230-RICR-20-45-6
230-RICR-20-45-6. Voluntary Restructuring of Solvent Insurers (version Amendment, 12/31/2009 to 06/12/2014)
State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations
DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS REGULATION
Division of Insurance
233 Richmond Street
Providence, Rhode Island 02903
INSURANCE REGULATION 68
COMMUTATION PLANS
Table of Contents
Section 1.
Authority
Section 2.
Purpose
Section 3.
Definitions
Section 4.
Commutation Plan Procedures
Section 5.
Fees
Section 6.
Severability
Section 7.
Effective Date
Section 1
Authority
This Regulation is promulgated in accordance with R.I. Gen. Laws § 27-14.5-6 and 42-
14-17.
Section 2
Purpose
The purpose of this Regulation is to outline the procedural requirements for insurance
companies applying for the implementation of a Commutation Plan pursuant to R.I. Gen. Laws
§ 27-14.5-1 et seq. and related matters.
Section 3
Definitions
In addition to the definitions set forth in R.I. Gen. Laws §27-14.5-1, which are
incorporated here, by reference, the following definitions shall apply to this Regulation:
1.
“Court” shall mean the Business Calendar of the Superior Court or its equivalent
in and for the County of Providence, Rhode Island.
2.
“Department” shall mean the Insurance Division of the Rhode Island Department
of Business Regulation.
3.
“Meeting of Creditors” shall mean a meeting of Creditors, to consider the
Commutation Plan held within ninety (90) days of the date the Applicant’s notice
is transmitted to the Court, or as otherwise directed by the Court upon the
Applicant’s petition.
Page 1 of 6
Reg # 68
4.
“Officer” shall mean such individuals as specified and defined in the
Commutation Plan.
5.
“Plan Administrator” shall mean the individual or entity retained by the Applicant
for the purpose of administering the Commutation Plan in accordance with its
terms.
6.
“Value” shall mean the amount of a claim by a Creditor or Class of Creditors as
prescribed in the Commutation Plan.
Section 4
Commutation Plan Procedures
(a) Application Procedure
(i)
Any Applicant that wishes to apply to the Court for an order implementing
a Commutation Plan must first submit the Commutation Plan for review
by the Department.
i. The Commutation Plan, submitted for review by the Applicant, should
contain all operative provisions that may include, but not be limited to:
1.
Explanation of the Plan
2.
Plan Administration
3.
Effect on Creditor
4.
Meetings of Creditors
5.
Determination of Classes of Creditors
6.
Claims Procedure
7.
Alternative Solutions
8.
Financial Position
9.
Actuarial Review
10.
Enforcement Provisions
11.
Determination of Liabilities
12.
Dispute Resolution Procedure
13.
Payment of Claims
14.
Effect of Insolvency
15.
Termination of the Plan
(ii)
The Department shall have sixty (60) days from the date of its receipt of
the Commutation Plan to comment on the Commutation Plan to the
Applicant.
(iii)
Once the Department’s comments to the Commutation Plan, if any, are
resolved to the satisfaction of the Department, or if the sixty (60) day
period set forth in section 4 (a) (ii), above, has passed and the Department
has no comments on the Commutation Plan, the Applicant may apply to
the Court for an order:
Page 2 of 6
Reg #68
i. Agreeing upon the classes of Creditors for the purposes of the Meeting
of Creditors.
ii. Calling a Meeting of Creditors or class of Creditors.
(b) Meeting of Creditors
(i)
Within ninety (90) days of the date the Applicant’s application is
transmitted to the Court, pursuant to section 4 (a) (iii), above, or as
otherwise directed by the Court upon the Applicant’s application, a
Meeting of Creditors shall be held to consider the Commutation Plan.
(ii)
Notice of the Meeting shall be pursuant to the Notice provisions of
Chapter 14.5 of Title 27.
(iii)
All known Creditors and/or representatives of all Classes of Creditors
shall be invited to the Meeting.
(c) Voting Procedure at the Meeting of Creditors
(i)
To determine whether the requisite statutory majority to approve the
Commutation Plan has been achieved at the Meeting of Creditors, votes
will be calculated according to the aggregate amount of claims specified
against the Applicant in respect of insurance or reinsurance contracts
detailed in the voting form.
i. The Applicant will provide a voting form to all Creditors.
ii. The Creditor must submit its voting form within the time, date and
other requirements of the Commutation Plan.
iii. Only returned voting forms will be considered in order to determine
the value of each Creditor’s vote at the Meeting of Creditors.
(ii)
The Value to be attributed to each Creditor’s claim, for voting purposes
only, will be agreed on the basis of the information provided by the
Creditor in its voting form or the information available to the Applicant
from its existing records.
i. Account will also be taken of any known set off, cross claim or
security in relation to any particular Creditor.
ii. A secured Creditor, or a holder of a promissory note issued by the
Applicant, may vote only in respect of the balance, if any, of his claim
after deducting the value of his security.
Page 3 of 6
Reg #68
(iii)
If the Applicant agrees on the amount of the Value of a Creditor’s claim,
for voting purposes only, the amount will be used for the purposes of
valuing the relevant Creditor’s vote at the Meeting of Creditors.
(d) The Chairman of the Meeting of Creditors
(i)
The Chairman of the Meeting of Creditors shall be the Plan Administrator
unless otherwise selected by Applicant.
(ii)
The Chairman of the Meeting of Creditors has the power to admit or reject
any Creditor’s voting form for the purpose of its entitlement to vote and
the power is exercisable with respect to all or part of the voting form.
i. If the Chairman is in doubt whether a voting form should be admitted
or rejected, the Chairman shall mark the voting form as objected to but
allow the Creditor to vote subject to the vote being declared invalid if
the objection is ultimately sustained.
ii. If agreement cannot be reached between the Applicant and any
Creditor on the amount of the value of a Creditor’s claim, for voting
purposes only, the Chairman of the Meeting of Creditors will
determine what he considers to be a fair and reasonable value for
voting purposes.
iii. Where possible, the Chairman will notify the relevant Creditor of his
decision on valuation for voting purposes before the Meeting of
Creditors.
(iii)
Any Creditor may appeal the Chairman’s decisions to the Court.
i. If a Chairman’s decision is reversed or altered on appeal and the vote
is declared invalid, the Court may order a new Meeting of Creditors or
such other relief as is appropriate.
(e) Approval of the Commutation Plan
(i)
The Commutation Plan, as presented by the Applicant at the Meeting of
Creditors, shall be considered to be approved and binding on all Creditors
of the Applicant if fifty percent in number, representing at least three
fourths in value of each Class of Creditors, present and voting either in
person or by proxy at the Meeting, agree to the terms and conditions of the
Commutation Plan.
(ii)
Within thirty (30) days of the approval of the Commutation Plan pursuant
to section 4 (d) (i), above, the Applicant must petition the Court to enter an
order confirming the approval of the Commutation Plan.
Page 4 of 6
Reg #68
(f) Administration of the Commutation Plan
(i)
The Applicant, with the approval of the Department, shall appoint such
Officers, or a Plan Administrator, as it deems necessary to administer the
Commutation Plan.
(ii)
The Applicant, or its agent, shall:
i. Within thirty (30) days of the end of each quarter, make quarterly
reports
to
the
Department
regarding
implementation
and
administration of the Commutation Plan in a form acceptable to the
Department with a copy provided to the Court; and
ii. Respond to all inquiries of the Department and the Court.
(iii)
All disputes between a Creditor(s) or Class of Creditors and the Applicant
will be resolved pursuant to the dispute resolution provisions of the
Commutation Plan.
(g) Termination of the Commutation Plan
(i)
The Commutation Plan will terminate as provided in the Commutation
Plan documents.
(ii)
Notice of termination of the Commutation Plan will be transmitted as
provided in the Commutation Plan.
(h)
Modification or Waiver
(i)
If, for good cause shown, the Department determines that any one or more
of these requirements should be modified or waived, the Department shall
have the ability to approve a plan with such modification or waiver.
(ii)
An applicant that wishes to request such a modification or waiver shall
make such request in writing no later than the filing of the plan with the
Department.
Section 5
Fees
(a)
Application Fee
At the time of application, the Applicant shall pay a fee to the Department in the
amount of $125,000 or such lesser amount as the Commissioner shall deem
adequate.
Page 5 of 6
Reg #68
(b)
Administration Fee
The Applicant shall pay the costs of regulatory administration of the
Commutation Plan as assessed by the Commissioner pursuant to R.I. Gen. Laws
§27-14.5-5(b).
Section 6
Severability
If any section, term, or provision of this Regulation should be adjudged invalid for any
reason, that judgment should not affect, impair, or invalidate any remaining section, term, or
provision, which shall remain in full force and effect.
Section 7
Effective Date
This Regulation shall be effective as indicated below.
EFFECTIVE DATE: September 5, 2004
AMENDED:
December 31, 2009
Page 6 of 6
Reg #68