19 MAC Pt. 1, R. 22.13
Letters of Credit Qualified Under Rule 22.11
Cite as 19 Miss. Admin. Code Pt. 1, R. 22.13
Letters of Credit Qualified Under Rule 22.11.
A. The letter of credit must be clean, irrevocable and unconditional and issued or confirmed
by a qualified United States financial institution as defined in Miss. Code Ann. § 83-19-
155(a). The letter of credit shall contain an issue date and date of expiration and shall
stipulate that the beneficiary need only draw a sight draft under the letter of credit and
present it to obtain funds and that no other document need be presented. The letter of
credit shall also indicate that it is not subject to any condition or qualifications outside of
the letter of credit. In addition, the letter of credit itself shall not contain reference to any
other agreements, documents or entities, except as provided in Subsection H(1) of this
section. As used in this section, “beneficiary” means the domestic insurer for whose
benefit the letter of credit has been established and any successor in interest to the named
beneficiary, then the named beneficiary includes and is limited to the court appointed
domiciliary receiver (including conservator, rehabilitator or liquidator).
B. The heading of the letter of credit may include a boxed section which contains the name
of the applicant and other appropriate notations to provide a reference for the letter of
credit. The boxed section shall be clearly marked to indicate that such information is for
internal identification purposes only.
C. The letter of credit shall contain a statement to the effect that the obligation of the
qualified United States financial institution under the letter of credit is in no way
contingent upon reimbursement with respect thereto.
D. The term of the letter of credit shall be for at least one year and shall contain an
“evergreen clause” which prevents the expiration of the letter of credit without due notice
from the issuer. The “evergreen clause” shall provide for a period of no less than thirty
(30) days’ notice prior to expire date or nonrenewal.
E. The letter of credit shall state whether it is subject to and governed by the laws of this
state or the Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits of the International
Chamber of Commerce Publication 600 (UCP 600) or International Standby Practices of
the International Chamber of Commerce Publication 590 (ISP98), or any successor
publication, and all drafts drawn thereunder shall be presentable at an office in the United
States of a qualified United States financial institution.
F. If the letter of credit is made subject to the Uniform Customs and Practice for
Documentary Credits of the International Chamber of Commerce Publication 600 (UCP
600) or International Standby Practices of the International Chamber of Commerce
Publication 590 (ISP98), or any successor publication, then the letter of credit shall
specifically address and make provision for an extension of time to draw against the letter
of credit in the event that one or more of the occurrences specified in Article 36 of
Publication 600 or any other successor publication, occur.
G. If the letter of credit is issued by a financial institution authorized to issue letters of
credit, other than a qualified United States financial institution as described in Subsection
A of this section, then the following additional requirements shall be met:
1.
The issuing financial institution shall formally designate the confirming qualified
United States financial institution as its agent for the receipt and payment of the
drafts; and,
2.
The “evergreen clause” shall provide for thirty (30) days’ notice prior to
expiration date for nonrenewal.
H. Reinsurance agreement provision.
1.
The reinsurance agreement in conjunction with which the letter of credit is
obtained may contain provisions which:
a. Require the assuming insurer to provide letters of credit to the ceding
insurer and specify what they are to cover.
b. Stipulate that the assuming insurer and ceding insurer agree that the letter
of credit provided by the assuming insurer pursuant to the provisions of
the reinsurance agreement may be drawn upon at any time,
notwithstanding any other provisions in the agreement, and shall be
utilized by the ceding insurer or its successors in interest only for one or
more of the following reasons:
i. To pay or reimburse the ceding insurer for:
I.
The assuming insurer’s share under the specific
reinsurance agreement of premiums returned, but
not yet recovered from the assuming insurers, to the
owners of policies reinsured under the reinsurance
agreement on account of cancellations of such
policies;
II.
The assuming insurer’s share, under the specific
reinsurance agreement, of surrenders and benefits or
losses paid by the ceding insurer, but not yet
recovered from the assuming insurers, under the
terms and provisions of the policies reinsured under
the reinsurance agreement; and
III.
Any other amounts necessary to secure the credit or
reduction from liability for reinsurance taken by the
ceding insurer;
ii.
Where the letter of credit will expire without renewal or be
reduced or replaced by a letter of credit for a reduced
amount and where the assuming insurer’s entire obligations
under the reinsurance agreement remain unliquidated and
undischarged ten (10) days prior to the termination date, to
withdraw amounts equal to the assuming insurer’s share of
the liabilities, to the extent that the liabilities have not yet
been funded by the assuming insurer and exceed the
amount of any reduced or replacement letter of credit, and
deposit those amounts in a separate account in the name of
the ceding insurer in a qualified U.S. financial institution
apart from its general assets, in trust for such uses and
purposes specified in Subsection H(1)(b)(i) of this section
as may remain after withdrawal and for any period after the
termination date.
c. All of the foregoing provisions of Paragraph (1) of this subsection shall be
applied without diminution because of insolvency on the part of the ceding
insurer or assuming insurer.
2.
Nothing contained in Paragraph (1) of this subsection shall preclude the ceding
insurer and assuming insurer from providing for:
a. An interest payment, at a rate not in excess of the prime rate of interest, on
the amounts held pursuant to Paragraph (1)(b)(III) of this subsection; or
b. The return of any amounts drawn down on the letters of credit in excess
of the actual amounts required for the above or any amounts that are
subsequently determined not to be due.