2023 Montana Code Annotated › Title 33. Insurance and Insurance Companies › Chapter 2. Regulation of Insurance Companies › Part 13. Supervision, Rehabilitation, and Liquidation › 33-2-1331. Grounds for rehabilitation

33-2-1331. Grounds for rehabilitation.
The commissioner may apply by petition to a district court for an order authorizing the commissioner to rehabilitate a domestic insurer or an alien insurer domiciled in this state on any one or more of the following grounds:
(1) The insurer is in such condition that the further transaction of business would be financially hazardous to its policyholders, creditors, or the public.
(2) There is reasonable cause to believe that there has been embezzlement from the insurer, wrongful sequestration or diversion of the insurer's assets, forgery or fraud affecting the insurer, or other illegal conduct in, by, or with respect to the insurer that if established would endanger assets in an amount threatening the solvency of the insurer.
(3) The insurer has failed to remove any person who in fact has executive authority in the insurer, whether an officer, manager, general insurance producer, employee, or other person, if the person has been found after notice and hearing by the commissioner to be dishonest or untrustworthy in a way affecting the insurer's business.
(4) Control of the insurer, whether by stock ownership or otherwise and whether direct or indirect, is in a person found after notice and hearing to be untrustworthy.
(5) Any person who in fact has executive authority in the insurer, whether an officer, manager, general insurance producer, director or trustee, employee, or other person, has refused to be examined under oath by the commissioner concerning its affairs, whether in this state or elsewhere, and after reasonable notice of the fact the insurer has failed promptly and effectively to terminate the employment and status of the person and the person's influence on management.
(6) After demand by the commissioner under 33-1-408 or under this part, the insurer has failed to promptly make available for examination any of its own property, books, accounts, documents, or other records or those of any subsidiary or related company within the control of the insurer or those of any person having executive authority in the insurer so far as they pertain to the insurer.
(7) Without first obtaining the written consent of the commissioner, the insurer has transferred or attempted to transfer, in a manner contrary to chapter 2, part 11, or chapter 2, part 12, of Title 33, substantially its entire property or business or has entered into any transaction the effect of which is to merge, consolidate, or reinsure substantially its entire property or business in or with the property or business of any other person.
(8) The insurer or its property has been or is the subject of an application for the appointment of a receiver, trustee, custodian, conservator, or sequestrator or similar fiduciary of the insurer or its property otherwise than as authorized under the insurance laws of this state, and the appointment has been made or is imminent, and the appointment might oust the courts of this state of jurisdiction or might prejudice orderly delinquency proceedings under this part.
(9) Within the previous 4 years the insurer has willfully violated its charter or articles of incorporation, its bylaws, any insurance law of this state, or any valid order of the commissioner under 33-2-1321.
(10) The insurer has failed to pay within 60 days after the due date any obligation to any state or any subdivision of the state or any judgment entered in any state, if the court in which the judgment was entered had jurisdiction over the subject matter, except that nonpayment may not be a ground until 60 days after any good faith effort by the insurer to contest the obligation has been terminated, whether it is before the commissioner or in the courts, or the insurer has systematically attempted to compromise or renegotiate previously agreed settlements with its creditors on the ground that it is financially unable to pay its obligations in full.
(11) The insurer has failed to file its annual report or other financial report required by statute within the time allowed by law and, after written demand by the commissioner, has failed to give an adequate explanation immediately.
(12) The board of directors or the holders of a majority of the shares entitled to vote request or consent to rehabilitation under this part.
History: En. Sec. 12, Ch. 383, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 713, L. 1989; amd. Sec. 50, Ch. 596, L. 1993.