(a) The Commissioner as rehabilitator may appoint 1 or more special deputies, who shall have all the powers and responsibilities of the rehabilitator granted under this section, and the Commissioner may employ any counsel, clerks, and assistants deemed necessary. The compensation of the special deputy, counsel, clerks, and assistants and all expenses of taking possession of the insurer and of conducting the proceedings shall be fixed by the Commissioner, with the approval of the court, and shall be paid out of the funds or assets of the insurer. The persons appointed under this section shall serve at the pleasure of the Commissioner. The Commissioner, as rehabilitator, may, with the approval of the court, appoint an advisory committee of policyholders, claimants, or other creditors, including guaranty associations, should that committee be deemed necessary. The advisory committee shall serve at the pleasure of the Commissioner and shall serve without compensation other than reimbursement for reasonable travel and per diem living expenses. No other committee of any nature shall be appointed by the Commissioner or the court in rehabilitation proceedings conducted under this chapter.
(b) In the event that the property of the insurer does not contain sufficient cash or liquid assets to defray the costs incurred, the Commissioner may advance the costs so incurred out of any appropriation for the maintenance of the Department of Insurance, Securities, and Banking. Any amounts so advanced for expenses of administration shall be repaid to the Commissioner for the use of the Department of Insurance, Securities, and Banking out of the first available money of the insurer.
(c) The rehabilitator may take such action as deemed necessary or appropriate to reform and revitalize the insurer. The rehabilitator shall have all the powers of the directors, officers, and managers, whose authority shall be suspended, except as they are redelegated by the rehabilitator. The rehabilitator shall have full power to direct and manage, to hire and discharge employees subject to any contract rights they may have, and to deal with the property and business of the insurer.
(d) If it appears to the rehabilitator that there has been criminal or tortious conduct, or breach of any contractual or fiduciary obligation detrimental to the insurer by any officer, manager, agent, broker, employee, or other person, he or she may pursue all appropriate legal remedies on behalf of the insurer.
(e) If the rehabilitator determines that reorganization, consolidation, conversion, reinsurance, merger, or other transformation of the insurer is appropriate, the rehabilitator shall prepare a plan to effect the changes. Upon application of the rehabilitator for approval of the plan, and after any notice and hearings the court may prescribe, the court may either approve or disapprove the plan proposed, or may modify it and approve it as modified. Any plan approved under this section shall be, in the judgment of the court, fair and equitable to all parties concerned. If the plan is approved, the rehabilitator shall carry out the plan. In the case of a life insurer, the plan proposed may include the imposition of liens upon the policies of the company, if all rights of shareholders are first relinquished. A plan for a life insurer may also propose imposition of a moratorium upon loan and cash surrender rights under policies, for such a period and to such an extent as may be necessary.
(f) The rehabilitator shall have the power under §§ 31-1324 and 31-1325 to avoid fraudulent transfers.
(Oct. 15, 1993, D.C. Law 10-35, § 13, 40 DCR 5773; May 21, 1997, D.C. Law 11-268, § 10(z)(2), 44 DCR 1730; June 11, 2004, D.C. Law 15-166, § 4(i)(4), 51 DCR 2817.)
1981 Ed., § 35-2812.
This section is referenced in § 31-1311 and § 31-1314.
D.C. Law 15-166, in subsec. (b), substituted “Department of Insurance, Securities, and Banking” for “Department of Insurance and Securities” both times it appears.
For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 4(i)(4) of Consolidation of Financial Services Emergency Amendment Act of 2004 (D.C. Act 15-381, February 27, 2004, 51 DCR 2653).
Structure District of Columbia Code
Title 31 - Insurance and Securities
Chapter 13 - Insurers Rehabilitation and Liquidation Procedures
§ 31–1303. Jurisdiction and venue
§ 31–1304. Injunctions and orders
§ 31–1305. Cooperation of officers, owners, and employees
§ 31–1306. Continuation of delinquency proceedings
§ 31–1308. Temporary seizure order
§ 31–1309. Confidentiality of records
§ 31–1309.01. Duty to provide information to other insurance regulators and guaranty associations
§ 31–1310. Grounds for rehabilitation
§ 31–1311. Rehabilitation orders
§ 31–1312. Powers and duties of the rehabilitator
§ 31–1313. Actions by and against the rehabilitator
§ 31–1314. Termination of rehabilitation
§ 31–1315. Grounds for liquidation
§ 31–1317. Continuance of coverage
§ 31–1318. Dissolution of insurer
§ 31–1319. Powers of liquidator
§ 31–1320. Notice to creditors and others
§ 31–1322. Actions by and against liquidator
§ 31–1323. Collection and list of assets
§ 31–1324. Fraudulent transfer prior to petition
§ 31–1325. Fraudulent transfer after petition
§ 31–1326. Voidable preferences and liens
§ 31–1327. Claims of holders of void or voidable rights
§ 31–1330. Reinsurer’s liability
§ 31–1331. Recovery of premiums owed
§ 31–1332. Domiciliary liquidator’s proposal to distribute assets
§ 31–1336. Special provisions for third party claims
§ 31–1339. Secured creditor’s claims
§ 31–1340. Priority of distribution
§ 31–1341. Liquidator’s recommendations to the court
§ 31–1342. Distribution of assets
§ 31–1343. Unclaimed and withheld funds
§ 31–1344. Termination of proceedings
§ 31–1345. Reopening liquidation
§ 31–1346. Disposition of records during and after termination of liquidation
§ 31–1347. External audit of the receiver’s books
§ 31–1348. Conservation of property of foreign or alien insurers found in the District of Columbia
§ 31–1349. Liquidation of property of foreign or alien insurers found in the District of Columbia
§ 31–1350. Domiciliary liquidators in other states
§ 31–1351. Ancillary formal proceedings
§ 31–1352. Ancillary summary proceedings
§ 31–1353. Claims of nonresidents against insurers domiciled in the District of Columbia
§ 31–1354. Claims of residents against insurers domiciled in reciprocal states
§ 31–1355. Attachment, garnishment, and levy of execution