RCW 48.97.005
Definitions.
Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter.
(1) "Accredited state" means a state in which the insurance department or regulatory agency has qualified as meeting the minimum financial regulatory standards promulgated and established from time to time by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.
(2) "Control" or "controlled by" has the meaning ascribed in RCW 48.31B.005
(3).
(3) "Controlled insurer" means a licensed insurer that is controlled, directly or indirectly, by a broker.
(4) "Controlling producer" means a producer who, directly or indirectly, controls an insurer.
(5) "Licensed insurer" or "insurer" means a person, firm, association, or corporation licensed to transact property and casualty insurance business in this state. The following, among others, are not licensed insurers for purposes of this chapter:
(a) Risk retention groups as defined in the Superfund Amendments Reauthorization Act of 1986, P.L. 99-499, 100 Stat. 1613 (1986), the Risk Retention Act, 15 U.S.C. Sec. 3901 et seq. (1982 Supp. 1986), and chapter
48.92
RCW;
(b) Residual market pools and joint underwriting associations; and
(c) Captive insurers. For the purposes of this chapter, captive insurers are insurance companies owned by another organization whose exclusive purpose is to insure risks of the parent organization and affiliated companies or, in the case of groups and associations, insurance organizations owned by the insureds whose exclusive purpose is to insure risks to member organizations or group members, or both, and their affiliates.
(6) "Producer" means an insurance broker or brokers or any other person, firm, association, or corporation when, for compensation, commission, or other thing of value, the person, firm, association, or corporation acts or aids in any manner in soliciting, negotiating, or procuring the making of an insurance contract on behalf of an insured other than the person, firm, association, or corporation.
[
2015 c 122 s 17
;
2008 c 217 s 75
;
1993 c 462 s 17
.]
NOTES:
Effective dates
—
2015 c 122:
See note following RCW 48.31B.005
.
Severability
—
Effective date
—
2008 c 217:
See notes following RCW 48.03.020
.
RCW 48.97.010
Application.
This chapter applies to licensed insurers either domiciled in this state or domiciled in a state that is not an accredited state having in effect a substantially similar law. All provisions of the Insurer Holding Company Act, chapter
48.31B
RCW, or its successor act, to the extent they are not superseded by this  chapter, continue to apply to all parties within the holding company systems subject to this chapter.
[
1993 c 462 s 18
.]
RCW 48.97.015
Business placed with a controlled insurer
—
Application of section
—
Exceptions
—
Written contract required
—
Audit committee
—
Report to commissioner.
(1)(a) This section applies in a particular calendar year if in that calendar year the aggregate amount of gross written premium on business placed with a controlled insurer by a controlling producer is equal to or greater than five percent of the admitted assets of the controlled insurer, as reported in the controlled insurer's quarterly statement filed as of September 30th of the prior year.
(b) Notwithstanding (a) of this subsection, this section does not apply if:
(i) The controlling producer:
(A) Places insurance only with the controlled insurer; or only with the controlled insurer and a member or members of the controlled insurer's holding company system, or the controlled insurer's parent, affiliate, or subsidiary and receives no compensation based upon the amount of premiums written in connection with the insurance; and
(B) Accepts insurance placements only from nonaffiliated subproducers, and not directly from insureds; and
(ii) The controlled insurer, except for business written through a residual market facility such as the assigned risk plan, fair plans, or other such plans, accepts insurance business only from a controlling producer, a producer controlled by the controlled insurer, or a producer that is a subsidiary of the controlled insurer.
(2) A controlled insurer may not accept business from a controlling producer and a controlling producer may not place business with a controlled insurer unless there is a written contract between the controlling producer and the insurer specifying the responsibilities of each party, which contract has been approved by the board of directors of the insurer and contains the following minimum provisions:
(a) The controlled insurer may terminate the contract for cause, upon written notice to the controlling producer. The controlled insurer shall suspend the authority of the controlling producer to write business during the pendency of a dispute regarding the cause for the termination;
(b) The controlling producer shall render accounts to the controlling insurer detailing all material transactions, including information necessary to support all commissions, charges, and other fees received by, or owing to, the controlling producer;
(c) The controlling producer shall remit all funds due under the terms of the contract to the controlling insurer on at least a monthly basis. The due date must be fixed so that premiums or installments collected are remitted no later than ninety days after the effective date of a policy placed with the controlling insurer under this contract;
(d) The controlling producer shall hold all funds collected for the controlled insurer's account in a fiduciary capacity, in one or more appropriately identified bank accounts in banks that are members of the federal reserve system, in accordance with the applicable provisions of this title. However, funds of a controlling producer not required to be licensed in this state must be maintained in compliance with the requirements of the controlling producer's domiciliary jurisdiction;
(e) The controlling producer shall maintain separately identifiable records of business written for the controlled insurer;
(f) The contract shall not be assigned in whole or in part by the controlling producer;
(g) The controlled insurer shall provide the controlling producer with its underwriting standards, rules, and procedures, manuals setting forth the rates to be charged, and the conditions for the acceptance or rejection of risks. The controlling producer shall adhere to the standards, rules, procedures, rates, and conditions that are the same as those applicable to comparable business placed with the controlled insurer by a producer other than the controlling producer;
(h) The rates of the controlling producer's commissions, charges, and other fees must be no greater than those applicable to comparable business placed with the controlled insurer by producers other than controlling producers. For purposes of (g) and (h) of this subsection, examples of comparable business include the same lines of insurance, same kinds of insurance, same kinds of risks, similar policy limits, and similar quality of business;
(i) If the contract provides that the controlling producer, on insurance business placed with the insurer, is to be compensated contingent upon the insurer's profits on that business, then the compensation shall not be determined and paid until at least five years after the premiums on liability insurance are earned and at least one year after the premiums are earned on any other insurance. In no event may the commissions be paid until the adequacy of the controlled insurer's reserves on remaining claims has been independently verified under subsection (3) of this section;
(j) The insurer may establish a different limit on the controlling producer's writings in relation to the controlled insurer's surplus and total writings for each line or subline of business. The controlled insurer shall notify the controlling producer when the applicable limit is approached and may not accept business from the controlling producer if the limit is reached. The controlling producer may not place business with the controlled insurer if it has been notified by the controlled insurer that the limit has been reached; and
(k) The controlling producer may negotiate but may not bind reinsurance on behalf of the controlled insurer on business the controlling producer places with the controlled insurer, except that the controlling producer may bind facultative reinsurance contracts under obligatory facultative agreements if the contract with the controlled insurer contains underwriting guidelines including, for both reinsurance assumed and ceded, a list of reinsurers with which the automatic agreements are in effect, the coverages and amounts of percentages that may be reinsured, and commission schedules.
(3) Every controlled insurer shall have an audit committee of the board of directors composed of independent directors. The audit committee shall annually meet with management, the insurer's independent certified public accountants, and an independent casualty actuary or other independent loss reserve specialist acceptable to the commissioner to review the adequacy of the insurer's loss reserves.
(4)(a) In addition to any other required loss reserve certification, the controlled insurer shall, annually, on April 1st of each year, file with the commissioner an opinion of an independent casualty actuary, or such other independent loss reserve specialist acceptable to the commissioner, reporting loss ratios for each line of business written and attesting to the adequacy of loss reserves established for losses incurred and outstanding as of year end, including losses incurred but not reported, on business placed by the producer; and
(b) The controlled insurer shall annually report to the commissioner the amount of commissions paid to the producer, the percentage that amount represents of the net premiums written, and comparable amounts and percentages paid to noncontrolling producers for placements of the same kinds of insurance.
[
2008 c 217 s 76
;
1993 c 462 s 19
.]
NOTES:
Severability
—
Effective date
—
2008 c 217:
See notes following RCW 48.03.020
.
RCW 48.97.020
Relationship between producer and controlled insurer
—
Producer's duty to disclose
—
Subproducers.
The producer, before the effective date of the policy, shall deliver written notice to the prospective insured disclosing the relationship between the producer and the controlled insurer, except that, if the business is placed through a subproducer who is not a controlling producer, the controlling producer shall retain in his or her records a signed commitment from the subproducer that the subproducer is aware of the relationship between the insurer and the producer and that the subproducer has notified or will notify the insured.
[
2008 c 217 s 77
;
1993 c 462 s 20
.]
NOTES:
Severability
—
Effective date
—
2008 c 217:
See notes following RCW 48.03.020
.
RCW 48.97.025
Producer's failure to comply with chapter
—
Commissioner's power
—
Damages
—
Penalties.
(1)(a) If the commissioner believes that the controlling producer has not materially complied with this chapter, or a rule adopted or order issued under this chapter, the commissioner may after notice and opportunity to be heard, order the controlling producer to cease placing business with the controlled insurer; and
(b) If it is found that because of material noncompliance that the controlled insurer or any policyholder thereof has suffered loss or damage, the commissioner may maintain a civil action or intervene in an action brought by or on behalf of the insurer or policyholder for recovery of compensatory damages for the benefit of the insurer or policyholder or other appropriate relief.
(2) If an order for liquidation or rehabilitation of the controlled insurer has been entered under chapter
48.31
RCW, and the receiver appointed under that order believes that the controlling producer or any other person has not materially complied with this chapter, or a rule adopted or order issued under this chapter, and the insurer suffered any loss or damage from the noncompliance, the receiver may maintain a civil action for recovery of damages or other appropriate sanctions for the benefit of the insurer.
(3) Nothing contained in this section alters or affects the right of the commissioner to impose other penalties provided for in this title.
(4) Nothing contained in this section alters or affects the rights of policyholders, claimants, creditors, or other third parties.
[
2008 c 217 s 78
;
1993 c 462 s 21
.]
NOTES:
Severability
—
Effective date
—
2008 c 217:
See notes following RCW 48.03.020
.
RCW 48.97.900
Short title.
This chapter may be known and cited as the business transacted with producer-controlled property and casualty insurer act.
[
2008 c 217 s 79
;
1993 c 462 s 16
.]
NOTES:
Severability
—
Effective date
—
2008 c 217:
See notes following RCW 48.03.020
.
RCW 48.97.901
Severability
—
Implementation
—
1993 c 462.
See RCW 48.31B.901
and
48.31B.902
.