be assessed against the employer. The Insurance Commissioner may demand and collect the present value of the defaulted liability. Interest shall accrue upon the demanded amount as provided in § 23-2-13 of this code until the liability is fully paid. Payment of all amounts then due to the Insurance Commissioner and to the employer’s employees is a sufficient basis for reinstating the employer to good standing with the Insurance Commissioner and removing the employer from default status.

(2) The assessments and surcharges required to be paid by self-insured employers pursuant to the provisions of this chapter and the rules promulgated thereunder are special revenue taxes under and according to the provisions of state workers’ compensation law and are considered to be tax claims, as priority claims or administrative expense claims according to those provisions under the law provided in the United States bankruptcy code, Title 11 of the United States Code. In addition, as the same was previously intended by the prior provisions of this section, this amendment and reenactment is for the purpose of clarification of the taxing authority of the Insurance Commissioner.

(e) Any self-insured employer which has had a period of inactivity due to the nonemployment of employees which results in its reporting of no wages on reports to the Insurance Commissioner for a period of four or more consecutive quarters may have its status inactivated and shall apply for reactivation to status as a self-insured employer prior to its reemployment of employees. Despite the inactivation, the self-insured employer shall continue to make payments on all awards for which it is responsible. Upon application for reactivation of its status as an operating self-insured employer, the employer shall document that it meets the eligibility requirements needed to maintain self-insured employer status under this section and any rules adopted to implement it. If the employer is unable to requalify and obtain approval for reactivation, the employer shall, effective with the date of employment of any employee, purchase workers’ compensation insurance as provided in § 23-2C-1 et seq. of this code, but shall continue to be a self-insurer as to the prior period of active status and to furnish security or bond and meet its prior self-insurance obligations.

(f) Self-insured employers may withdraw from self-insured status and purchase workers’ compensation insurance as provided in § 23-2C-1 et seq. of this code, but said self-insured employers shall remain liable for their self-insured employer claims liabilities for each claim with a date of injury or last exposure prior to the effective date of insurance coverage.

(g) Any employer subject to this chapter, who elects to carry the employer’s own risk by being a self-insured employer and who has complied with the requirements of this section and of any applicable rules, shall not be liable to respond in damages at common law or by statute for the injury or death of any employee, however occurring, after the election’s approval and during the period that the employer is allowed to carry the employer’s own risk.

(h) An employer may not hire any person or group to self-administer claims under this chapter as a third-party administrator unless the person or group has been determined to be qualified to be a third-party administrator by the Insurance Commissioner pursuant to rules adopted by the industrial council. Any person or group whose status as a third-party administrator has been revoked, suspended, or terminated by the Insurance Commissioner shall immediately cease administration of claims and shall not administer claims unless subsequently authorized by the Insurance Commissioner.