N.M. Stat. § 59A-12D-7
Required contract provisions; reinsurance intermediary-
managers.
Transactions between a reinsurance intermediary-manager and the reinsurer it
represents in such capacity shall only be entered into pursuant to a written contract,
specifying the responsibilities of each party, which shall be approved by the reinsurer's
board of directors. At least thirty days before such reinsurer assumes or cedes business
through such producer, a true copy of the approved contract shall be filed with the
superintendent for approval. The contract shall, at a minimum, provide that:
A. the reinsurer may terminate the contract for cause upon written notice to the
reinsurance intermediary-manager. The reinsurer may immediately suspend the
authority of the reinsurance intermediary-manager to assume or cede business during
the pendency of any dispute regarding the cause for termination;
B. the reinsurance intermediary-manager shall render accounts to the reinsurer
accurately detailing all material transactions, including information necessary to support
all commissions, charges and other fees received by, or owing to the reinsurance
intermediary-manager, and remit all funds due under the contract to the reinsurer on not
less than a monthly basis;
C. all funds collected for the reinsurer's account shall be held by the reinsurance
intermediary-manager in a fiduciary capacity in a bank which is a qualified United States
financial institution as defined in Section 59A-12D-2 NMSA 1978. The reinsurance
intermediary-manager may retain no more than three months' estimated claims
payments and allocated loss adjustment expenses. The reinsurance intermediary-
manager shall maintain a separate bank account for each reinsurer that it represents;
D. for at least ten years after expiration of each contract of reinsurance transacted
by the reinsurance intermediary-manager, the reinsurance intermediary-manager shall
keep a complete record for each transaction showing:
(1)
the type of contract, limits, underwriting restrictions, classes or risks and
territory;
(2)
period of coverage, including effective and expiration dates, cancellation
provisions and notice required of cancellation, and disposition of outstanding reserves
on covered risks;
(3)
reporting and settlement requirements of balances;
(4)
rate used to compute the reinsurance premium;
(5)
names and addresses of reinsurers;
(6)
rates of all reinsurance commissions, including the commissions on any
retrocessions handled by the reinsurance intermediary-manager;
(7)
related correspondence and memoranda;
(8)
proof of placement;
(9)
details regarding retrocessions handled by the reinsurance intermediary-
manager, including the identity of retrocessionaires and percentage of each contract
assumed or ceded;
(10)
financial records, including but not limited to, premium and loss accounts;
and
(11)
when the reinsurance intermediary-manager places a reinsurance contract
on behalf of a ceding insurer:
(a) directly from any assuming reinsurer, written evidence that the assuming
reinsurer has agreed to assume the risk; or
(b) if placed through a representative of the assuming reinsurer, other than an
employee, written evidence that such reinsurer has delegated binding authority to the
representative;
E. the reinsurer shall have access and the right to copy all accounts and records
maintained by the reinsurance intermediary-manager related to its business in a form
usable by the reinsurer;
F. the contract may not be assigned in whole or in part by the reinsurance
intermediary-manager;
G. the reinsurance intermediary-manager shall comply with the written underwriting
and rating standards established by the insurer for the acceptance, rejection or cession
of all risks;
H. rates, terms and purposes of commissions, charges and other fees which the
reinsurance intermediary-manager may levy against the reinsurer are set forth;
I. if the contract permits the reinsurance intermediary-manager to settle claims on
behalf of the reinsurer:
(1)
all claims shall be reported to the reinsurer in a timely manner;
(2)
a copy of the claim file shall be sent to the reinsurer at its request or as
soon as it becomes known that the claim:
(a) has the potential to exceed the lesser of an amount determined by the
superintendent or the limit set by the reinsurer;
(b) involves a coverage dispute;
(c) may exceed the reinsurance intermediary-manager's claims settlement
authority;
(d) is open for more than six months; or
(e) is closed by payment of the lesser of an amount set by the superintendent
or an amount set by the reinsurer;
(3)
all claim files shall be the joint property of the reinsurer and reinsurance
intermediary-manager; however, upon an order of liquidation of the reinsurer, such files
shall become the sole property of the reinsurer or its estate; the reinsurance
intermediary-manager shall have reasonable access to and the right to copy the files on
a timely basis; and
(4)
any settlement authority granted to the reinsurance intermediary-manager
may be terminated for cause upon the reinsurer's written notice to the reinsurance
intermediary-manager or upon the termination of the contract. The reinsurer may
suspend the settlement authority during the pendency of the dispute regarding the
cause of termination;
J. if the contract provides for a sharing of interim profits by the reinsurance
intermediary-manager, that such interim profits shall not be paid until one year after the
end of each underwriting period for property business and five years after the end of
each underwriting period for casualty business, or a later period set by the
superintendent for specified lines of insurance, and not until the adequacy of reserves
on remaining claims has been verified pursuant to Subsection C of Section 59A-12D-9
NMSA 1978;
K. the reinsurance intermediary-manager will annually provide the reinsurer with a
statement of its financial condition prepared by an independent certified accountant;
L. the reinsurer shall periodically, at least semi-annually, conduct an on-site review
of the underwriting and claims processing operations of the reinsurance intermediary-
manager;
M. the reinsurance intermediary-manager shall disclose to the reinsurer any
relationship it has with any insurer prior to ceding or assuming any business with such
insurer pursuant to this contract; and
N. within the scope of its actual or apparent authority the acts of the reinsurance
intermediary-manager shall be deemed to be the acts of the reinsurer on whose behalf
it is acting.