(1) Any insurer desiring to surrender its certificate of authority, withdraw from this state, or discontinue the writing of any one or multiple kinds or lines of insurance in this state shall give 90 days’ notice in writing to the office setting forth its reasons for such action. Any insurer who does not write any premiums in a kind or line of insurance within a calendar year shall have that kind or line of insurance removed from its certificate of authority; however, such line of insurance shall be restored to the insurer’s certificate upon the insurer demonstrating that it has available the expertise necessary and meets the other requirements of this code to write that line of insurance.
(2) If the office determines, based upon its review of the notice and other required information, that the plan of an insurer withdrawing from this state makes adequate provision for the satisfaction of the insurer’s obligations and is not hazardous to policyholders or the public, the office shall approve the surrender of the insurer’s certificate of authority. The office shall, within 45 days from receipt of a complete notice and all required or requested additional information, approve, disapprove, or approve with conditions the plan submitted by the insurer. Failure to timely take action with respect to the notice shall be deemed an approval of the surrender of the certificate of authority.
(3) Upon office approval of the surrender of the certificate of authority of a domestic property and casualty insurer that is a corporation, the insurer may initiate the dissolution of the corporation in accordance with the applicable provisions of part I of chapter 607.
(4) Any insurer withdrawing from this state or discontinuing the writing of all kinds of insurance in this state shall surrender its certificate of authority.
(5) This section does not apply to life insurance and corresponding lines of insurance as long as the insurer has in force life insurance policies and corresponding lines in this state.
(6) This section does not apply to insurers during the calendar year in which they first receive their certificate of authority.
(7) This section does not apply to insurers who have discontinued writing in accordance with an order issued by the office.
(8) Notwithstanding subsection (7), any insurer desiring to surrender its certificate of authority, withdraw from this state, or discontinue the writing of any one or multiple kinds or lines of insurance in this state is expected to have availed itself of all reasonably available reinsurance. Reasonably available reinsurance shall include unrealized reinsurance, which is defined as reinsurance recoverable on known losses incurred and due under valid reinsurance contracts that have not been identified in the normal course of business and have not been reported in financial statements filed with the Office of Insurance Regulation. Within 90 days after surrendering its certificate of authority, withdrawing from this state, or discontinuing the writing of any one or multiple kinds or lines of insurance in this state, the insurer shall certify to the Director of the Office of Insurance Regulation that the insurer has engaged an independent third party to search for unrealized reinsurance, and that the insurer has made all relevant books and records available to such third party. The compensation to such third party may be a percentage of unrealized reinsurance identified and collected.
(9) The commission may adopt rules to administer this section.
History.—s. 2, ch. 63-149; s. 1, ch. 67-10; ss. 13, 35, ch. 69-106; s. 3, ch. 76-168; s. 1, ch. 77-457; s. 21, ch. 78-95; ss. 2, 3, ch. 81-318; ss. 63, 64, 809(1st), ch. 82-243; s. 35, ch. 89-360; ss. 21, 187, 188, ch. 91-108; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 1, ch. 2002-25; s. 807, ch. 2003-261; s. 76, ch. 2003-281; s. 102, ch. 2004-5; s. 52, ch. 2014-209.
Structure Florida Statutes
Chapter 624 - Insurance Code: Administration and General Provisions
Part III - Authorization of Insurers and General Requirements (Ss. 624.401-624.491)
624.401 - Certificate of authority required.
624.402 - Exceptions, certificate of authority required.
624.4031 - Church benefit plans and church benefit board.
624.404 - General eligibility of insurers for certificate of authority.
624.4055 - Restrictions on existing private passenger automobile insurance.
624.406 - Combinations of insuring powers, one insurer.
624.407 - Surplus required; new insurers.
624.4073 - Officers and directors of insolvent insurers.
624.408 - Surplus required; current insurers.
624.4085 - Risk-based capital requirements for insurers.
624.40851 - Confidentiality of risk-based capital information.
624.4094 - Bail bond premiums.
624.4095 - Premiums written; restrictions.
624.410 - Permissible insuring combinations without additional capital funds.
624.411 - Deposit requirement; domestic insurers and foreign insurers.
624.412 - Deposit of alien insurers.
624.413 - Application for certificate of authority.
624.414 - Issuance or refusal of authority.
624.415 - Ownership of certificate of authority; return.
624.416 - Continuance, expiration, reinstatement, and amendment of certificate of authority.
624.418 - Suspension, revocation of certificate of authority for violations and special grounds.
624.421 - Duration of suspension; insurer’s obligations during suspension period; reinstatement.
624.4211 - Administrative fine in lieu of suspension or revocation.
624.4212 - Confidentiality of proprietary business and other information.
624.4213 - Trade secret documents.
624.422 - Service of process; appointment of Chief Financial Officer as process agent.
624.424 - Annual statement and other information.
624.4241 - NAIC filing requirements.
624.4243 - Reporting of premium growth.
624.4245 - Change in controlling interest of foreign or alien insurer; report required.
624.425 - Agent countersignature required, property, casualty, surety insurance.
624.426 - Exceptions to countersignature law.
624.428 - Licensed agent law, life and health insurances.
624.430 - Withdrawal of insurer or discontinuance of writing certain kinds or lines of insurance.
624.4305 - Nonrenewal of residential property insurance policies.
624.4315 - Workers’ compensation insurers; notice of significant underwriting change.
624.436 - Florida Nonprofit Multiple-Employer Welfare Arrangement Act.
624.438 - General eligibility.
624.4385 - Certain words prohibited in name of organization.
624.439 - Filing of application.
624.44 - Examination by the office.
624.441 - Insolvency protection.
624.4411 - Administrative, provider, and management contracts.
624.4414 - Employer participants’ liability.
624.4416 - Assessments by receiver.
624.4417 - Certain sales prohibited.
624.442 - Annual reports; actuarial certification; quarterly reports; penalties.
624.443 - Place of business; maintenance of records.
624.4431 - Administration; rules.
624.4432 - Assets, liabilities, and investments.
624.444 - Suspension, revocation of approval.
624.445 - Order, notice, duration, effect of suspension or revocation; administrative fine.
624.446 - Rehabilitation, dissolution.
624.447 - Certificate of insurance for contractors.
624.448 - Assets of insurers; reporting requirements.
624.449 - Insurer investment in foreign companies.
624.45 - Participation of financial institutions in reinsurance and in insurance exchanges.
624.462 - Commercial self-insurance funds.
624.4621 - Group self-insurance funds.
624.4622 - Local government self-insurance funds.
624.46223 - Notice of intent to withdraw.
624.46225 - Self-insured public utilities.
624.46226 - Public housing authorities self-insurance funds; exemption for taxation and assessments.
624.4623 - Independent Educational Institution Self-Insurance Funds.
624.4625 - Corporation not for profit self-insurance funds.
624.4626 - Electric cooperative self-insurance fund.
624.464 - Certificate of authority required; penalties.
624.466 - Application requirements for certificate of authority.
624.468 - Continuing requirements for certificate of authority.
624.4741 - Venue in assessment actions.
624.475 - Tax on premiums, contributions, and assessments.
624.476 - Impaired self-insurance funds.
624.477 - Liquidation, rehabilitation, reorganization, and conservation.
624.480 - Filing, approval, and disapproval of forms.
624.482 - Making and use of rates.
624.483 - Self-insurer members; payment of delinquent premiums and assessments.
624.484 - Registration of agent.
624.487 - Enforcement of specified insurance provisions.
624.488 - Applicability of related laws.