Code of Alabama - Title 27: Insurance - Section 27-32-1 - Definitions

Section 27-32-1 - Definitions.

For the purposes of this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them by this section:

(1) IMPAIRMENT or INSOLVENCY. The capital of a stock insurer, the net assets of a Lloyd's plan insurer or the surplus of a mutual or reciprocal insurer shall be deemed to be impaired and the insurer shall be deemed to be insolvent when such insurer is not possessed of assets at least equal to all liabilities and required reserves, together with its total issued and outstanding capital stock, if a stock insurer, or the minimum surplus, if a Lloyd's plan, mutual or reciprocal insurer, required by this title to be maintained for the kind or kinds of insurance it is then authorized to transact.

(2) INSURER. Any person, firm, corporation, association, or aggregation of persons doing an insurance business and subject to the insurance supervisory authority of, or to liquidation, rehabilitation, reorganization, or conservation by, the commissioner, or the equivalent insurance supervisory official of another state.

(3) DELINQUENCY PROCEEDING. Any proceeding commenced against any insurer pursuant to this chapter for the purpose of liquidating, rehabilitating, reorganizing, or conserving such insurer.

(4) STATE. Any state of the United States and also the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

(5) FOREIGN COUNTRY. Such term means territory not in any state.

(6) DOMICILIARY STATE. The state in which an insurer is incorporated or organized or, in the case of an insurer incorporated or organized in a foreign country, the state in which such insurer, having become authorized to do business in such state, has, at the commencement of delinquency proceedings, the largest amount of its assets held in trust and assets held on deposit for the benefit of its policyholders or policyholders and creditors in the United States, and any such insurer is deemed to be domiciled in such state.

(7) ANCILLARY STATE. Any state other than a domiciliary state.

(8) RECIPROCAL STATE. Any state other than this state in which in substance and effect the provisions of the Uniform Insurers Liquidation Act, as defined in Section 27-32-22, are in force, including the provisions requiring that the Commissioner of Insurance or equivalent insurance supervisory official be the receiver of a delinquent insurer.

(9) GENERAL ASSETS. All property, real, personal, or otherwise, not specifically mortgaged, pledged, deposited, or otherwise encumbered for the security or benefit of specified persons or a limited class or classes of persons, and as to such specifically encumbered property, the term includes all such property or its proceeds in excess of the amount necessary to discharge the sum or sums secured thereby. Assets held in trust and assets held on deposit for the security or benefit of all policyholders or all policyholders and creditors in the United States shall be deemed general assets.

(10) PREFERRED CLAIM. Any claim with respect to which the law of the state or of the United States accords priority of payments from the general assets of the insurer.

(11) SPECIAL DEPOSIT CLAIM. Any claim secured by a deposit made pursuant to statute for the security or benefit of a limited class or classes of persons, but not including any general assets.

(12) SECURED CLAIM. Any claim secured by mortgage, trust deed, pledge, deposit as security, escrow, or otherwise, but not including a special deposit claim or claims against general assets. The term also includes claims which more than four months prior to the commencement of delinquency proceedings in the state of the insurer's domicile have become liens upon specific assets by reason of judicial process.

(13) RECEIVER. Such term means receiver, liquidator, rehabilitator, or conservator as the context may require.

(Acts 1971, No. 407, p. 707, §621.)

Last modified: May 3, 2021