PRINTER'S NO.  2058

  

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

  

SENATE BILL

 

No.

1464

Session of

2012

  

  

INTRODUCED BY D. WHITE AND STACK, MARCH 29, 2012

  

  

REFERRED TO BANKING AND INSURANCE, MARCH 29, 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 internationally

18

active 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

27

adding definitions to read:

 


1

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

2

the purposes of this article only, the following words and

3

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

4

* * *

5

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

6

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

7

"The Insurance Department Act of 1921."

8

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

9

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

10

to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies

11

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

12

by contract other than a commercial contract for goods or

13

nonmanagement services or otherwise, unless the power is the

14

result of an official position with or corporate office held by

15

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

16

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

17

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

18

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

19

shareholders would be entitled to cast in the election of

20

directors. This presumption may be rebutted by a showing that

21

control does not exist in fact. The Insurance Department may

22

determine, after furnishing all persons in interest notice and

23

opportunity to be heard and making specific findings of fact to

24

support such determination, that control exists in fact,

25

notwithstanding the absence of a presumption to that effect or

26

that another person has control.

27

* * *

28

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

29

series of events involving one or more affiliates of an insurer

30

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

- 2 -

 


1

adverse effect on the financial condition or liquidity of an

2

insurer or its insurance holding company system, including, but

3

not limited to, anything that would:

4

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

5

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

6

financial condition under:

7

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

8

known as "The Insurance Department Act of 1921."

9

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

10

insurers deemed to be in hazardous financial condition).

11

"IAIS."  The International Association of Insurance

12

Supervisors or successor organization.

13

* * *

14

"NAIC."  The National Association of Insurance Commissioners

15

or successor organization

16

* * *

17

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

18

States.

19

* * *

20

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

21

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

22

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

23

paragraphs to read:

24

Section 1402.  Acquisition of Control of or Merger or

25

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

26

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

27

shall include any person controlling a domestic insurer unless

28

such person as determined by the department is either directly

29

or through its affiliates primarily engaged in business other

30

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

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1

a preacquisition notification with the department containing the

2

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

3

prior to the proposed effective date of the acquisition. Failure

4

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

5

section, "person" shall not include any securities broker

6

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

7

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

8

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

9

of this section:

10

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

11

domestic insurer unless the department determines that the

12

person is primarily engaged in business other than the business

13

of insurance either directly or through its affiliates.

14

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

15

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

16

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

17

person that controls an insurer.

18

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

19

divest its controlling interest in the insurer in any manner

20

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

21

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

22

prior to the cessation of control except that notice under this

23

paragraph is not required if a statement is filed under

24

paragraph (1). The notice must contain information sufficient

25

for the department to determine if the proposed divestiture

26

requires filing and approval under paragraph (1). Information

27

obtained by or disclosed to the department under this paragraph

28

shall be given confidential treatment as provided under section

29

1407.

30

(4)  The acquiring person for transactions subject to this

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1

section must file a preacquisition notification as required

2

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

3

under section 1403(e)(3).

4

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

5

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

6

to the insurer, a rebuttal filing containing information

7

sufficient for the department to determine whether control

8

exists in fact. The filing is not effective unless the

9

department finds that control does not exist or accepts a

10

disclaimer of control. Information obtained by or disclosed to

11

the department under this subsection must be given confidential

12

treatment as provided under section 1407.

13

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

14

section shall be made under oath or affirmation and shall

15

contain the following information:

16

* * *

17

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

18

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

19

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

20

long as control exists.

21

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

22

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

23

subsidiaries within its control in the insurance holding company

24

system will provide information to the commissioner upon request

25

as necessary to evaluate enterprise risk to the insurer.

26

(12)  Such additional information as the department may by

27

[rule or] regulation prescribe as necessary or appropriate for

28

the protection of policyholders of the insurer or in the public

29

interest.

30

* * *

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1

(f)  * * *

2

(2.1)  If the proposed acquisition of control requires the

3

approval of more than one commissioner, the public hearing under

4

paragraph (2) may be held on a consolidated basis upon request

5

of the person filing the statement under subsection (a). He

6

shall file the statement under subsection (a) with the NAIC

7

within five (5) days of making the request for a public hearing.

8

A commissioner may opt out of a consolidated hearing, and shall

9

provide notice to the applicant of the decision to opt out

10

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

11

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

12

be public and held in the United States before the commissioners

13

of the states in which the insurers are domiciled. The

14

commissioners shall hear and receive evidence. A commissioner

15

may attend the hearing in person or participate using

16

telecommunication.

17

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

18

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

19

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

20

reasonably necessary to assist the department in reviewing the

21

proposed acquisition of control.

22

* * *

23

(h)  The following shall constitute a violation of this

24

section:

25

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

26

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

27

(2)  the effectuation or any attempt to effectuate an

28

acquisition of control of or divestiture of or merger or

29

consolidation with a domestic insurer unless the department has

30

given its approval thereto; or

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1

(3)  a violation of section 819-A.

2

* * *

3

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

4

shall mean the annual report of the financial condition required

5

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

6

examinations)] (Reserved)

7

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

8

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

9

Section 1403.  Acquisitions Involving Insurers not Otherwise

10

Covered.--* * *

11

(b)  * * *

12

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

13

* * *

14

(ii)  A purchase of securities solely for investment purposes

15

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

16

to cause or attempt to cause the substantial lessening of

17

competition in any insurance market in this Commonwealth. If a

18

purchase of securities results in a presumption of control as

19

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

20

not solely for investment purposes unless the [insurance

21

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

22

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

23

disclaimer of control or affirmatively finds that control does

24

not exist and such disclaimer action or affirmative finding is

25

communicated by the domiciliary insurance [department to the

26

Insurance Department of the Commonwealth] regulator to the

27

department.

28

* * *

29

(vii)  An acquisition of an insurer whose domiciliary

30

insurance [department] regulator affirmatively finds that such

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1

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

2

alternative to improving such condition; the public benefits of

3

improving such insurer's condition through the acquisition

4

exceed the public benefits that would arise from not lessening

5

competition; and such findings are communicated by the

6

domiciliary insurance [department to the Insurance Department of

7

the Commonwealth] regulator to the department.

8

* * *

9

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

10

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

11

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

12

adding paragraphs and the section is amended by adding a

13

subsection to read:

14

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

15

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

16

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

17

subject to registration, and annually thereafter by the thirty-

18

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

19

unless the department for good cause shown extends the time for

20

registration, and then within such extended time. The department

21

may require any insurer authorized to do business in this

22

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

23

company system and which is not subject to registration under

24

this section to furnish a copy of the registration statement,

25

the summary specified in subsection (c) or other information

26

filed by such insurance company with the insurance regulatory

27

authority of its domiciliary jurisdiction.

28

(b)  Every insurer subject to registration shall file the

29

registration statement with the department on a form and in a

30

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

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1

following current information:

2

* * *

3

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

4

include financial statements of an insurance holding company

5

system, including its affiliates. Financial statements may

6

include, but are not limited to:

7

(i)  annual audited financial statements filed with the SEC

8

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

9

U.S.C. § 77a et seq.); or

10

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

11

U.S.C. § 78a et seq.).

12

An insurer required to file financial statements under this

13

paragraph may satisfy the request by providing the department

14

with the most recent parent corporation financial statements

15

filed with the SEC.

16

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

17

oversees corporate governance and internal controls and that the

18

insurer's officers or senior management have approved,

19

implemented and continue to maintain and monitor corporate

20

governance and internal control procedures.

21

* * *

22

(6)  Other necessary or appropriate information as required

23

by the department by regulation.

24

* * *

25

(d)  No information need be disclosed on the registration

26

statement filed pursuant to subsection (b) if such information

27

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

28

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

29

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

30

investments or guarantees involving one-half of one per centum

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1

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

2

first day of December next preceding shall not be deemed

3

material for purposes of this section.

4

* * *

5

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

6

insurer, information or transaction if and to the extent that

7

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

8

same from the provisions of this section.

9

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

10

affiliation with any authorized insurer or such a disclaimer may

11

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

12

company system. The disclaimer shall fully disclose all material

13

relationships and bases for affiliation between such person and

14

such insurer as well as the basis for disclaiming such

15

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

16

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

17

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

18

such person unless and until the department disallows such a

19

disclaimer. The department shall disallow such a disclaimer only

20

after furnishing all parties in interest with notice and

21

opportunity to be heard and after making specific findings of

22

fact to support such disallowance] A disclaimer of affiliation

23

is deemed granted unless the department notifies the filing

24

party the disclaimer is disallowed within thirty (30) days

25

following receipt of a complete disclaimer. In the event of

26

disallowance, the disclaiming party may request an

27

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

28

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

29

granted. If the commissioner approves the disclaimer or if the

30

disclaimer is deemed approved, the disclaiming party is relieved

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1

of the duty to register under this section.

2

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

3

subject to registration shall also file an annual enterprise

4

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

5

controlling person's knowledge and belief, identify the material

6

risks within the insurance holding company system that could

7

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

8

with the lead state regulator of the insurance holding company

9

system as determined by the procedures within the Financial

10

Analysis Handbook adopted by the NAIC.

11

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

12

summary of the registration statement [thereto] or enterprise

13

risk report required by this section within the time specified

14

for such filing shall be a violation of this section.

15

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

16

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

17

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

18

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

19

paragraph to read:

20

Section 1405.  Standards and Management of an Insurer within

21

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

22

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

23

insurer subject to registration is a party shall be subject to

24

all of the following standards:

25

(i)  The terms shall be fair and reasonable.

26

(ii)  Charges or fees for services performed shall be

27

reasonable.

28

(iii)  Expenses incurred and payment received shall be

29

allocated to the insurer in conformity with customary insurance

30

accounting practices consistently applied and all cost-sharing

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1

or expense allocation arrangements must be formalized in writing

2

and authorized by the board of directors of the domestic

3

insurer.

4

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

5

such transactions shall be so maintained as to clearly and

6

accurately disclose the nature and details of the transactions,

7

including such accounting information as is necessary to support

8

the reasonableness of the charges or fees to the respective

9

parties.

10

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

11

material transaction with an affiliate and after any dividends

12

or distributions to shareholder affiliates shall be reasonable

13

in relation to the insurer's outstanding liabilities and

14

adequate to its financial needs.

15

(2)  The following transactions involving a domestic insurer

16

and any person in its insurance holding company system,

17

including an amendment or modification of affiliate agreements

18

previously filed under this section that are subject to

19

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

20

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

21

has notified the department in writing of its intention to enter

22

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

23

such shorter period as the department may permit and the

24

department has not disapproved it within such period:

25

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

26

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

27

be received by the domestic insurer as contributions to its

28

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

29

next preceding, such transactions are equal to or exceed the

30

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

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1

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

2

surplus as regards policyholders. 

3

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

4

an affiliate, where the insurer makes such loans or extensions

5

of credit with the agreement or understanding that the proceeds

6

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

7

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

8

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

9

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

10

the thirty-first day of December next preceding, such

11

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

12

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

13

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

14

policyholders.

15

(iii)  Reinsurance agreements or modifications thereto [where

16

either], including:

17

(A)  [the reinsurance premium] agreements where the

18

reinsurance premium or the projected reinsurance premium in any

19

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

20

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

21

policyholders as of the thirty-first day of December next

22

preceding; [or]

23

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

24

or any transfer of assets required to fund the transaction in

25

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

26

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

27

policyholders as of the thirty-first day of December next

28

preceding, including those agreements which may require as

29

consideration the transfer of assets from an insurer to a

30

nonaffiliate, if an agreement or understanding exists between

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1

the insurer and nonaffiliate that any portion of such assets

2

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

3

Nothing in this paragraph shall affect or limit the requirements

4

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

5

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

6

the Insurance Commissioner by domestic insurance companies,

7

associations, or exchanges, of certain conveyances of interests

8

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

9

or

10

(C)  reinsurance pooling agreements.

11

(iv)  Any material transactions, specified by regulation,

12

which the department determines may adversely affect the

13

interests of the insurer's policyholders.

14

(v)  Management agreements, service contracts, tax allocation

15

agreements, guarantees and cost-sharing arrangements.

16

The notice for amendments or modifications must include the

17

reasons for the change and the financial impact on the domestic

18

insurer.

19

Nothing in this paragraph shall be deemed to authorize or permit

20

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

21

of the same holding company system, would be otherwise contrary

22

to law. 

23

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

24

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

25

domestic insurer shall provide notice of the termination to the

26

department.

27

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

28

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

29

within the insurance holding company system if the purpose of

30

those separate transactions is to avoid the statutory threshold

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1

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

2

the department determines that such separate transactions were

3

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

4

may exercise its authority under section 1410.

5

* * *

6

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

7

dividend to its [stockholders] shareholders until:

8

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

9

written notice from the insurer of the declaration of the

10

dividend and has not within such period disapproved the payment;

11

or

12

(ii)  the commissioner shall have approved the payment within

13

such thirty-day period.

14

* * *

15

(c)  * * *

16

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

17

not apply to a domestic insurer if the person controlling such

18

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

19

in fact for a reciprocal exchange, a mutual insurance holding

20

company or a publicly held corporation having a board of

21

directors and committees thereof which already meet the

22

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

23

* * *

24

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

25

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

26

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

27

contained in this section and in addition to the powers which

28

the department has under law relating to the examination of

29

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

30

insurer registered under section 1404 to produce such records,

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1

books or other information papers in the possession of the

2

insurer or its affiliates as are reasonably necessary to

3

ascertain the financial condition of such insurer or to

4

determine compliance with this article. In the event an insurer

5

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

6

power to examine affiliates to obtain this information.] examine

7

an insurer registered under section 1404 and its affiliates to

8

ascertain the financial condition of the insurer, including the

9

enterprise risk to the insurer by:

10

(1)  the ultimate controlling person;

11

(2)  an entity or combination of entities within the

12

insurance holding company system; or

13

(3)  the insurance holding company system on a consolidated

14

basis.

15

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

16

section 1404 to produce records, books or other information

17

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

18

reasonably necessary to ascertain the financial condition of the

19

insurer or to determine compliance with this article. To

20

ascertain the financial condition of the insurer, including the

21

enterprise risk to the insurer by:

22

(1)  the ultimate controlling person;

23

(2)  an entity or combination of entities within the

24

insurance holding company system; or

25

(3)  the insurance holding company system on a consolidated

26

basis,

27

the department may order an insurer registered under section

28

1404 to produce information not in the possession of the insurer

29

if the insurer can obtain access to the information under a

30

contractual relationship, a statutory obligation or other

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1

method. If the insurer may not obtain the information requested

2

by the department, the insurer shall provide the department a

3

detailed explanation of the reason the insurer may not obtain

4

the information and the identity of the holder of information.

5

If the insurer fails to comply with this subsection or the

6

department determines that the detailed explanation is without

7

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

8

license or require the insurer to pay an administrative penalty

9

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

10

is produced. The proceeding for suspension, revocation or

11

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

12

(relating to administrative law and procedure).

13

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

14

expense such attorneys, actuaries, accountants and other experts

15

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

16

reasonably necessary to assist in the conduct of the examination

17

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

18

persons so retained shall be under the direction and control of

19

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

20

capacity.

21

(c)  Each registered insurer producing for examination

22

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

23

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

24

pay the expense of such examination as provided for in Article

25

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

26

Insurance Department Act of one thousand nine hundred and

27

twenty-one."

28

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

29

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

30

insurer's affiliates to obtain the information necessary to

- 17 -

 


1

determine an insurer's compliance with this section. The

2

department also has the power to:

3

(1)  issue subpoenas;

4

(2)  administer oaths; and

5

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

6

to determining compliance with this section.

7

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

8

department may petition a court of competent jurisdiction and,

9

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

10

witness to appear and testify or produce documentary evidence.

11

Failure to obey the court order shall be punishable as contempt

12

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

13

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

14

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

15

this Commonwealth. Fees, mileage and expense necessarily

16

incurred in securing the attendance and testimony of witnesses

17

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

18

examined.

19

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

20

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

21

college may be convened as a temporary or permanent forum for

22

communication and cooperation between the regulators charged

23

with the supervision of the insurer or its affiliates.

24

(b)  The department may participate in a supervisory college

25

with other regulators charged with supervision of the insurer or

26

its affiliates, including international, Federal and other state

27

regulatory agencies, for any of the following reasons:

28

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

29

regulatory and financial position, risk exposure, risk

30

management and governance processes of the insurer or its

- 18 -

 


1

affiliates.

2

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

3

accordance with section 1406.

4

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

5

supervisory college for a domestic insurer, registered under

6

section 1404, that is part of an insurance holding company

7

system with international operations in order to determine

8

compliance by the insurer with this article.

9

(d)  The powers of the department regarding supervisory

10

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

11

(1)  Initiating the establishment of a supervisory college.

12

(2)  Clarifying the membership and participation of other

13

supervisors in the supervisory college.

14

(3)  Clarifying the functions of the supervisory college and

15

the role of other regulators, including the establishment of a

16

group-wide supervisor.

17

(4)  Coordinating the ongoing activities of the supervisory

18

college, including planning meetings, supervisory activities and

19

processes for information sharing.

20

(5)  Establishing a crisis management plan.

21

(e)  The department may enter into agreements in accordance

22

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

23

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

24

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

25

between the department and other regulatory agencies. The

26

department may also enter into agreements to share information

27

and further coordinate the activities of the supervisory college

28

pursuant to this section. Nothing in this section shall delegate

29

to the supervisory college the authority of the department to

30

regulate or supervise the insurer or its affiliates within its

- 19 -

 


1

jurisdiction.

2

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

3

liable for and shall pay the reasonable expenses of the

4

department's participation in a supervisory college, including

5

reasonable travel expenses.

6

Section 1406.2.  Group-wide Supervision for Internationally

7

Active Insurance Groups.--(a)  (Reserved).

8

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

9

supervisor for any internationally active insurance group.

10

(c)  The department may determine that it is an appropriate

11

group-wide supervisor for an internationally active insurance

12

group or it may acknowledge that another chief insurance

13

regulatory official is an appropriate group-wide supervisor for

14

the internationally active insurance group. The relevant factors

15

to be considered by the department when making a determination

16

or acknowledgment under this subsection include:

17

(1)  The place of legal residence of the ultimate controlling

18

person of the internationally active insurance group.

19

(2)  The place of origin of the insurance business of the

20

members within the internationally active insurance group.

21

(3)  The location of the capital supporting the operations of

22

the internationally active insurance group.

23

(4)  The location of the insurance business operations

24

supporting the internationally active insurance group.

25

(5)  The location of employees of the insurance business

26

operations within the internationally active insurance group.

27

(6)  Whether another chief insurance regulatory official is

28

acting or seeking to act as lead group supervisor under a

29

regulatory system that the commissioner determines to be:

30

(i)  substantially equivalent to that provided under the laws

- 20 -

 


1

of this Commonwealth; or 

2

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

3

wide supervision, enterprise risk analysis and cooperation with

4

other chief regulatory officials.

5

(7)  Whether a chief insurance regulatory official acting or

6

seeking to act as lead group supervisor provides the department

7

with mutual equivalency or sufficiency recognition.

8

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

9

to collect from any insurer registered pursuant to section 1404

10

all information necessary to determine whether the department

11

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

12

acknowledge another insurance regulatory official to act as the

13

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

14

internationally active insurance group is subject to group-wide

15

supervision by the department, the department shall notify the

16

insurer registered pursuant to section 1404 and the ultimate

17

controlling person within the internationally active insurance

18

group. The internationally active insurance group shall have not

19

less than thirty (30) days to provide the department with

20

additional information pertinent to the pending determination.

21

The department shall publish in the Pennsylvania Bulletin and on

22

its Internet website the identity of internationally active

23

insurance groups that it has determined are subject to its

24

group-wide supervision.

25

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

26

internationally active insurance group, the department is

27

authorized to engage in conducting and coordinating any of the

28

following group-wide supervision activities:

29

(1)  Assess the enterprise risks within the internationally

30

active insurance group, pursuant to section 1406, to ensure

- 21 -

 


1

that:

2

(i)  The material financial condition and liquidity risks to

3

the members of the internationally active insurance group which

4

are engaged in the business of insurance are identified by

5

management.

6

(ii)  Reasonable and effective mitigation measures are in

7

place.

8

(2)  Request, from any member of an internationally active

9

insurance group subject to the department's supervision,

10

information necessary and appropriate to assess enterprise risk,

11

including, but not limited to, information about the members of

12

the internationally active insurance group regarding:

13

(i)  Governance, risk assessment and management.

14

(ii)  Capital adequacy.

15

(iii)  Material intercompany transactions.

16

(3)  Compel development and implementation of reasonable

17

measures designed to assure that the internationally active

18

insurance group is able to timely recognize and mitigate

19

material risks to members that are engaged in the business of

20

insurance.

21

(4)  Communicate with other insurance regulatory officials

22

for members within the internationally active insurance group,

23

and share relevant information subject to the confidentiality

24

provisions of section 1407, through supervisory colleges as set

25

forth in section 1406.1 or otherwise.

26

(5)  Enter into agreements with or obtain documentation from

27

any insurer registered under section 1404, any member of the

28

internationally active insurance group, and any other chief

29

insurance regulatory officials for members, providing the basis

30

for or otherwise clarifying the department's role as group

- 22 -

 


1

supervisor, including provisions for resolving disputes with

2

other relevant supervisory authorities. Such agreements or

3

documentation shall not serve as evidence in any proceeding that

4

any insurer or person within an insurance holding company system

5

not incorporated in this Commonwealth is doing business in this

6

Commonwealth or is otherwise subject to jurisdiction in this

7

Commonwealth.

8

(6)  Other group-wide supervisory activities as considered

9

appropriate by the department.

10

(f)  If the department acknowledges that a regulatory

11

official from a jurisdiction which is not accredited by the NAIC

12

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

13

reasonably cooperate, through supervisory colleges or otherwise,

14

with group supervision undertaken by the group-wide supervisor,

15

provided that:

16

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

17

laws of this Commonwealth.

18

(2)  The regulator also recognizes and cooperates with the

19

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

20

internationally active insurance groups where applicable. Where

21

such recognition and cooperation is not reasonably reciprocal,

22

the department is authorized to refuse recognition and

23

cooperation.

24

(g)  The department is authorized to enter into agreements

25

with or obtain documentation from any insurer registered under

26

section 1404, any affiliate of the insurer and other regulatory

27

officials for members of the insurance group, which provide the

28

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

29

group supervisor.

30

(h)  The department may promulgate regulations necessary for

- 23 -

 


1

the administration of this section. In determining whether a

2

regulation should be promulgated, the department shall give due

3

consideration to model laws, model regulations and definitions

4

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

5

promulgated by the NAIC or other recognized insurance regulatory

6

bodies or associations.

7

(i)  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 the administration of this

10

section, including the engagement of attorneys, actuaries and

11

any other professionals and all reasonable travel expenses.

12

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

13

shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection unless

14

the context clearly indicates otherwise:

15

"Group-wide supervisor."  The chief insurance regulatory

16

official authorized to engage in conducting and coordinating

17

group-wide supervision activities who is from the jurisdiction

18

determined or acknowledged by the department under subsection

19

(c) to have sufficient significant contacts with the

20

internationally active insurance group.

21

"Internationally active insurance group."  An insurance

22

holding company system that includes an insurer registered under

23

section 1404 and one or more affiliates engaged in the business

24

of insurance that are domiciled or operating outside of a

25

jurisdiction accredited by NAIC.

26

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

27

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

28

to read:

29

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

30

documents, materials and copies thereof in the possession or

- 24 -

 


1

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

2

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

3

an examination or investigation made pursuant to section 1406 or

4

investigation made pursuant to section 1406.1 or 1406.2 and all

5

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

6

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

7

treatment and shall not be:

8

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

9

private civil action.

10

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

11

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

12

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

13

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

14

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

15

regulatory or law enforcement officials of other jurisdictions

16

or group supervisors or members of a supervisory college in

17

accordance with subsection (c), without the prior written

18

consent of the insurer to which it pertains unless the

19

department, after giving the insurer and its affiliates who

20

would be affected thereby notice and opportunity to be heard,

21

determines that the interest of policyholders, shareholders or

22

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

23

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

24

[he] it may deem appropriate.

25

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

26

who receives documents, materials or other information while

27

acting under the authority of the commissioner or department or

28

with whom such documents, materials or other information are

29

shared under this article shall not be permitted or required to

30

testify in any private civil action concerning any confidential

- 25 -

 


1

documents, materials or information covered under this section.

2

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

3

department may do any of the following:                                                                  

4

(1)  Share confidential and privileged documents, materials

5

or other information covered under this section with regulatory

6

or law enforcement officials of this Commonwealth or other

7

jurisdictions, the IAIS, the NAIC and its affiliates and

8

subsidiaries, group supervisors and members of any supervisory

9

college under section 1406.1, provided that prior to receiving

10

the documents, materials or other information, the recipient

11

demonstrates by written statement the necessary authority and

12

intent to provide the same confidential treatment to the

13

information as required by this article. The department may only

14

share confidential and privileged documents, materials or

15

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

16

insurance regulators having statutes or regulations

17

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

18

writing not to disclose such information.

19

(2)  Receive and maintain as confidential any documents,

20

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

21

affiliates and subsidiaries or from regulatory and law

22

enforcement officials of this Commonwealth or other

23

jurisdictions in which the documents, materials or other

24

information are confidential by law in those jurisdictions.

25

Documents, materials or other information obtained under this

26

section shall be given confidential treatment, may not be

27

subject to subpoena and may not be made public by the

28

department, commissioner or any other person.

29

(d)  The department shall enter into written agreements with

30

the IAIS or the NAIC governing the sharing and use of

- 26 -

 


1

information provided under this article, that include all of the

2

following:

3

(1)  Specific procedures and protocols regarding the

4

confidentiality and security of information shared with the IAIS

5

or the NAIC and its affiliates and subsidiaries under this

6

article, including procedures and protocols for sharing by the

7

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

8

regulators.

9

(2)  Provisions specifying that ownership of information

10

shared with the IAIS or the NAIC and its affiliates and

11

subsidiaries under this article remains with the department and

12

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

13

subject to the approval of the department.

14

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

15

affiliates and subsidiaries will, where permitted by law, give

16

prompt notice to the department and the insurer regarding any

17

subpoena, request for disclosure or request for production of

18

the insurer's confidential information in the possession of the

19

IAIS or the NAIC under this article.

20

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

21

affiliates and subsidiaries will consent to intervention by an

22

insurer in any judicial or administrative action in which the

23

IAIS or the NAIC and its affiliates and subsidiaries may be

24

required to disclose confidential information about the insurer

25

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

26

subsidiaries under this article.

27

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

28

article shall not constitute a delegation of regulatory

29

authority or rulemaking.

30

(f)  The department is solely responsible for the

- 27 -

 


1

administration, execution and enforcement of the provisions of

2

this article.

3

(g)  The sharing of information by the department as

4

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

5

any applicable privilege or claim of confidentiality in the

6

documents, materials or information.

7

(h)  Documents, materials or other information in the

8

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

9

this article shall:

10

(1)  Be confidential and privileged.

11

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

12

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

13

(3)  Not be subject to subpoena.

14

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

15

any private civil action.

16

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

17

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

18

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

19

out this article.

20

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

21

Whenever it appears to the department that any insurer or any

22

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

23

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

24

regulation or order issued by the department hereunder, the

25

department may apply to the Commonwealth Court for an order

26

enjoining such insurer or such director, officer, employe or

27

agent thereof from violating or continuing to violate this

28

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

29

other equitable relief as the nature of the case and the

30

interest of the insurer's policyholders, creditors and

- 28 -

 


1

shareholders or the public may require.

2

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

3

arrangement regarding acquisition, or which is acquired or to be

4

acquired, in contravention of the provisions of this article or

5

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

6

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

7

counted for quorum purposes, and any action of shareholders

8

requiring the affirmative vote of a percentage of shares may be

9

taken as though such securities were not issued and outstanding,

10

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

11

the voting of such securities unless the action would materially

12

affect control of the insurer or unless the courts of this

13

Commonwealth have so ordered. If an insurer or the department

14

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

15

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

16

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

17

department hereunder, the insurer or the department may apply to

18

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

19

agreement or acquisition made in contravention of section 1402,

20

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

21

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

22

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

23

shareholders and for such other equitable relief as the nature

24

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

25

creditors and shareholders or the public may require.

26

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

27

to acquire any voting securities in violation of this article or

28

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

29

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

30

court deems appropriate, upon the application of the insurer or

- 29 -

 


1

the department seize or sequester any voting securities of the

2

insurer owned directly or indirectly by such person and issue

3

such order with respect thereto as may be appropriate to

4

effectuate the provisions of this article.

5

* * *

6

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

7

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

8

by adding a subsection to read:

9

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

10

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

11

or any summary of the registration statement or enterprise risk

12

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

13

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

14

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

15

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

16

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

17

penalty if the insurer demonstrates to the department that the

18

imposition of the penalty would constitute a financial hardship

19

to the insurer.]

20

* * *

21

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

22

committed a violation of this article that prevents the full

23

understanding of the enterprise risk to the insurer by

24

affiliates or by the insurance holding company system, the

25

violation may serve as an independent basis for disapproving

26

dividends or distributions and for placing the insurer under an

27

order of supervision in accordance with section 511 of the act

28

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

29

Insurance Department Act of 1921."

30

Section 10.  This act shall take effect as follows:

- 30 -

 


1

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

2

take effect on January 1, 2013.

3

(2)  This section shall take effect immediately.

4

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

5

days.

- 31 -