MT Code § 33-10-205 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 33. Insurance and Insurance Companies|Chapter 10. Insurance Guaranty Associations|Part 2. Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Associations|33-10-205. Powers and duties of association

  33-10-205. Powers and duties of association. (1) If a member insurer is an impaired insurer, the association, in its discretion and subject to any conditions imposed by the association that do not impair the contractual obligations of the impaired insurer and that are approved by the commissioner, may:   (a) guarantee, assume, reissue, reinsure, or cause to be guaranteed, assumed, reissued, or reinsured any or all of the policies or contracts of the impaired insurer; and   (b) provide any money, pledges, loans, notes, guarantees, or other means to effectuate this section and ensure payment of the contractual obligations of the impaired insurer pending action under this section.   (2) If a member insurer is an insolvent insurer, the association, in its discretion, shall do one or more of the following:   (a) (i) guarantee, assume, reissue, or reinsure the policies or contracts of the insolvent insurer, cause the policies or contracts to be guaranteed, assumed, reissued, or reinsured, or ensure payment of the contractual obligations of the insolvent insurer; and   (ii) provide money, pledges, loans, notes, guarantees, or other means reasonably necessary to discharge the association's duties;   (b) provide coverage and benefits with respect to a covered policy or contract for life or health insurance or annuities by:   (i) ensuring payment of benefits that would have been payable under the policies or contracts of the insolvent insurer for claims incurred:   (A) for group policies or contracts by not later than the earlier of the next renewal date, as specified in the policy or contract, or 45 days; or   (B) for nongroup policies, contracts, or annuities by the earlier of the next renewal date, if any, as specified in the policy or contract, or 1 year;   (ii) ensuring payment under subsection (2)(b)(i) not less than 30 days from the date on which the association becomes obligated with respect to the policies or contracts;   (iii) making diligent efforts to provide all known insureds and annuitants for nongroup policies and contracts or group policyowners with respect to group policies 30 days' notice of termination; and   (iv) (A) making available substitute coverage on an individual basis, with respect to nongroup life and health insurance policies and annuities covered by the association, to each known insured or annuitant or owner if other than the insured or annuitant and to an individual formerly insured or formerly an annuitant under a group policy if that individual is not eligible for replacement group coverage. This subsection (2)(b)(iv)(A) must be applied in accordance with the provisions of subsection (2)(b)(iv)(B), as applicable, if the insureds or annuitants had a right under law or if the terminated policy or annuity contained provisions to convert coverage to individual coverage or to continue an individual policy or annuity in force until a specified age or a specified time, during which the insurer had no right to unilaterally make changes in any provision of the policy or annuity or had a right only to make changes in premium by class.   (B) providing the substitute coverage required under subsection (2)(b)(iv)(A) either by issuing an alternative policy as provided in subsection (2)(b)(iv)(C) or reissuing the terminated coverage, as provided in subsection (2)(b)(iv)(D). Any reissued or alternative policy must be offered without requiring evidence of insurability and may not require a waiting period or exclusion that would not have applied under the terminated policy. The association may reinsure any reissued or alternative policy.   (C) submitting alternative policies or contracts adopted by the association to the commissioner for approval. The association may adopt alternative policies of various types for future issuance without regard to any particular impairment or insolvency. Alternative policies must contain at least the minimum statutory provisions required in this state and provide benefits that are not unreasonable in relation to the premium charged. The association shall set the premium in accordance with a table of rates adopted by the association. The premium must be actuarially justified and reflect the amount of insurance to be provided and the age and class of risk of each insured. The premium may not reflect any changes in the health of the insured after the original policy was last underwritten. Alternative policies issued by the association must provide coverage of a type similar to that of the policy issued by the impaired or insolvent insurer, as determined by the association.   (D) setting a premium at a premium different from that charged under the terminated policy if the association elects to reissue terminated coverage. The association shall set the premium in accordance with the amount of insurance provided and the age and class of risk. The premium must be actuarially justified and is subject to approval by the commissioner. A premium may also be set by a court of competent jurisdiction.   (c) cease any of its obligations with respect to coverage under any policy or contract of the impaired or insolvent insurer or under any reissued or alternative policy on the date the coverage or policy is replaced by another similar policy by the policyowner, the insured, or the association; or   (d) ensure the payment or crediting of a rate of interest consistent with 33-10-224(2)(b)(iii) when proceeding under this section with respect to a policy or contract carrying guaranteed minimum interest rates.   (3) Except for claims incurred or any net cash surrender value that may be due in accordance with the provisions of this part, the association's obligation under the policy or contract terminates within 31 days after the date required under the terms of any guaranteed, assumed, alternative, or reissued policy or contract or substitute coverage for nonpayment of premiums.   (4) Premiums due for coverage after entry of an order of liquidation of an insolvent insurer belong to and are payable at the direction of the association. The association is liable only for unearned premiums due to policyowners or contract owners arising after the entry of the order of liquidation.   (5) If the association fails to act within a reasonable period of time, the commissioner has the powers and duties of the association under this part with respect to a domestic, foreign, or alien insolvent insurer.   (6) (a) In carrying out its duties under subsections (1) through (4), the association may, subject to approval by a court of competent jurisdiction, impose:   (i) permanent policy or contract liens in connection with a guarantee, assumption, or reinsurance agreement if the association finds that:   (A) the amounts that can be assessed under this part are less than the amounts needed to ensure full and prompt performance of the association's duties under this part; or   (B) the economic or financial conditions as they affect member insurers are sufficiently adverse to render the imposition of permanent policy or contract liens to be in the public interest; or   (ii) temporary moratoriums or liens on payments of cash values and policy loans or any other right to withdraw funds held in conjunction with policies or contracts. This subsection (6)(a)(ii) also allows temporary moratoriums or liens on any contractual provisions for deferral of cash or policy loan value.   (b) If the receivership court imposes a temporary moratorium or moratorium charge on payment of cash values or policy loans or on any other right to withdraw funds held in conjunction with policies or contracts, out of the assets of the impaired or insolvent insurer, the association may defer the payment of cash values, policy loans, or other rights for the period of the moratorium or moratorium charge imposed by the receivership court. This subsection (6)(b) does not apply to claims covered by the association to be paid in accordance with a hardship procedure established by the liquidator or rehabilitator and approved by the receivership court.   (7) The association is not liable under this part for any covered policy of a foreign or alien insurer whose domiciliary jurisdiction or state of entry provides protection by statute or regulation for residents of this state if that protection is substantially similar to that provided by this part for residents of other states.   (8) In carrying out its duties under this section, the association may, subject to the approval of the commissioner, issue substitute coverage for a policy or contract that provides an interest rate, crediting rate, or similar factor determined by use of an index or other external reference stated in the policy or contract employed for calculating returns or changes in value. The alternative policy or contract issued under this subsection (8):   (a) must provide in lieu of the index or other external reference in the original policy or contract:   (i) a fixed interest rate;   (ii) payment of dividends within minimum guarantees; or   (iii) a different method for calculating interest or changes in value;   (b) may not contain a requirement for evidence of insurability, a waiting period, or other exclusion that would not have applied under the replaced policy or contract; and   (c) must be substantially similar to the replaced policy or contract in all other material terms.   (9) In addition to other rights provided by law, the association may:   (a) enter into contracts that are necessary or proper to carry out the provisions and purposes of this part;   (b) sue or be sued, including taking any legal actions necessary or proper to recover any unpaid assessments and to settle claims or potential claims against it;   (c) borrow money to effect the purposes of this part. Any notes or other evidence of indebtedness of the association not in default must be legal investments for domestic insurers and may be carried as admitted assets.   (d) employ or retain persons who are necessary to handle the financial transactions of the association and to perform other functions that become necessary or proper under this part;   (e) negotiate and contract with any liquidator, rehabilitator, supervisor, or ancillary receiver to carry out the powers and duties of the association;   (f) take legal action that may be necessary or appropriate to avoid or recover payment of improper claims;   (g) exercise, for the purposes of this part and to the extent approved by the commissioner, the powers of a domestic life or health insurer, but the association may not issue insurance policies or annuity contracts other than those issued to perform its obligations under this part;   (h) organize itself as a corporation or in any other legal form permitted by the laws of the state;   (i) request information from a person seeking coverage from the association in order to aid the association in determining its obligations under this part with respect to the person. The person shall promptly comply with the request.   (j) unless prohibited or otherwise limited by another section in this title and in accordance with the terms and conditions of the policy or contract, file for actuarially justified rate or premium increases for any policy or contract for which it provides coverage under this part; and   (k) take other necessary or appropriate action to discharge its duties and obligations under this part or to exercise its powers under this part.   (10) The association may render assistance and advice to the commissioner, upon request, concerning rehabilitation, liquidation, payment of claims, continuations of coverage, or the performance of other contractual obligations of any impaired or insolvent insurer.   (11) The association has standing to appear or intervene before any court or agency in this state with jurisdiction over an impaired or insolvent insurer concerning which the association is or may become obligated under this part or before any court with jurisdiction over any person or property against which the association may have rights through subrogation or otherwise. The association's standing extends to all matters germane to the powers and duties of the association, including but not limited to proposals for reinsuring, modifying, or guaranteeing the covered policies or contracts of the impaired or insolvent insurer and the determination of the covered policies or contracts. The association also has the right to appear or intervene before a court or agency in another state with jurisdiction over an impaired or insolvent insurer for which the association is or may become obligated or before a court with jurisdiction over any person or property against which the association may have rights through subrogation or otherwise.   (12) The association may join an organization of one or more other state associations of similar purposes to further the purposes and administer the powers and duties of the association.   (13) The board of directors of the association may exercise reasonable business judgment to determine the means by which the association is to provide the benefits of this part in an economical and efficient manner.   (14) When the association has arranged or offered to provide the benefits of this part to a covered person under a plan or arrangement that fulfills the association's obligations under this part, the person is not entitled to benefits from the association in addition to or other than those provided under the plan or arrangement.   (15) Venue in a suit against the association arising under this part is in the first judicial district of this state. The association is not required to give an appeal bond in an appeal that relates to a cause of action arising under this part.   (16) The protection provided by this part does not apply when any guaranty protection is provided to residents of this state by the laws of the domiciliary state or jurisdiction of the impaired or insolvent insurer that is other than this state.   History: En. 40-5808 by Sec. 8, Ch. 245, L. 1974; R.C.M. 1947, 40-5808(7), (8), (11); amd. Sec. 6, Ch. 195, L. 2003; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 27, L. 2011; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 25, L. 2019.