Virginia Law

A. No insurer shall permit a person to act, and no person shall act, as a reinsurance intermediary broker in this Commonwealth if the reinsurance intermediary broker maintains an office either directly or as a member or employee of a firm or association, or an officer, director or employee of a corporation:

1. In this Commonwealth, unless such reinsurance intermediary broker is a licensed reinsurance intermediary in this Commonwealth; or

2. In another state, unless such reinsurance intermediary broker is a licensed reinsurance intermediary in this Commonwealth or in another state having a law substantially similar to this law.

B. No insurer shall permit a person to act, and no person shall act, as a reinsurance intermediary manager:

1. For a reinsurer domiciled in this Commonwealth, unless such reinsurance intermediary manager is a licensed reinsurance intermediary in this Commonwealth;

2. In this Commonwealth, if the reinsurance intermediary manager maintains an office either directly or as a member or employee of a firm or association, or an officer, director or employee of a corporation in this Commonwealth, unless such reinsurance intermediary manager is a licensed reinsurance intermediary in this Commonwealth; or

3. In another state for an insurer not domiciled in this Commonwealth, unless such reinsurance intermediary manager is a licensed reinsurance intermediary in this Commonwealth or in another state having a law substantially similar to this law.

C. The Commission may require a reinsurance intermediary manager to:

1. Be bonded in a manner acceptable to the Commission for the protection of the reinsurer and to provide a certification or attestation that such bond is in effect as a prerequisite to license issuance or renewal; and

2. Maintain an errors and omissions policy that is acceptable to the Commission and to provide a certification or attestation that such policy is in effect as a prerequisite to license issuance or renewal.

D. The Commission may issue a reinsurance intermediary license to any individual or business entity who has complied with the requirements of this article. Any such license issued to a business entity will authorize all the members of such business entity and any designated officers, directors or employees to act as reinsurance intermediaries under the license, and all such persons shall be named in the application and any supplements thereto.

E. Except where prohibited by state or federal law, by submitting an application for license, the applicant shall be deemed to have appointed the clerk of the Commission as the agent for service of process on the applicant in any action or proceeding arising in this Commonwealth out of or in connection with the exercise of the license. Such appointment of the clerk of the Commission as agent for service of process shall be irrevocable during the period within which a cause of action against the applicant may arise out of transactions with respect to subjects of insurance in this Commonwealth. Service of process on the clerk of the Commission shall conform to the provisions of Chapter 8 (§ 38.2-800 et seq.) of this title. An applicant for a reinsurance intermediary license also shall furnish the clerk of the Commission with the name and address of a resident of this Commonwealth upon whom notices or orders of the Commission or process affecting such reinsurance intermediary may be served. Such licensee shall promptly notify the clerk of the Commission in writing of every change in its designated agent for service of process, and such change shall not become effective until acknowledged by the Commission.

F. The Commission may refuse to issue a reinsurance intermediary license, subject to the right of the applicant to demand a hearing on the application, if the Commission believes the applicant, any person named on the application, or any member, principal, officer or director of the applicant, is not trustworthy; that any controlling person of such applicant is not trustworthy to act as a reinsurance intermediary; or that any of the foregoing has given cause for revocation or suspension of such license or has failed to comply with any prerequisite for the issuance of such license.

G. Residents of Virginia who are members of the Virginia State Bar when acting in their professional capacity as such shall be exempt from the requirements of this section.

H. Any person seeking to be licensed as a reinsurance intermediary in this Commonwealth shall apply for such license in a form acceptable to the Commission, and shall pay to the Commission a nonrefundable application fee in an amount prescribed by the Commission. Such fee shall be not less than $500 and not more than $1,000. Every licensed reinsurance intermediary shall pay to the Commission a nonrefundable biennial renewal fee in an amount prescribed by the Commission. Such fee shall be not less than $500 and not more than $1,000. Between May 1 and June 1 of the renewal year, each licensed reinsurance intermediary shall submit to the Commission a renewal application and fee in the manner and form prescribed by the Commission. All fees shall be collected by the Commission and paid into the state treasury and placed to the credit of the fund for the maintenance of the Bureau of Insurance as provided in subsection B of § 38.2-400. Each license and renewed license shall expire on June 30 of the appropriate year.

I. Any person seeking to be licensed as a reinsurance intermediary in this Commonwealth shall observe and abide by the laws of this Commonwealth and submit with its license application the following:

1. A statement identifying its principal place of business, organizational structure, and other such information as the Commission may require to verify that the reinsurance intermediary is qualified under the definition of this article;

2. A copy of its plan of operations;

3. A copy of its current financial statement, which shall be certified by an independent public accountant and in a form acceptable to the Commission; and

4. Such information or reports as may be required to verify its continuing qualification as a reinsurance intermediary.

2001, c. 706.