PRINTER'S NO.  3557

  

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

  

HOUSE BILL

 

No.

2391

Session of

2012

  

  

INTRODUCED BY MICOZZIE, DeLUCA, SONNEY, GRELL, KILLION, KOTIK, MATZIE, HARRIS, D. COSTA, FABRIZIO, PASHINSKI, M. SMITH, CALTAGIRONE AND WATERS, MAY 21, 2012

  

  

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON INSURANCE, MAY 21, 2012  

  

  

  

AN ACT

  

1

Amending the act of May 17, 1921 (P.L.682, No.284), entitled "An

2

act relating to insurance; amending, revising, and

3

consolidating the law providing for the incorporation of

4

insurance companies, and the regulation, supervision, and

5

protection of home and foreign insurance companies, Lloyds

6

associations, reciprocal and inter-insurance exchanges, and

7

fire insurance rating bureaus, and the regulation and

8

supervision of insurance carried by such companies,

9

associations, and exchanges, including insurance carried by

10

the State Workmen's Insurance Fund; providing penalties; and

11

repealing existing laws," further providing for definitions,

12

for acquisition of control of or merger or consolidation with

13

domestic insurer, for acquisitions involving insurers not

14

otherwise covered, for registration of insurers, for

15

standards and management of an insurer within a holding

16

company system and for examination; providing for supervisory

17

colleges and for group-wide supervision for international 

18

insurance groups; further providing for confidential

19

treatment, for rules and regulations, for injunctions and

20

certain prohibitions and for sanctions.

21

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

22

hereby enacts as follows:

23

Section 1.  The definitions of "control" and "NAIC" in

24

section 1401 of the act of May 17, 1921 (P.L.682, No.284), known

25

as The Insurance Company Law of 1921, added December 18, 1992

26

(P.L.1519, No.178), are amended and the section is amended by

 


1

adding definitions to read:

2

Section 1401.  Definitions.--As used in this article, and for

3

the purposes of this article only, the following words and

4

phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this section:

5

* * *

6

"Company action level event."  As defined in section 501-A or

7

501-B of the act of May 17, 1921 (P.L.789, No.285), known as

8

"The Insurance Department Act of 1921."

9

"Control," "controlling," "controlled by" and "under common

10

control with."  The possession, direct or indirect, of the power

11

to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies

12

of a person, whether through the ownership of voting securities,

13

by contract other than a commercial contract for goods or

14

nonmanagement services or otherwise, unless the power is the

15

result of an official position with or corporate office held by

16

the person. Control shall be presumed to exist if any person,

17

directly or indirectly, owns, controls, holds with the power to

18

vote or holds proxies representing ten per centum (10%) or more

19

of the [voting securities of any other person] votes that all

20

shareholders would be entitled to cast in the election of

21

directors. This presumption may be rebutted by a showing that

22

control does not exist in fact. The Insurance Department may

23

determine, after furnishing all persons in interest notice and

24

opportunity to be heard and making specific findings of fact to

25

support such determination, that control exists in fact,

26

notwithstanding the absence of a presumption to that effect or

27

that another person has control.

28

* * *

29

"Enterprise risk."  An activity, circumstance, event or

30

series of events involving one or more affiliates of an insurer

- 2 -

 


1

that, if not remedied promptly, would likely have a material

2

adverse effect on the financial condition or liquidity of an

3

insurer or its insurance holding company system, including, but

4

not limited to, anything that would:

5

(1)  trigger a company action level event for the insurer or

6

(2)  cause the insurer to be deemed to be in hazardous

7

financial condition under:

8

(i)  Article V of the act of May 17, 1921 (P.L.789, No.285),

9

known as "The Insurance Department Act of 1921."

10

(ii)  31 Pa. Code Ch. 160 (relating to standards to define

11

insurers deemed to be in hazardous financial condition).

12

"IAIS."  The International Association of Insurance

13

Supervisors or successor organization.

14

* * *

15

"NAIC."  The National Association of Insurance Commissioners

16

or successor organization

17

* * *

18

"SEC."  The Securities and Exchange Commission of the United

19

States.

20

* * *

21

Section 2.  Section 1402(a)(2), (b)(12), (f)(3), (h) and (j)

22

of the act, amended July 9, 2008 (P.L.885, No.62), are amended

23

and subsections (a), (b) and (f) are amended by adding

24

paragraphs to read:

25

Section 1402.  Acquisition of Control of or Merger or

26

Consolidation with Domestic Insurer.--(a)  * * *

27

(2)  [For purposes of this section, a "domestic insurer"

28

shall include any person controlling a domestic insurer unless

29

such person as determined by the department is either directly

30

or through its affiliates primarily engaged in business other

- 3 -

 


1

than the business of insurance. Such person shall, however, file

2

a preacquisition notification with the department containing the

3

information set forth in section 1403(c)(2) thirty (30) days

4

prior to the proposed effective date of the acquisition. Failure

5

to file is subject to section 1403(e)(3). For purposes of this

6

section, "person" shall not include any securities broker

7

holding, in the usual and customary manner, less than twenty per

8

centum (20%) of the voting securities of an insurance company or

9

of any person which controls an insurance company.] For purposes

10

of this section:

11

(i)  "Domestic insurer" includes a person controlling a

12

domestic insurer unless the department determines that the

13

person is primarily engaged in business other than the business

14

of insurance either directly or through its affiliates.

15

(ii)  "Person" does not include a securities broker who

16

holds, in the usual and customary manner, less than twenty per

17

centum (20%) of the voting securities of an insurer or of a

18

person that controls an insurer.

19

(3)  A controlling person of a domestic insurer seeking to

20

divest its controlling interest in the insurer in any manner

21

shall file with the department, with a copy to the insurer, a

22

notice of the proposed divestiture at least thirty (30) days

23

prior to the cessation of control except that notice under this

24

paragraph is not required if a statement is filed under

25

paragraph (1). The notice must contain information sufficient

26

for the department to determine if the proposed divestiture

27

requires filing and approval under paragraph (1). Information

28

obtained by or disclosed to the department under this paragraph

29

shall be given confidential treatment as provided under section

30

1407.

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1

(4)  The acquiring person for transactions subject to this

2

section must file a preacquisition notification as required

3

under section 1403(c) or be subject to a penalty as provided

4

under section 1403(e)(3).

5

(5)  A person seeking to rebut the presumption of control

6

under this article shall file with the department, with a copy

7

to the insurer, a rebuttal filing containing information

8

sufficient for the department to determine whether control

9

exists in fact. The filing is not effective unless the

10

department finds that control does not exist or accepts a

11

disclaimer of control. Information obtained by or disclosed to

12

the department under this subsection must be given confidential

13

treatment as provided under section 1407.

14

(b)  The statement to be filed with the department under this

15

section shall be made under oath or affirmation and shall

16

contain the following information:

17

* * *

18

(11.1)  An agreement by the person required to file the

19

statement referred to in subsection (a) that it will provide the

20

annual enterprise risk report specified in section 1404(k.1) as

21

long as control exists.

22

(11.2)  An acknowledgment by the person required to file the

23

statement referred to in subsection (a) that the person and the

24

subsidiaries within its control in the insurance holding company

25

system will provide information to the commissioner upon request

26

as necessary to evaluate enterprise risk to the insurer.

27

(12)  Such additional information as the department may by

28

[rule or] regulation prescribe as necessary or appropriate for

29

the protection of policyholders of the insurer or in the public

30

interest.

- 5 -

 


1

* * *

2

(f)  * * *

3

(2.1)  If the proposed acquisition of control requires the

4

approval of more than one chief insurance regulatory official,

5

the public hearing under paragraph (2) may be held on a

6

consolidated basis upon request of the person filing the

7

statement under subsection (a). He shall file the statement

8

under subsection (a) with the NAIC within five (5) days of

9

making the request for a public hearing. A chief insurance

10

regulatory official may opt out of a consolidated hearing, and

11

shall provide notice to the applicant of the decision to opt out

12

within ten (10) days of the receipt of the statement under

13

subsection (a). A hearing conducted on a consolidated basis must

14

be public and held in the United States before the chief

15

insurance regulatory officials of the states in which the

16

insurers are domiciled. The chief insurance regulatory officials 

17

shall hear and receive evidence. A chief insurance regulatory

18

official may attend the hearing in person or participate using

19

telecommunication.

20

(3)  The department may retain at the acquiring [person's]

21

party's expense any attorneys, actuaries, accountants and other

22

experts not otherwise a part of the department's staff as may be

23

reasonably necessary to assist the department in reviewing the

24

proposed acquisition of control.

25

* * *

26

(h)  The following shall constitute a violation of this

27

section:

28

(1)  the failure to file any statement, amendment or other

29

material required to be filed pursuant to subsection (a) or (b);

30

(2)  the effectuation or any attempt to effectuate an

- 6 -

 


1

acquisition of control of or divestiture of or merger or

2

consolidation with a domestic insurer unless the department has

3

given its approval thereto; or

4

(3)  a violation of section 819-A.

5

* * *

6

(j)  [As used in this section, the term "annual statement"

7

shall mean the annual report of the financial condition required

8

to be filed under 40 Pa.C.S. § 6331 (relating to reports and

9

examinations)] (Reserved)

10

Section 3.  Section 1403(b)(2)(ii) and (vii) of the act,

11

amended July 9, 2008 (P.L.885, No.62), are amended to read:

12

Section 1403.  Acquisitions Involving Insurers not Otherwise

13

Covered.--* * *

14

(b)  * * *

15

(2)  This section shall not apply to any of the following:

16

* * *

17

(ii)  A purchase of securities solely for investment purposes

18

so long as such securities are not used by voting or otherwise

19

to cause or attempt to cause the substantial lessening of

20

competition in any insurance market in this Commonwealth. If a

21

purchase of securities results in a presumption of control as

22

described in the definition of "control" in section 1401, it is

23

not solely for investment purposes unless the [insurance

24

department of the insurer's state of] chief insurance regulatory

25

official in the jurisdiction of the insurer's domicile accepts a

26

disclaimer of control or affirmatively finds that control does

27

not exist and such disclaimer action or affirmative finding is

28

communicated by the domiciliary insurance [department to the

29

Insurance Department of the Commonwealth] regulator to the

30

department.

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1

* * *

2

(vii)  An acquisition of an insurer whose domiciliary

3

insurance [department] regulator affirmatively finds that such

4

insurer is in failing condition; there is a lack of feasible

5

alternative to improving such condition; the public benefits of

6

improving such insurer's condition through the acquisition

7

exceed the public benefits that would arise from not lessening

8

competition; and such findings are communicated by the

9

domiciliary insurance [department to the Insurance Department of

10

the Commonwealth] regulator to the department.

11

* * *

12

Section 4.  Section 1404(a)(2), (b) introductory paragraph,

13

(d), (j), (k), and (l) of the act, added December 18, 1992

14

(P.L.1519, No.178), are amended, subsection (b) is amended by

15

adding paragraphs and the section is amended by adding a

16

subsection to read:

17

Section 1404.  Registration of Insurers.--(a)  * * *

18

(2)  Any insurer which is subject to registration under this

19

section shall register within fifteen (15) days after it becomes

20

subject to registration, and annually thereafter by the thirty-

21

first day of March of each year for the previous calendar year,

22

unless the department for good cause shown extends the time for

23

registration, and then within such extended time. The department

24

may require any insurer authorized to do business in this

25

Commonwealth which is a member of [a] an insurance holding

26

company system and which is not subject to registration under

27

this section to furnish a copy of the registration statement,

28

the summary specified in subsection (c) or other information

29

filed by such insurance company with the insurance regulatory

30

authority of its domiciliary jurisdiction.

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1

(b)  Every insurer subject to registration shall file the

2

registration statement with the department on a form and in a

3

format prescribed by the NAIC, which shall contain all of the

4

following current information:

5

* * *

6

(4.1)  If requested by the department, the insurer shall

7

include financial statements of an insurance holding company

8

system, including its affiliates. Financial statements may

9

include, but are not limited to:

10

(i)  annual audited financial statements filed with the SEC

11

under the Securities Exchange Act of 1933 (48 Stat. 74, 15

12

U.S.C. § 77a et seq.); or

13

(ii)  the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (48 Stat. 881, 15

14

U.S.C. § 78a et seq.).

15

An insurer required to file financial statements under this

16

paragraph may satisfy the request by providing the department

17

with the most recent parent corporation financial statements

18

filed with the SEC.

19

(4.2)  Statements that the insurer's board of directors

20

oversees corporate governance and internal controls and that the

21

insurer's officers or senior management have approved,

22

implemented and continue to maintain and monitor corporate

23

governance and internal control procedures.

24

* * *

25

(6)  Other necessary or appropriate information as required

26

by the department by regulation.

27

* * *

28

(d)  No information need be disclosed on the registration

29

statement filed pursuant to subsection (b) if such information

30

is not material for the purposes of this section. Unless the

- 9 -

 


1

department by [rule,] regulation or order provides otherwise,

2

sales, purchases, exchanges, loans or extensions of credit,

3

investments or guarantees involving one-half of one per centum

4

(0.5%) or less of an insurer's admitted assets as of the thirty-

5

first day of December next preceding shall not be deemed

6

material for purposes of this section.

7

* * *

8

(j)  The provisions of this section shall not apply to any

9

insurer, information or transaction if and to the extent that

10

the department by [rule,] regulation or order shall exempt the

11

same from the provisions of this section.

12

(k)  Any person may file with the department a disclaimer of

13

affiliation with any authorized insurer or such a disclaimer may

14

be filed by such insurer or any member of an insurance holding

15

company system. The disclaimer shall fully disclose all material

16

relationships and bases for affiliation between such person and

17

such insurer as well as the basis for disclaiming such

18

affiliation. [After a disclaimer has been filed, the insurer

19

shall be relieved of any duty to register or report under this

20

section which may arise out of the insurer's relationship with

21

such person unless and until the department disallows such a

22

disclaimer. The department shall disallow such a disclaimer only

23

after furnishing all parties in interest with notice and

24

opportunity to be heard and after making specific findings of

25

fact to support such disallowance] A disclaimer of affiliation

26

is deemed granted unless the department notifies the filing

27

party the disclaimer is disallowed within thirty (30) days

28

following receipt of a complete disclaimer. In the event of

29

disallowance, the disclaiming party may request an

30

administrative hearing under the provisions of 2 Pa.C.S.

- 10 -

 


1

(relating to administrative law and procedure), which must be

2

granted. If the commissioner approves the disclaimer or if the

3

disclaimer is deemed approved, the disclaiming party is relieved

4

of the duty to register under this section.

5

(k.1)  The ultimate controlling person of every insurer

6

subject to registration shall also file an annual enterprise

7

risk report. The report must, to the best of the ultimate

8

controlling person's knowledge and belief, identify the material

9

risks within the insurance holding company system that could

10

pose enterprise risk to the insurer. The report must be filed

11

with the lead state regulator of the insurance holding company

12

system as determined by the procedures within the Financial

13

Analysis Handbook adopted by the NAIC. Beginning in 2014 and

14

every year thereafter, the report shall be filed by March 31 for

15

the previous calendar year.

16

(l)  The failure to file a registration statement [or], any

17

summary of the registration statement [thereto] or enterprise

18

risk report required by this section within the time specified

19

for such filing shall be a violation of this section.

20

Section 5.  Section 1405(a)(1), (2) and (3), (b)(1) and (c)

21

(5) of the act, amended February 17, 1994 (P.L.92, No.9),

22

December 20, 2000 (P.L.967, No.132) and July 9, 2008 (P.L.885,

23

No.62), are amended and subsection (a) is amended by adding a

24

paragraph to read:

25

Section 1405.  Standards and Management of an Insurer within

26

[a] an Insurance Holding Company System.--(a)  (1)  Transactions

27

within [a] an insurance holding company system to which an

28

insurer subject to registration is a party shall be subject to

29

all of the following standards:

30

(i)  The terms shall be fair and reasonable.

- 11 -

 


1

(ii)  Charges or fees for services performed shall be

2

reasonable.

3

(iii)  Expenses incurred and payment received shall be

4

allocated to the insurer in conformity with customary insurance

5

accounting practices consistently applied and all cost-sharing

6

or expense allocation arrangements must be formalized in writing

7

and authorized by the board of directors of the domestic

8

insurer.

9

(iv)  The books, accounts and records of each party to all

10

such transactions shall be so maintained as to clearly and

11

accurately disclose the nature and details of the transactions,

12

including such accounting information as is necessary to support

13

the reasonableness of the charges or fees to the respective

14

parties.

15

(v)  The insurer's surplus as regards policyholders after any

16

material transaction with an affiliate and after any dividends

17

or distributions to shareholder affiliates shall be reasonable

18

in relation to the insurer's outstanding liabilities and

19

adequate to its financial needs.

20

(2)  The following transactions involving a domestic insurer

21

and any person in its insurance holding company system,

22

including an amendment or modification of affiliate agreements

23

previously filed under this section that are subject to

24

materiality standards contained in subparagraphs (i), (ii),

25

(iii), (iv) and (v), may not be entered into unless the insurer

26

has notified the department in writing of its intention to enter

27

into such transaction at least thirty (30) days prior thereto or

28

such shorter period as the department may permit and the

29

department has not disapproved it within such period:

30

(i)  Sales, purchases, exchanges, loans or extensions of

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1

credit, guarantees, investments, pledges of assets or assets to

2

be received by the domestic insurer as contributions to its

3

surplus, provided that, as of the thirty-first day of December

4

next preceding, such transactions are equal to or exceed the

5

lesser of [five per centum (5%)] three per centum (3%) of the

6

insurer's admitted assets or twenty-five per centum (25%) of

7

surplus as regards policyholders. 

8

(ii)  Loans or extensions of credit to any person who is not

9

an affiliate, where the insurer makes such loans or extensions

10

of credit with the agreement or understanding that the proceeds

11

of such transactions, in whole or in substantial part, are to be

12

used to make loans or extensions of credit to, to purchase

13

assets of or to make investments in any affiliate of the insurer

14

making such loans or extensions of credit provided that, as of

15

the thirty-first day of December next preceding, such

16

transactions are equal to or exceed the lesser of [five per

17

centum (5%)] three per centum (3%) of the insurer's admitted

18

assets or twenty-five per centum (25%) of surplus as regards

19

policyholders.

20

(iii)  Reinsurance agreements or modifications thereto [where

21

either], including:

22

(A)  [the reinsurance premium] agreements where the

23

reinsurance premium or the projected reinsurance premium in any

24

of the next three twelve-month periods equals or exceeds five

25

per centum (5%) of the insurer's surplus as regards

26

policyholders as of the thirty-first day of December next

27

preceding; [or]

28

(B)  agreements where the change in the insurer's liabilities

29

or any transfer of assets required to fund the transaction in

30

any of the next three twelve-month periods equals or exceeds

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1

twenty-five per centum (25%) of the insurer's surplus as regards

2

policyholders as of the thirty-first day of December next

3

preceding, including those agreements which may require as

4

consideration the transfer of assets from an insurer to a

5

nonaffiliate, if an agreement or understanding exists between

6

the insurer and nonaffiliate that any portion of such assets

7

will be transferred to one or more affiliates of the insurer.

8

Nothing in this paragraph shall affect or limit the requirements

9

and applicability of section 3 of the act of July 31, 1968

10

(P.L.941, No.288), entitled "An act providing for reporting to

11

the Insurance Commissioner by domestic insurance companies,

12

associations, or exchanges, of certain conveyances of interests

13

in the assets of such companies, associations, or exchanges[.]";

14

or

15

(C)  reinsurance pooling agreements.

16

(iv)  Any material transactions, specified by regulation,

17

which the department determines may adversely affect the

18

interests of the insurer's policyholders.

19

(v)  Management agreements, service contracts, tax allocation

20

agreements, guarantees and cost-sharing arrangements.

21

The notice for amendments or modifications must include the

22

reasons for the change and the financial impact on the domestic

23

insurer.

24

Nothing in this paragraph shall be deemed to authorize or permit

25

any transactions which, in the case of an insurer not a member

26

of the same holding company system, would be otherwise contrary

27

to law. 

28

(2.1)  Within thirty (30) days after termination of an

29

agreement previously filed in accordance with paragraph (2), a

30

domestic insurer shall provide notice of the termination to the

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1

department.

2

(3)  A domestic insurer may not enter into transactions which

3

are part of a plan or series of like transactions with persons

4

within the insurance holding company system if the purpose of

5

those separate transactions is to avoid the statutory threshold

6

amount and thus avoid the review that would occur otherwise. If

7

the department determines that such separate transactions were

8

entered into over any twelve-month period for such purpose, it

9

may exercise its authority under section 1410.

10

* * *

11

(b)  (1)  No domestic insurer shall pay any extraordinary

12

dividend to its [stockholders] shareholders until:

13

(i)  thirty (30) days after the commissioner has received

14

written notice from the insurer of the declaration of the

15

dividend and has not within such period disapproved the payment;

16

or

17

(ii)  the commissioner shall have approved the payment within

18

such thirty-day period.

19

* * *

20

(c)  * * *

21

(5)  The provisions of paragraphs (3), (4) and (4.1) shall

22

not apply to a domestic insurer if the person controlling such

23

insurer is an insurer [or another business entity], an attorney

24

in fact for a reciprocal exchange, a mutual insurance holding

25

company or a publicly held corporation having a board of

26

directors and committees thereof which already meet the

27

requirements of paragraphs (3), (4) and (4.1).

28

* * *

29

Section 6.  Section 1406 of the act, added December 18, 1992

30

(P.L.1519, No.178), is amended to read:

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1

Section 1406.  Examination.--(a)  Subject to the limitation

2

contained in this section and in addition to the powers which

3

the department has under law relating to the examination of

4

insurers, the department shall also have the power to [order any

5

insurer registered under section 1404 to produce such records,

6

books or other information papers in the possession of the

7

insurer or its affiliates as are reasonably necessary to

8

ascertain the financial condition of such insurer or to

9

determine compliance with this article. In the event an insurer

10

fails to comply with such order, the department shall have the

11

power to examine affiliates to obtain this information.] examine

12

an insurer registered under section 1404 and its affiliates to

13

ascertain the financial condition of the insurer, including the

14

enterprise risk to the insurer by:

15

(1)  the ultimate controlling person;

16

(2)  an entity or combination of entities within the

17

insurance holding company system; or

18

(3)  the insurance holding company system on a consolidated

19

basis.

20

(a.1)  The department may order an insurer registered under

21

section 1404 to produce records, books or other information

22

papers in the possession of the insurer or its affiliates as are

23

reasonably necessary to ascertain the financial condition of the

24

insurer or to determine compliance with this article.

25

(a.2)  To ascertain the financial condition of the insurer,

26

including the enterprise risk to the insurer by:

27

(1)  the ultimate controlling person;

28

(2)  an entity or combination of entities within the

29

insurance holding company system; or

30

(3)  the insurance holding company system on a consolidated

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1

basis,

2

the department may order an insurer registered under section

3

1404 to produce information not in the possession of the insurer

4

if the insurer can obtain access to the information under a

5

contractual relationship, a statutory obligation or other

6

method. If the insurer may not obtain the information requested

7

by the department, the insurer shall provide the department a

8

detailed explanation of the reason the insurer may not obtain

9

the information and the identity of the holder of information.

10

If the insurer fails to comply with this subsection or the

11

department determines that the detailed explanation is without

12

merit, the department may suspend or revoke the insurer's

13

license or require the insurer to pay an administrative penalty

14

of one thousand dollars ($1,000) per day until the information

15

is produced. The proceeding for suspension, revocation or

16

imposition of a penalty shall be conducted pursuant to 2 Pa.C.S.

17

(relating to administrative law and procedure).

18

(b)  The department may retain at the registered insurer's

19

expense such attorneys, actuaries, accountants and other experts

20

not otherwise a part of the department's staff as shall be

21

reasonably necessary to assist in the conduct of the examination

22

under [subsection (a)] subsections (a), (a.1) and (a.2). Any

23

persons so retained shall be under the direction and control of

24

the [commissioner] department and shall act in a purely advisory

25

capacity.

26

(c)  Each registered insurer producing for examination

27

records, books and papers pursuant to [subsection (a)] 

28

subsections (a), (a.1) and (a.2) shall be liable for and shall

29

pay the expense of such examination as provided for in Article

30

IX of the act of May 17, 1921 (P.L.789, No.285), known as "The

- 17 -

 


1

Insurance Department Act of one thousand nine hundred and

2

twenty-one."

3

(d)  If the insurer fails to comply with an order issued

4

under this section, the department has the power to examine the

5

insurer's affiliates to obtain the information necessary to

6

determine an insurer's compliance with this section. The

7

department also has the power to:

8

(1)  issue subpoenas;

9

(2)  administer oaths; and

10

(3)  examine under oath any person as to any matter pertinent

11

to determining compliance with this section.

12

Upon the failure or refusal of a person to obey a subpoena, the

13

department may petition a court of competent jurisdiction and,

14

upon proper showing, the court may enter an order compelling the

15

witness to appear and testify or produce documentary evidence.

16

Failure to obey the court order shall be punishable as contempt

17

of court. When subpoenaed, a person shall attend as a witness at

18

the place specified in the subpoena. Witnesses shall be paid the

19

same fees and mileage as are paid to witnesses in the courts of

20

this Commonwealth. Fees, mileage and expense necessarily

21

incurred in securing the attendance and testimony of witnesses

22

shall be itemized, charged against and paid by the person being

23

examined.

24

Section 7.  The act is amended by adding sections to read:

25

Section 1406.1.  Supervisory Colleges.--(a)  A supervisory

26

college may be convened as a temporary or permanent forum for

27

communication and cooperation between the regulators charged

28

with the supervision of the insurer or its affiliates.

29

(b)  The department may participate in a supervisory college

30

with other regulators charged with supervision of the insurer or

- 18 -

 


1

its affiliates, including international, Federal and other state

2

regulatory agencies, for any of the following reasons:

3

(1)  To assess the enterprise risk, business strategy, legal,

4

regulatory and financial position, risk exposure, risk

5

management and governance processes of the insurer or its

6

affiliates.

7

(2)  As part of the examination of individual insurers in

8

accordance with section 1406.

9

(c)  The department shall have the power to participate in a

10

supervisory college for a domestic insurer, registered under

11

section 1404, that is part of an insurance holding company

12

system with international operations in order to determine

13

compliance by the insurer with this article.

14

(d)  The powers of the department regarding supervisory

15

colleges include, but are not limited to, the following:

16

(1)  Initiating the establishment of a supervisory college.

17

(2)  Clarifying the membership and participation of other

18

supervisors in the supervisory college.

19

(3)  Clarifying the functions of the supervisory college and

20

the role of other regulators, including the establishment of a  

21

group supervisor.

22

(4)  Coordinating the ongoing activities of the supervisory

23

college, including planning meetings, supervisory activities and

24

processes for information sharing.

25

(5)  Establishing a crisis management plan.

26

(e)  The department may enter into agreements in accordance

27

with sections 1406.2, 1407 and Article II-A of the act of May

28

17, 1921 (P.L.789, No.285), known as "The Insurance Department

29

Act of 1921," to provide the basis for sharing information

30

between the department and other regulatory agencies. The

- 19 -

 


1

department may also enter into agreements to share information

2

and further coordinate the activities of the supervisory college

3

pursuant to this section. Nothing in this section shall delegate

4

to the supervisory college the authority of the department to

5

regulate or supervise the insurer or its affiliates within its

6

jurisdiction.

7

(f)  A registered insurer subject to this section shall be

8

liable for and shall pay the reasonable expenses of the

9

department's participation in a supervisory college, including

10

reasonable travel expenses.

11

Section 1406.2.  Group-wide Supervision for International

12

Insurance Groups.--(a)  (Reserved).

13

(b)  The department is authorized to act as the group-wide

14

supervisor for any international insurance group where the

15

international insurance group's ultimate controlling person is

16

domiciled in Pennsylvania. However, the department may otherwise

17

acknowledge another jurisdiction as the group-wide supervisor

18

where the international insurance group:

19

(1)  Does not have substantial insurance operations in the

20

United States.

21

(2)  Has substantial insurance operations in the United

22

States, but not in Pennsylvania.

23

(3)  Has substantial insurance operations in the United

24

States and Pennsylvania, but the department has determined

25

pursuant to the factors set forth in subsections (c)(1), (2),

26

(3), (4), (5), (6) and (7) and (f) that the other jurisdiction

27

is the appropriate group supervisor.

28

(c)  In cooperation with other supervisors, the department

29

may determine that it is the appropriate group-wide supervisor

30

for an international insurance group with substantial operations

- 20 -

 


1

concentrated in Pennsylvania or in insurance operations

2

conducted by subsidiary insurance companies domiciled in

3

Pennsylvania, where the ultimate controlling person is domiciled

4

outside Pennsylvania, or it may acknowledge that another chief

5

insurance regulatory official is the appropriate group-wide

6

supervisor for the international insurance group. The department

7

shall consider the following factors and the relative scale of

8

each when making a determination or acknowledgment under this

9

subsection:

10

(1)  The location where the international insurance group is

11

based or the place of domicile of the ultimate controlling

12

person of the international insurance group.

13

(2)  The locations of the international insurance group's

14

executive offices.

15

(3)  The locations of origin of the insurance business of the

16

international insurance group.

17

(4)  The locations of the assets and liabilities of the

18

international insurance group.

19

(5)  The locations of the business operations and activities

20

of the international insurance group.

21

(6)  Whether another chief insurance regulatory official is

22

acting or seeking to act as the lead group-wide supervisor under

23

a regulatory system that the department determines to be:

24

(i)  substantially similar to that provided under the laws of

25

this Commonwealth; or 

26

(ii)  otherwise sufficient in terms of provision of group-

27

wide supervision, enterprise risk analysis and cooperation with

28

other chief regulatory officials.

29

(7)  Whether a chief insurance regulatory official acting or

30

seeking to act as the lead group-wide supervisor provides the

- 21 -

 


1

department with reasonably reciprocal recognition and

2

cooperation.

3

(d)  Pursuant to section 1406, the department is authorized

4

to collect from any insurer registered pursuant to section 1404

5

all information necessary to determine whether the department

6

may act as the group-wide supervisor or if the department may

7

acknowledge another insurance regulatory official to act as the

8

group-wide supervisor. Prior to issuing a determination that an

9

international insurance group is subject to group-wide

10

supervision by the department, the department shall notify the

11

insurer registered pursuant to section 1404 and the ultimate

12

controlling person within the international insurance group. The

13

international insurance group shall have not less than thirty

14

(30) days to provide the department with additional information

15

pertinent to the pending determination. The department shall

16

publish in the Pennsylvania Bulletin and on its Internet website

17

the identity of international insurance groups that it has

18

determined are subject to its group-wide supervision.

19

(e)  If the department is the group-wide supervisor for an

20

international insurance group, the department is authorized to

21

engage in conducting and coordinating any of the following

22

group-wide supervision activities:

23

(1)  Assess the enterprise risks within the international

24

insurance group, pursuant to section 1406, to ensure that:

25

(i)  The material financial condition and liquidity risks to

26

the members of the international insurance group which are

27

engaged in the business of insurance are identified by

28

management.

29

(ii)  Reasonable and effective mitigation measures are in

30

place.

- 22 -

 


1

(2)  Request, from any member of an international insurance

2

group subject to the department's supervision, information

3

necessary and appropriate to assess enterprise risk, including,

4

but not limited to, information about the members of the

5

international insurance group regarding:

6

(i)  Governance, risk assessment and management.

7

(ii)  Capital adequacy.

8

(iii)  Material intercompany transactions.

9

(3)  Compel development and implementation of reasonable

10

measures designed to assure that the international insurance

11

group is able to timely recognize and mitigate material risks to

12

members that are engaged in the business of insurance.

13

(4)  Communicate with other insurance regulatory officials

14

for members within the international insurance group and share

15

relevant information subject to the confidentiality provisions

16

of section 1407, through supervisory colleges as set forth in

17

section 1406.1 or otherwise.

18

(5)  Enter into agreements with or obtain documentation from

19

any insurer registered under section 1404, any member of the

20

international insurance group and any other chief insurance

21

regulatory officials for members, providing the basis for or

22

otherwise clarifying the department's role as group supervisor,

23

including provisions for resolving disputes with other relevant

24

supervisory authorities. Such agreements or documentation shall

25

not serve as evidence in any proceeding that any insurer or

26

person within an insurance holding company system not

27

incorporated in this Commonwealth is doing business in this

28

Commonwealth or is otherwise subject to jurisdiction in this

29

Commonwealth.

30

(6)  Other group-wide supervisory activities as considered

- 23 -

 


1

appropriate by the department.

2

(f)  If the department acknowledges that a regulatory

3

official from a jurisdiction which is not accredited by the NAIC

4

is the group-wide supervisor, the department is authorized to

5

reasonably cooperate, through supervisory colleges or otherwise,

6

with group supervision undertaken by the group-wide supervisor,

7

provided that:

8

(1)  The department's cooperation is in compliance with the

9

laws of this Commonwealth.

10

(2)  The regulator also recognizes and cooperates with the

11

department's activities as a group-wide supervisor for other

12

international insurance groups where applicable. Where such

13

recognition and cooperation is not reasonably reciprocal, the

14

department is authorized to refuse recognition and cooperation.

15

(g)  The department is authorized to enter into agreements

16

with or obtain documentation from any insurer registered under

17

section 1404, any affiliate of the insurer and other regulatory

18

officials for members of the insurance group, which provide the

19

basis for or otherwise clarify a regulatory official's role as

20

group supervisor.

21

(h)  The department may promulgate regulations necessary for

22

the administration of this section. In determining whether a

23

regulation should be promulgated, the department shall give due

24

consideration to model laws, model regulations and definitions

25

or guidelines pertaining to group-wide supervision, if any,

26

promulgated by the NAIC or other recognized insurance regulatory

27

bodies or associations.

28

(i)  A registered insurer subject to this section shall be

29

liable for and shall pay the reasonable expenses of the

30

department's participation in the administration of this

- 24 -

 


1

section, including the engagement of attorneys, actuaries and

2

any other professionals and all reasonable travel expenses.

3

(j)  As used in this section, the following words and phrases

4

shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection unless

5

the context clearly indicates otherwise:

6

"Group-wide supervisor."  The chief insurance regulatory

7

official authorized to engage in conducting and coordinating

8

group-wide supervision activities who is from the jurisdiction

9

determined or acknowledged by the department under subsection

10

(c) to have sufficient significant contacts with the

11

international insurance group.

12

"International insurance group."  An insurance group

13

operating internationally that includes an insurer registered

14

under section 1404.

15

Section 8.  Sections 1407, 1408 and 1409(a), (b) and (c) of

16

the act, added December 18, 1992 (P.L.1519, No.178), are amended

17

to read:

18

Section 1407.  Confidential Treatment.--(a)  All information,

19

documents, materials and copies thereof in the possession or

20

control of the department that are produced by, obtained by or

21

disclosed to the department or any other person in the course of

22

an examination or investigation made pursuant to section 1406 or

23

investigation made pursuant to section 1406.1 or 1406.2 and all

24

information reported pursuant to sections 1402(b)(11.1) and

25

(11.2), 1404 and 1405 shall be privileged and given confidential

26

treatment and shall not be:

27

(1)  Subject to discovery or admissible in evidence in a

28

private civil action.

29

(2)  [subject] Subject to subpoena [and shall not be].

30

(3)  Subject to the act of February 14, 2008 (P.L.6, No.3),

- 25 -

 


1

known as the "Right-to-Know Law."

2

(4)  [made] Made public by the department or any other

3

person, except to [insurance departments of other states,] 

4

regulatory or law enforcement officials of other jurisdictions

5

or group supervisors or members of a supervisory college in

6

accordance with subsection (c), without the prior written

7

consent of the insurer to which it pertains unless the

8

department, after giving the insurer and its affiliates who

9

would be affected thereby notice and opportunity to be heard,

10

determines that the interest of policyholders, shareholders or

11

the public will be served by the publication thereof, in which

12

event it may publish all or any part thereof in such manner as

13

[he] it may deem appropriate.

14

(b)  The commissioner, department or any individual or person

15

who receives documents, materials or other information while

16

acting under the authority of the commissioner or department or

17

with whom such documents, materials or other information are

18

shared under this article shall not be permitted or required to

19

testify in any private civil action concerning any confidential

20

documents, materials or information covered under this section.

21

(c)  In order to assist in the performance of its duties, the

22

department may do any of the following:                                                                  

23

(1)  Share confidential and privileged documents, materials

24

or other information covered under this section with regulatory

25

or law enforcement officials of this Commonwealth or other

26

jurisdictions, the IAIS, the NAIC and its affiliates and

27

subsidiaries, group supervisors and members of any supervisory

28

college under section 1406.1, provided that prior to receiving

29

the documents, materials or other information, the recipient

30

demonstrates by written statement the necessary authority and

- 26 -

 


1

intent to provide the same confidential treatment to the

2

information as required by this article. The department may only

3

share confidential and privileged documents, materials or

4

information reported under section 1404(k.1) with state

5

insurance regulators having statutes or regulations

6

substantially similar to subsection (a) and who have agreed in

7

writing not to disclose such information.

8

(2)  Receive and maintain as confidential any documents,

9

materials or other information from the IAIS or the NAIC and its

10

affiliates and subsidiaries or from regulatory and law

11

enforcement officials of this Commonwealth or other

12

jurisdictions in which the documents, materials or other

13

information are confidential by law in those jurisdictions.

14

Documents, materials or other information obtained under this

15

section shall be given confidential treatment, may not be

16

subject to subpoena and may not be made public by the

17

department, commissioner or any other person.

18

(d)  The department shall enter into written agreements with

19

the IAIS or the NAIC governing the sharing and use of

20

information provided under this article, that include all of the

21

following:

22

(1)  Specific procedures and protocols regarding the

23

confidentiality and security of information shared with the IAIS

24

or the NAIC and its affiliates and subsidiaries under this

25

article, including procedures and protocols for sharing by the

26

IAIS or the NAIC with other Federal, state, or international

27

regulators.

28

(2)  Provisions specifying that ownership of information

29

shared with the IAIS or the NAIC and its affiliates and

30

subsidiaries under this article remains with the department and

- 27 -

 


1

that the use of the information by the IAIS or the NAIC is

2

subject to the approval of the department.

3

(3)  A provision providing that the IAIS or the NAIC and its

4

affiliates and subsidiaries will, where permitted by law, give

5

prompt notice to the department and the insurer regarding any

6

subpoena, request for disclosure or request for production of

7

the insurer's confidential information in the possession of the

8

IAIS or the NAIC under this article.

9

(4)  A requirement that the IAIS or the NAIC and its

10

affiliates and subsidiaries will consent to intervention by an

11

insurer in any judicial or administrative action in which the

12

IAIS or the NAIC and its affiliates and subsidiaries may be

13

required to disclose confidential information about the insurer

14

that was shared with the IAIS or the NAIC and its affiliates and

15

subsidiaries under this article.

16

(e)  The sharing of information by the department under this

17

article shall not constitute a delegation of regulatory

18

authority or rulemaking.

19

(f)  The department is solely responsible for the

20

administration, execution and enforcement of the provisions of

21

this article.

22

(g)  The sharing of information by the department as

23

authorized by subsection (c) shall not constitute a waiver of

24

any applicable privilege or claim of confidentiality in the

25

documents, materials or information.

26

(h)  Documents, materials or other information in the

27

possession or control of the IAIS or the NAIC as provided under

28

this article shall:

29

(1)  Be confidential and privileged.

30

(2)  Not be subject to the act of February 14, 2008 (P.L.6,

- 28 -

 


1

No.3), known as the "Right-to-Know Law."

2

(3)  Not be subject to subpoena.

3

(4)  Not be subject to discovery or admissible in evidence in

4

any private civil action.

5

Section 1408.  [Rules and] Regulations.--The department may,

6

in the manner provided by law, promulgate the [rules and] 

7

regulations, and may issue such orders as are necessary to carry

8

out this article.

9

Section 1409.  Injunctions and Certain Prohibitions.--(a)

10

Whenever it appears to the department that any insurer or any

11

director, officer, employe or agent thereof has committed or is

12

about to commit a violation of this article or of any [rule,] 

13

regulation or order issued by the department hereunder, the

14

department may apply to the Commonwealth Court for an order

15

enjoining such insurer or such director, officer, employe or

16

agent thereof from violating or continuing to violate this

17

article or any such [rule,] regulation or order, and for such

18

other equitable relief as the nature of the case and the

19

interest of the insurer's policyholders, creditors and

20

shareholders or the public may require.

21

(b)  No security which is the subject of any agreement or

22

arrangement regarding acquisition, or which is acquired or to be

23

acquired, in contravention of the provisions of this article or

24

of any [rule,] regulation or order issued by the department

25

hereunder may be voted at any shareholder's meeting, or may be

26

counted for quorum purposes, and any action of shareholders

27

requiring the affirmative vote of a percentage of shares may be

28

taken as though such securities were not issued and outstanding,

29

but no action taken at any such meeting shall be invalidated by

30

the voting of such securities unless the action would materially

- 29 -

 


1

affect control of the insurer or unless the courts of this

2

Commonwealth have so ordered. If an insurer or the department

3

has reason to believe that any security of the insurer has been

4

or is about to be acquired in contravention of the provisions of

5

this article or of any [rule,] regulation or order issued by the

6

department hereunder, the insurer or the department may apply to

7

the Commonwealth Court to enjoin any offer, request, invitation,

8

agreement or acquisition made in contravention of section 1402,

9

or any [rule,] regulation or order issued by the department

10

thereunder to enjoin the voting of any security so acquired, to

11

void any vote of such security already cast at any meeting of

12

shareholders and for such other equitable relief as the nature

13

of the case and the interest of the insurer's policyholders,

14

creditors and shareholders or the public may require.

15

(c)  In any case where a person has acquired or is proposing

16

to acquire any voting securities in violation of this article or

17

any [rule,] regulation or order issued by the department

18

hereunder, the Commonwealth Court may, on such notice as the

19

court deems appropriate, upon the application of the insurer or

20

the department seize or sequester any voting securities of the

21

insurer owned directly or indirectly by such person and issue

22

such order with respect thereto as may be appropriate to

23

effectuate the provisions of this article.

24

* * *

25

Section 9.  Section 1410(a) of the act, added December 18,

26

1992 (P.L.1519, No.178), is amended and the section is amended

27

by adding a subsection to read:

28

Section 1410.  Sanctions.--(a)  [Any insurer failing, without

29

just cause,] A person failing to file any registration statement

30

or any summary of the registration statement or enterprise risk

- 30 -

 


1

report as required [in] by this article or by regulation shall

2

be required[, after notice and hearing,] to pay a penalty not to

3

exceed [five hundred ($500)] two hundred ($200) dollars for each

4

day's delay. The maximum penalty under this section is twenty-

5

five thousand ($25,000) dollars. [The department may reduce the

6

penalty if the insurer demonstrates to the department that the

7

imposition of the penalty would constitute a financial hardship

8

to the insurer.]

9

* * *

10

(f)  Whenever it appears to the department that a person has

11

committed a violation of this article that prevents the full

12

understanding of the enterprise risk to the insurer by

13

affiliates or by the insurance holding company system, the

14

violation may serve as an independent basis for disapproving

15

dividends or distributions and for placing the insurer under an

16

order of supervision in accordance with section 511 of the act

17

of act of May 17, 1921 (P.L.789, No.285), known as "The

18

Insurance Department Act of 1921."

19

Section 10.  This act shall take effect as follows:

20

(1)  The addition of section 1404(k.1) of the act shall

21

take effect on January 1, 2013.

22

(2)  This section shall take effect immediately.

23

(3)  The remainder of this act shall take effect in 60

24

days.

- 31 -