(1) Every transfer made or suffered and every obligation incurred by an insurer or affiliate within 1 year prior to the filing of a successful petition in any delinquency proceeding under this chapter, upon a showing by the receiver that the same was incurred without fair consideration, or with actual intent to hinder, delay, or defraud either then-existing or future creditors of the insurer, shall be fraudulent and voidable. However, every such transfer or obligation incurred or suffered within 6 months prior to the filing of the above petition shall be presumed void and fraudulent, with the burden of proof upon the obligee or transferee to show otherwise. This subsection shall not apply to a person who in good faith is a purchaser, lienor, or obligee, for a present fair equivalent value, but any purchaser, lienor, or obligee who in good faith has given a valuable consideration less than fair for such transfer, lien, or obligation may retain the property, lien, or obligation as a security for repayment. The court may, on due notice, order any such transfer or obligation to be preserved for the benefit of the estate, and in that event the receiver shall succeed to and may enforce the rights of the purchaser, lienor, or obligee.
(2) Transfers shall be deemed to have been made or suffered, or obligations incurred, when perfected according to the following criteria:
(a) A transfer of property other than real property shall be deemed to be made or suffered when it becomes so far perfected that no subsequent lien obtainable by legal or equitable proceedings on a simple contract could become superior to the rights of the transferee.
(b) A transfer of real property shall be deemed to be made or suffered when it becomes so far perfected that no subsequent bona fide purchaser from the insurer could obtain rights superior to the rights of the transferee.
(c) A transfer which creates an equitable lien shall not be deemed to be perfected if there are available means by which a legal lien could be created.
(d) Any transfer not perfected prior to the filing of a petition in a delinquency proceeding shall be deemed to be made immediately before the filing of a successful petition.
(e) For the purposes of this section, a transfer is not made until the insurer or affiliate has acquired rights in the property transferred.
(f) Paragraphs (a)-(e) apply whether or not there are or were creditors who might have obtained any liens or persons who might have become bona fide purchasers.
(3) The transferor or obligor insurer shall record and preserve adequate official memoranda by corporate minutes which shall fully reflect all transactions involving transfers as contemplated by this section of real property or securities of any type and, in the case of all other property or assets, any transfer out of the insurer’s ordinary course of business. Any person, firm, or corporation, or any officer, director, or employee thereof, who shall violate this provision shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or by a fine of not more than $5,000. Each instance of such violation shall be considered a separate offense.
(4) The personal liability of the officers or directors of an insolvent insurer is subject to part I of chapter 607 and the penalties provided therein.
(5) Every transaction of the insurer with a reinsurer within 1 year prior to the filing of the petition shall be voidable upon a showing that such transaction was made without fair consideration or with intent to hinder, delay, or defraud either then-existing or future creditors, notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (1).
History.—s. 11, ch. 70-27; s. 654, ch. 71-136; s. 13, ch. 79-9; s. 809(1st), ch. 82-243; s. 12, ch. 89-360; ss. 187, 188, ch. 91-108; s. 4, ch. 91-429; s. 35, ch. 2004-374; s. 56, ch. 2014-209.
Structure Florida Statutes
Chapter 631 - Insurer Insolvency; Guaranty of Payment
Part I - Insurer Insolvency: Rehabilitation and Liquidation (Ss. 631.001-631.401)
631.001 - Title, construction, and purpose.
631.015 - Reciprocity; treatment of policyholders.
631.025 - Persons subject to this part.
631.031 - Initiation and commencement of delinquency proceeding.
631.041 - Automatic stay; relief from stay; injunctions.
631.051 - Grounds for rehabilitation; domestic insurers.
631.0515 - Appointment of receiver; insurance holding company.
631.061 - Grounds for liquidation.
631.071 - Grounds for conservation; foreign insurers.
631.081 - Grounds for conservation; alien insurers.
631.091 - Grounds for ancillary liquidation; foreign insurers.
631.101 - Order of rehabilitation; termination.
631.111 - Order of liquidation; domestic insurers.
631.112 - Subordination of claims for noncooperation.
631.121 - Order of liquidation; alien insurers.
631.131 - Order of conservation or ancillary liquidation of foreign or alien insurers.
631.141 - Conduct of delinquency proceeding; domestic and alien insurers.
631.152 - Conduct of delinquency proceeding; foreign insurers.
631.1521 - Actions by and against the receiver.
631.1522 - Unrecorded obligations and defenses and claims of affiliates.
631.153 - Intervention; exclusiveness of claims procedure.
631.154 - Funds, assets, or other property in the possession of third person.
631.155 - Agents’ balances; premiums and unearned commissions.
631.156 - Investigation by the department; scope of authority; sharing of materials.
631.157 - Civil action by the receiver.
631.161 - Claims of nonresidents against insurers domiciled in this state.
631.171 - Claims of residents against insurers domiciled in reciprocal states.
631.181 - Filing and proof of claim.
631.182 - Receiver claims report and claimants objections procedure.
631.192 - Allowance of certain claims.
631.195 - Records of insurers; public records exemptions.
631.201 - Attachment and garnishment of assets.
631.205 - Reinsurance proceeds.
631.221 - Deposit of moneys collected.
631.231 - Exemption from fees.
631.241 - Borrowing on pledge of assets.
631.251 - Date rights fixed on liquidation.
631.252 - Continuation of coverage.
631.262 - Transfers prior to petition.
631.263 - Transfers after petition.
631.2715 - Liability under federal priority of claims law.
631.311 - Report and petition for assessment.
631.321 - Order and levy of assessment.
631.331 - Assessment prima facie correct; notice; payment; proceeding to collect.
631.341 - Notice of insolvency to policyholders by insurer, general agent, or agent.
631.361 - Seizure under court order.
631.371 - Seizure under order of the department.
631.391 - Cooperation of officers and employees.
631.3915 - Actions for damages.
631.395 - Guaranty fund; orders of court.
631.397 - Use of certain marshaled assets.
631.398 - Prevention of insolvencies.
631.399 - Receiver’s right to recover distributions made to affiliate.
631.400 - Rehabilitation of title insurer.
631.401 - Recovery of assessments and assumed policy obligations.