Vermont Statutes
Chapter 101 - Insurance Companies Generally
§ 3615. Powers and duties of Association

§ 3615. Powers and duties of Association
(a) The Association shall:
(1) Be obligated to the extent of the covered claims existing prior to the order of liquidation, arising within 30 days after the order of liquidation, or before the policy expiration date if less than 30 days after the order of liquidation, or before the insured replaces the policy or causes its cancellation, if the insured does so within 30 days of the determination, but this obligation shall include only that amount of each covered claim which, unless it is a claim arising out of a workers’ compensation policy, is less than $500,000.00 and which, if it is a claim for unearned premium, is in excess of $25.00. In no event shall the Association be obligated to a policyholder or claimant in an amount in excess of the obligation of the insolvent insurer under the policy from which the claim arises, nor for any claim filed with the Association after the final date set for the filing of claims against the liquidator or receiver of the insolvent insurer, nor in any event after the expiration of three years from the date of determination of the insolvency of such insurer.
(2) Be deemed the insurer to the extent of its obligation on the covered claims and to such extent shall have all rights, duties, and obligations of the insolvent insurer as if the insurer had not become insolvent.
(3) Allocate claims paid and expenses incurred among the three accounts and assess member insurers separately for each account those amounts necessary to pay the obligations of the Association under subdivision (1) of this subsection subsequent to an insolvency, the expense of handling claims subsequent to an insolvency, and the cost of examinations under section 3620 of this title and other expenses authorized by this subchapter. The assessments of each member insurer shall be in the proportion that the net direct written premiums of the member insurer for the calendar year preceding the assessment bears to the net direct written premiums of all member insurers and for the calendar year preceding the assessment. Each member insurer shall be notified of the assessment not later than 30 days before it is due. No member insurer may be assessed in any year on any account an amount greater than two percent of that member insurer’s net direct written premiums for the calendar year preceding the determination of insolvency on the kinds of insurance in the account. If the maximum assessment, together with the other assets of the Association, does not provide in any year in any account an amount sufficient to make all necessary payments from that account, the funds available may be pro-rated and the unpaid portion shall be paid as soon thereafter as funds become available. The Association shall pay claims in any order which it considers reasonable, including the payment of claims as they are received from the claimants or in groups or categories of claims. The Association may exempt or defer, in whole or in part, the assessment of any member insurer if the assessment would cause the member insurer’s financial statement to reflect amounts of capital or surplus less than the minimum amounts required for a certificate of authority by any jurisdiction in which the member insurer is authorized to transact insurance. While an assessment is deferred, however, the member insurer shall not pay dividends to its shareholders or policyholders. Deferred assessments shall be paid by the insurer when payment will not reduce capital or surplus below required minimums, and the payments shall be either refunded to those members which received larger assessments because of the deferment, or, at the election of the member, credited against future assessments. Each member insurer authorized by the Association to act as a servicing facility may set off against any assessment all authorized payments made on covered claims and all expenses incurred in the payment of those claims.
(4) Investigate claims brought against the Association and adjust, compromise, settle, and pay covered claims to the extent of the Association’s obligation and deny all other claims and may review settlements, releases and judgments to which the insolvent insurer or its insureds were parties to determine the extent to which such settlements, releases and judgments may be properly contested.
(5) Notify such persons as the Commissioner directs under subdivision 3617(b)(1) of this title.
(6) Handle claims through its employees or through one or more insurers or other persons designated as servicing facilities. Designation of a servicing facility is subject to the approval of the Commissioner, but such designation may be declined by a member insurer.
(7) Reimburse each servicing facility for obligations of the Association paid by the facility and for expenses incurred by the facility while handling claims on behalf of the Association and shall pay the other expenses of the Association by this subchapter.
(b) The Association may:
(1) employ or retain such persons as are necessary to handle claims and perform other duties of the Association;
(2) borrow funds necessary to effect the purposes of this subchapter in accord with the plan of operating;
(3) sue or be sued;
(4) negotiate and become a party to such contracts as are necessary to carry out the purpose of this subchapter;
(5) perform such other acts as are necessary or proper to effectuate the purpose of this subchapter;
(6) refund to the member insurers in proportion to the contribution of each member insurer to that account that amount by which the assets of the account exceed the liabilities if, at the end of any calendar year, the Board of Directors finds that the assets of the Association in any account exceed the liabilities of that account as estimated by the Board of Directors for the coming year. (Added 1969, No. 279 (Adj. Sess.), § 7; amended 1979, No. 18, §§ 10, 11; 1981, No. 165 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; 1993, No. 55, § 10, eff. June 3, 1993; 2001, No. 95 (Adj. Sess.), § 2, eff. May 1, 2002; 2009, No. 42, § 15, May 27 2009.)

Structure Vermont Statutes

Vermont Statutes

Title 8 - Banking and Insurance

Chapter 101 - Insurance Companies Generally

§ 3301. Purposes

§ 3301a. Insurance defined

§ 3302. Plan of organization; incorporators

§ 3303. Mutual companies; directors, charter provisions as to

§ 3304. Capital and surplus requirements

§ 3305. Petition; hearing

§ 3306. Duties of Secretary of State, records

§ 3307. Consideration for stock

§ 3308. List of stockholders; certificate to transact business; liability of president and directors

§ 3308a. Reorganization formations

§ 3309. Mutual insurers to commence business; when

§ 3310. Amendment of charter

§ 3311. Quorum

§ 3312. Construction with other laws

§ 3313. Proxies

§ 3314. Annual financial statements; reports; filing fee

§ 3315. Coordinated regulation

§ 3316. Corporate governance; disclosure

§ 3361. Requirements for license

§ 3362. Authority to transact various kinds of insurance business

§ 3363. Revocation of license

§ 3364. Authorization for investment purposes only

§ 3365. Plan of organization

§ 3366. Assets of companies

§ 3367. Retaliatory provisions

§ 3368. Transacting business without certificate of authority prohibited

§ 3368a. Unauthorized and misleading transactions

§ 3369. Commissioner may enjoin unauthorized insurer

§ 3370. Service of process upon unauthorized insurer by director

§ 3371. Limits of risk

§ 3381. Legislative purpose and policy

§ 3382. Acts which constitute Secretary of State agent for service of process

§ 3383. Service upon the Secretary of State notice to defendant

§ 3384. Service upon other agents; notice to defendant

§ 3386. Effect on other modes of service

§ 3387. Prerequisites to defense of action

§ 3388. Postponements

§ 3389. Motion to quash for improper service

§ 3390. Attorney’s fees

§ 3421. Mutualization of stock insurer

§ 3422. Mutual insurers—Prohibitions

§ 3423. Converting mutual insurer or mutual insurance holding company

§ 3424. Procedure for merger

§ 3425. Procedure for consolidation

§ 3426. Effective date of merger or consolidation

§ 3427. Voting

§ 3428. Rights of dissenting shareholders

§ 3429. Rights of dissenting members or policyholders

§ 3430. Effect of merger or consolidation

§ 3431. Merger or consolidation between domestic and foreign insurers—Requirements

§ 3432. Transfer of deposits

§ 3433. Certificates of fees and commissions paid

§ 3434. Fees—Penalty for receiving

§ 3437. Redomestication; approval as a domestic insurer

§ 3438. Redomestication; conversion to foreign insurer

§ 3439. Effects of redomestication

§ 3440. Redomestication; fees

§ 3441. Formation of a mutual insurance holding company

§ 3442. Merger of mutual insurance company into an existing mutual insurance holding company; merger and acquisition by mutual insurance holding company or subsidiary of mutual insurance holding company

§ 3443. Regulated as an insurance company

§ 3444. Demutualization of a mutual insurance holding company

§ 3445. Membership interest not a security

§ 3446. Filing of amended charters

§ 3461. Definitions

§ 3461a. General limitations and diversification requirements for property and casualty, financial guaranty and mortgage guaranty insurers

§ 3461b. General limitations and diversification requirements for life and health insurers

§ 3461c. Rated credit investments

§ 3461d. Registration or filing exemption

§ 3462. Investments—Foreign insurers

§ 3463. Domestic insurers

§ 3463a. Valuation of investments

§ 3465. Exemption from investment limitations

§ 3467. Qualification of investments

§ 3468. Investments qualified under prior law

§ 3469. Loans to directors and officers—Restrictions

§ 3470. Mortgage loans to minors

§ 3471. Mortgages on real and personal property as liens; priorities

§ 3472. Earnings statements and income ratios—Special situations

§ 3501. Life insurance and annuities

§ 3502. Insurance—Other life insurance and annuities

§ 3503. Deposits of domestic insurer doing foreign business

§ 3504. Pension system

§ 3541. Filing and approval of forms

§ 3542. Grounds for disapproval

§ 3543. Existing forms and filings

§ 3552. Fees assessed by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners

§ 3561. Annual statement

§ 3562. Time reports due

§ 3563. Examination of companies; fees

§ 3564. Examination of foreign insurers; expenses

§ 3565. Examination of officers and books

§ 3566. Penalty for refusal

§ 3567. Liquor liability insurance records

§ 3568. Preservation of records

§ 3569. National Association of Insurance Commissioners filing requirements

§ 3570. Immunity

§ 3571. Confidentiality

§ 3572. Revocation of certificate of authority

§ 3573. Conduct of examinations

§ 3574. Examination reports

§ 3575. Conflict of interest

§ 3576. Immunity from liability

§ 3577. Requirements for actuarial opinions

§ 3578a. Annual financial reporting

§ 3579. Qualified accountants

§ 3581. Purpose; scope; intent

§ 3582. Definitions

§ 3583. Risk management framework

§ 3584. ORSA requirement

§ 3585. Summary report

§ 3586. Exemption

§ 3587. Contents of ORSA summary report

§ 3588. Confidentiality

§ 3589. Sanctions

§ 3604. Offset

§ 3611. Scope of subchapter; short title

§ 3612. Definitions

§ 3613. Creation of Association

§ 3614. Board of Directors

§ 3615. Powers and duties of Association

§ 3616. Plan of operation

§ 3617. Powers and duties of Commissioner

§ 3618. Effect of paid claims

§ 3619. Nonduplication of recovery

§ 3620. Prevention of insolvencies

§ 3621. Examination of Association

§ 3622. Tax exemption

§ 3623. Recognition of assessments in rates

§ 3624. Immunity

§ 3625. Stay of proceedings; reopening of default judgment

§ 3626. Prohibition against advertising of membership in Association

§ 3634a. Credit for reinsurance

§ 3635. Insolvency of ceding company

§ 3636. Reinsurance contract

§ 3641. Claims, rights, title, and interests of nonresidents

§ 3642. Liability for payments to nonresidents

§ 3661. Cease and desist powers; prosecutions and penalties

§ 3662. Nonpayment of judgment; penalty

§ 3663. Minimum limitation on actions; void policy provisions

§ 3664. Forms; filing proof of loss and other documents, waiver of filing

§ 3665a. Timely payment of property and casualty insurance claims; interest

§ 3665b. Timely payment of life insurance claims and annuity death benefits; interest

§ 3665c. Damages

§ 3666. Rules; methods of notice

§ 3671. Disclosure of information

§ 3672. Immunity

§ 3673. Penalty for noncompliance

§ 3681. Definitions

§ 3682. Subsidiaries of insurers

§ 3683. Acquisition of control of or merger with domestic insurer

§ 3683a. Acquisitions involving insurers not otherwise covered

§ 3684. Registration of insurers

§ 3685. Standards and management of an insurer within an insurance holding company system

§ 3686. Examination

§ 3687. Confidential treatment

§ 3688. Rules and regulations

§ 3689. Injunctions; prohibitions against voting securities; sequestration of voting securities

§ 3690. Sanctions

§ 3691. Receivership

§ 3692. Revocation, suspension, or nonrenewal of insurer’s license

§ 3693. Judicial review

§ 3694. Recovery

§ 3695. Supervisory colleges

§ 3696. Groupwide supervisor; internationally active insurance group