2023 Montana Code Annotated › Title 33. Insurance and Insurance Companies › Chapter 2. Regulation of Insurance Companies › Part 13. Supervision, Rehabilitation, and Liquidation › 33-2-1333. Powers and duties of the rehabilitator

33-2-1333. Powers and duties of the rehabilitator.
(1) The commissioner as rehabilitator may appoint one or more special deputies, who have all the powers and responsibilities of the rehabilitator granted under this section, and the commissioner may employ counsel, clerks, and assistants. The compensation of the special deputy, counsel, clerks, and assistants and all expenses of taking possession of the insurer and of conducting the proceedings must be fixed by the commissioner with the approval of the court and must be paid out of the funds or assets of the insurer. The persons appointed under this section shall serve at the pleasure of the commissioner. If the property of the insurer does not contain sufficient cash or liquid assets to defray the costs incurred, the commissioner may advance the costs incurred out of any appropriation for the maintenance of the commissioner's office. Any amounts advanced for expenses of administration must be repaid to the commissioner for the use of the commissioner's office out of the first available money of the insurer.
(2) The rehabilitator may take action as necessary to reform and revitalize the insurer. The rehabilitator shall have all the powers of the directors, officers, and managers, whose authority must be suspended, except as they are redelegated by the rehabilitator. The rehabilitator has full power to direct and manage, to hire and discharge employees subject to any contract rights they may have, and to deal with the property and business of the insurer.
(3) If it appears to the rehabilitator that there has been criminal or tortious conduct or breach of any contractual or fiduciary obligation detrimental to the insurer by any officer, manager, insurance producer, broker, employee, or other person, the rehabilitator may pursue all appropriate legal remedies on behalf of the insurer.
(4) If the rehabilitator determines that reorganization, consolidation, conversion, reinsurance, merger, or other transformation of the insurer is appropriate, the rehabilitator shall prepare a plan to effect the changes. Upon application of the rehabilitator for approval of the plan and after notice and hearings that the court may prescribe, the court may either approve or disapprove the plan proposed or may modify it and approve it as modified. Any plan approved under this section must be, in the judgment of the court, fair and equitable to all parties concerned. If the plan is approved, the rehabilitator shall carry out the plan. In the case of a life insurer, the plan proposed may include the imposition of liens upon the policies of the company if all rights of shareholders are first relinquished. A plan for a life insurer may also propose imposition of a moratorium upon loan and cash surrender rights under policies for the period and to the extent as may be necessary.
(5) The rehabilitator has the power under 33-2-1351 and 33-2-1352 to avoid fraudulent transfers.
History: En. Sec. 14, Ch. 383, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 713, L. 1989; amd. Sec. 1101, Ch. 56, L. 2009.