Virginia Law

Article 7. Deposits.

A. Except as otherwise provided in this title, before the Commission issues a license to transact the business of insurance in this Commonwealth to any insurer, that insurer shall deposit with the State Treasurer securities that (i) are legal investments under the laws of this Commonwealth for public sinking funds or for other public funds, (ii) are not in default as to principal or interest, (iii) have a current market value of not less than $50,000 nor more than $500,000, and (iv) are issued pursuant to a system of book-entry evidencing ownership interests of the securities with transfers of ownership interests effected on the records of a depository and its participants pursuant to rules and procedures established by the depository.

B. The Commission may require a reasonable amount of additional deposits in securities that meet the requirements of clauses (i), (ii) and (iv) of subsection A of this section, whenever the Commission determines that the insurer's financial condition, method of operation, or manner of doing business is such that the Commission is not satisfied that it can meet its obligations to all policyholders.

C. Neither the deposit referred to in this section nor the alternate deposit permitted by § 38.2-1049 shall be required of (i) any mutual assessment property and casualty insurance company, (ii) any fraternal benefit society, or (iii) any insurer transacting exclusively an ocean marine business in this Commonwealth.

D. Any insurer which on June 30, 1991, instead of the deposit of securities required by subsection A, has entered into a bond with surety, approved by the Commission, with any conditions the Commission requires, shall have until the next renewal, anniversary, or expiration date of such bond, or until June 30, 1992, whichever comes first, to comply with the deposit provisions of subsection A. The surety shall be licensed in this Commonwealth to transact the business of suretyship and shall not be directly or indirectly under the same ownership or management as the principal on the bond.

E. Every insurer subject to the provisions of this section having physical securities deposited with the State Treasurer on or before June 30, 1992, shall comply with the provisions of clause (iv) in subsection A not later than January 1, 1993.

Code 1950, § 38-39; 1952, c. 317, § 38.1-108; 1956, c. 234; 1960, c. 558; 1964, c. 605; 1973, c. 178; 1975, c. 556; 1986, c. 562; 1991, c. 261; 1992, c. 14.

A. An insurer's deposits required by § 38.2-1045 shall be held as a special fund in trust for the insurer's liabilities which are incurred or which may be incurred as a result of a loss sustained by (i) this Commonwealth or any of its political subdivisions, (ii) any citizen or inhabitant of this Commonwealth, or (iii) any other person owning property in this Commonwealth, when the insurer fails to meet its obligations incurred in this Commonwealth. Policyholders, without preference, shall have a lien on the deposits for the amounts due or which may become due as a result of any failure of the insurer to meet its obligations. General creditors, without preference, shall be entitled to have a similar lien on the deposits which shall be subordinate to the claims of the policyholders.

B. Whenever any such insurer becomes insolvent or bankrupt, or makes an assignment for the benefit of its creditors, any person given a lien by this section may file a bill in the Circuit Court of the City of Richmond for the benefit of himself and all others given a lien by this section to subject such securities as may be on deposit with the State Treasurer or its agent to the payment of the liens thereon. The State Treasurer shall be made a party to such suit and a copy of such bill shall be served upon the Commissioner of Insurance as if he were a party to such suit. The funds shall be distributed by the court.

Code 1950, § 38-50; 1952, c. 317, § 38.1-110; 1981, c. 208; 1986, c. 562; 1988, c. 298; 1992, c. 20; 1995, c. 60.

A. This section shall apply only where:

1. The insurer has failed to pay any of its liabilities after the liabilities have been ascertained (i) by any agreement of the parties binding the insurer, or (ii) by judgment, order or decree of a court of competent jurisdiction which has not been appealed, superseded or stayed; and

2. The provisions of subsection B of § 38.2-1046 are not applicable.

B. Upon application of the person to whom the debt or money is due and after giving notice as provided in subsection C of this section, the State Treasurer shall (i) sell an amount of securities with accrued interest that provides sufficient funds to pay the sums due and the expenses of the sale and (ii) pay the sums due and expenses out of the available funds. This shall be subject to the approval of the Commission.

C. The State Treasurer shall give the insurer or its agent ten days' notice, either by mail or personally, of the time and place of the sale. The sale shall be advertised daily for ten days in a newspaper of general circulation published in the City of Richmond.

D. The insurer shall immediately make good any deficit in its deposit resulting from a sale. The State Treasurer shall report to the Commission in writing (i) the amount and kind of securities sold in accordance with the provisions of this section and (ii) the amount and kind of securities deposited to make good the deficit.

Code 1950, § 38-49; 1950, p. 996; 1952, c. 317, § 38.1-111; 1986, c. 562; 1988, c. 298.

A. The Commission, at its discretion, may direct the State Treasurer to return to any insurer all or a part of the deposit made by it under § 38.2-1045 if the insurer (i) has complied with § 38.2-1049, or (ii) has ceased to transact business in this Commonwealth. In the case of the latter, the fixed or contingent liabilities secured by the deposit shall have been satisfied or terminated or shall have been assumed by another insurer licensed to transact the business of insurance in this Commonwealth. If the Commission finds that any voluntary deposit of any insurer made under § 38.2-1050 no longer is required in whole or in part to comply with the laws of this or any other state, it may to such extent direct the return of that deposit. The Commission, before directing the return of any deposit, may require evidence it considers satisfactory that the insurer is entitled to the return of all or part of the deposit.

B. Notwithstanding the provisions in § 38.2-1046 and subsection A of this section, if an insurer domiciled in this Commonwealth is placed in receivership, and a receiver is appointed, pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 15 (§ 38.2-1500 et seq.) of this title, the Commission shall direct the State Treasurer to return any deposit made with it by the insurer to such receiver for distribution, disbursement, or other application in accordance with provisions set forth in Chapter 15 (§ 38.2-1500 et seq.) of this title and any applicable order of liquidation, conservation or rehabilitation.

Code 1950, § 38-52; 1952, c. 317, § 38.1-112; 1986, c. 562; 1988, c. 298; 1995, c. 60.

A. The insurer, at the discretion of the Commission, may be relieved of making the deposit required by § 38.2-1045 if the insurer makes deposits according to the following provisions:

1. Acceptable securities as defined in subsection B of this section are deposited with the State Treasurer in the form prescribed in clause (iv) of subsection A of § 38.2-1045 or with the insurance commissioner, treasurer or other officer or official body of any other state first for the protection of the insurer's policyholders.

2. The securities are not to be in default as to principal and interest.

3. The securities have a market value of at least $500,000.

4. A certificate is furnished to the Commission and authenticated by the appropriate state official holding the deposit that the requirements of this subsection have been met.

B. For the purpose of this section, acceptable securities are defined as bonds of the United States, or of any state, or of any city, county or town of any state, or bonds or notes secured by mortgages or deeds of trust on otherwise unencumbered real estate of a market value in each case of not less than double the amount loaned, or other securities approved by the Commission.

Code 1950, §§ 38-37, 38-40, 37-175, 38-516; 1952, c. 317, § 38.1-113; 1964, c. 605; 1975, c. 556; 1986, c. 562; 1992, c. 14.

Any domestic insurer, in order to comply with the laws of any other state or of the United States, may make a voluntary deposit with the State Treasurer in excess of the amount required by § 38.2-1045. This excess deposit shall be subject to all other applicable provisions of the laws of this Commonwealth relating to the deposits of insurers. However, this excess deposit shall be for the protection of all the insurer's policyholders and general creditors, notwithstanding the provisions of § 38.2-1046.

Code 1950, § 38-41; 1952, c. 317, § 38.1-114; 1966, c. 263; 1986, c. 562.

Repealed by Acts 1992, c. 14.

A depositing insurer may from time to time exchange for any of the deposited securities other securities eligible for deposit under this article if in the opinion of the Commission the aggregate value of the deposit will not be reduced below the amount required by law.

1952, c. 317, § 38.1-116; 1986, c. 562.

The State Treasurer, at the time of receiving any securities deposited under this title, shall give the insurer authority to collect the interest for its own use as the interest is paid. This authority shall continue in force until the insurer fails to pay any of its liabilities for which the deposit is security. In that case, the party paying interest shall be notified of the failure, and thereafter the interest shall be payable to the State Treasurer, and shall be applied, if necessary, to the payment of the liabilities.

Code 1950, § 38-48; 1952, c. 317, § 38.1-117; 1986, c. 562.

When the principal of any securities deposited under this title is paid to the State Treasurer, the money received shall be paid to the insurer. However, if the securities were required to be deposited under § 38.2-1045, the payment shall not be made until the insurer deposits an equal amount of other securities of the character required for similar deposits. If the insurer fails to deliver to the State Treasurer, within thirty days after receiving notice of this requirement, the securities necessary to maintain its required deposit, the State Treasurer with the approval in writing of the Commission, may use the money to purchase and hold other securities of the required character.

Code 1950, § 38-51; 1952, c. 317, § 38.1-118; 1986, c. 562.

Each January the State Treasurer shall certify to the Commission the kind and face value of all securities, bonds, notes, mortgages or deeds of trust deposited under this title and held at the end of the preceding calendar year.

Code 1950, § 38-45; 1952, c. 317, § 38.1-119; 1986, c. 562.

The State Treasurer shall provide receipts to the insurer for all securities deposited with him under the provisions of this title. The Commonwealth shall be responsible for the safekeeping of the securities. If some or all of the securities are lost, destroyed or misappropriated, the Commonwealth shall pay or satisfy the loss to the insurer making the deposit. Securities deposited with the State Treasurer shall not be subject to taxation.

Code 1950, §§ 38-42, 38-46; 1952, c. 317, § 38.1-120; 1986, c. 562.

A. For the purpose of defraying the expense of the State Treasurer's office in the safekeeping and handling of the securities or surety bonds deposited under the provisions of this title, the State Treasurer shall levy annually against each insurer an assessment. The assessment shall be a percentage of the par or face value of the securities or surety bonds on deposit with the State Treasurer's office in each insurer's account at the end of each calendar year. The percentage shall be determined annually by the State Treasurer as the amount necessary to meet the estimated annual expenses incurred by the State Treasurer to meet the provisions of this title. The percentage shall not exceed one-fourth of one percent of the par or face value of the securities or surety bonds on deposit with the State Treasurer's office. Assessment collections that are more than actual expenses in any year shall be added to the next year's assessment calculation. The assessment shall be collected every January. No part of the amount collected shall be used to increase the compensation of any person connected with the office of the State Treasurer.

B. All moneys collected from the annual assessment imposed under subsection A shall be paid into the state treasury and credited to a special, nonreverting fund known as the Insurance Collateral Assessment Fund which is hereby established. The Fund shall be established on the books of the Comptroller and be administered by the State Treasurer's office. Disbursements from the Fund shall be on warrants issued by the Comptroller to pay expenses associated with the safekeeping and handling of the securities or surety bonds deposited under the provisions of this title. Any moneys remaining in the Fund at the end of a fiscal year shall not revert to the general fund but shall remain in the Fund and be used to offset subsequent years' expenses as provided in subsection A.

Code 1950, § 38-43; 1952, c. 317, § 38.1-121; 1973, c. 173; 1986, c. 562; 2005, c. 38.

If the State Treasurer disposes of any securities deposited with him under this title, other than as provided in this title, he shall be guilty of a Class 3 felony, and, upon conviction, shall be punished by a fine double the amount of the disposed securities.

Code 1950, § 38-53; 1952, c. 317, § 38.1-122; 1986, c. 562.