33-2-307. Requirements for eligible surplus lines insurers. (1) A surplus lines insurance producer may not place insurance with an unauthorized insurer unless, at the time of placement, the unauthorized insurer:
     (a) has established satisfactory evidence of good reputation and financial integrity; and
     (b) is qualified under one of the following subsections:
     (i) the insurer maintains capital and surplus or its equivalent under the laws of its state of domicile, which equals the greater of:
     (A) the minimum capital and surplus requirements of 33-2-109 and 33-2-110; or
     (B) $7 million. An insurer possessing less than $7 million capital and surplus may satisfy the requirements of this subsection upon an affirmative finding of acceptability by the commissioner. The commissioner's finding must be based upon such factors as quality of management, capital, and surplus of a parent company; company underwriting profit and investment income trends; and company record and reputation within the industry. The commissioner may not make an affirmative finding of acceptability when the surplus lines insurer's capital and surplus is less than $7 million.
     (ii) in the case of Lloyd's or another similar group including incorporated and unincorporated alien insurers, the insurer maintains a trust fund of not less than $50 million as security to the full amount of capital and surplus for all policyholders and creditors in the United States of each member of the group. The incorporated members of the group may not engage in any business other than underwriting as a member of the group and must be subject to the same level of solvency regulation and control by the groups of domiciliary regulators as are the unincorporated members. The trust must comply with the terms and conditions established in subsection (1)(b)(iv) for alien insurers.
     (iii) in the case of an insurance exchange created by the laws of individual states, the insurer maintains capital and surplus, or their substantial equivalent, of not less than $15 million in the aggregate. For an insurance exchange that maintains funds for the protection of each insurance exchange policyholder, each individual syndicate shall maintain minimum capital and surplus, or their substantial equivalent, of not less than $1.5 million. If the insurance exchange does not maintain funds for the protection of each insurance exchange policyholder, each individual syndicate shall meet the minimum capital and surplus requirements of subsection (1)(b)(i).
     (iv) in the case of an alien insurer, the insurer maintains in the United States an irrevocable trust fund in either a national bank or a member of the federal reserve system, in an amount not less than $1.5 million, for the protection of all its policyholders in the United States and the trust fund consists of cash, securities, or letters of credit or of investments of substantially the same character and quality as those which are eligible investments for the capital and statutory reserves of insurers authorized to write like kinds of insurance in this state. The trust fund, which must be included in any calculation of capital and surplus or its equivalent, must have an expiration date that may not at any time be less than 5 years. In addition, the alien insurer must appear on the national association of insurance commissioners' Non-Admitted Insurers Quarterly Listing.
     (c) has provided the commissioner a copy of its current annual statement, certified by the insurer not more than 6 months after the close of the period reported upon, or quarterly if considered necessary by the commissioner, and which is either:
     (i) filed with and approved by the regulatory authority in the state of domicile of the unauthorized insurer; or
     (ii) certified by an accounting or auditing firm licensed in the jurisdiction of the insurer's state of domicile.
     (2) In the case of an insurance exchange, the statement required by subsection (1)(c) may be an aggregate combined statement of all underwriting syndicates operating during the period reported.
     (3) In addition to meeting the requirements in subsection (1), an insurer is an eligible surplus lines insurer only if it appears on the most recent list of eligible surplus lines insurers published at least semiannually by the commissioner. This subsection does not require the commissioner to place or maintain the name of any unauthorized insurer on the list of eligible surplus lines insurers. An action may not lie against the commissioner or an employee of the commissioner for anything said in issuing the list of eligible surplus lines insurers referred to in this subsection.
     (4) (a) The commissioner may declare an eligible surplus lines insurer ineligible if at any time the commissioner has reason to believe that it:
     (i) is in unsound financial condition;
     (ii) is no longer eligible under subsections (1) through (3);
     (iii) has willfully violated the laws of this state; or
     (iv) does not make reasonably prompt payment of just losses and claims in this state or elsewhere.
     (b) The commissioner shall promptly mail notice of all declarations to each surplus lines insurance producer.
     (5) As used in this section, the following definitions apply:
     (a) "Capital", as used in the financial requirements of this section, means funds invested in for stocks or other evidences of ownership.
     (b) "Surplus", as used in the financial requirements of this section, means funds over and above liabilities and capital of the insurer for the protection of policyholders.

     History: En. Sec. 191, Ch. 286, L. 1959; R.C.M. 1947, 40-3416; amd. Sec. 6, Ch. 303, L. 1981; amd. Sec. 8, Ch. 537, L. 1987; (4) En. Sec. 9, Ch. 537, L. 1987; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 713, L. 1989; amd. Sec. 5, Ch. 451, L. 1993; amd. Sec. 11, Ch. 379, L. 1995; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 531, L. 1997.