(a) An order to liquidate the business of a domestic insurer must require the director to take immediate possession of the property of the insurer, to liquidate its business, to deal with the insurer's property and business in the director's name as director of insurance or in the name of the insurer, as the court may direct, and to give notice to all creditors who may have claims against the insurer to present the claims.
(b) The director may apply for and secure an order dissolving the corporate existence of a domestic insurer upon the director's application for an order of liquidation of the insurer or at any time after the order has been granted.
(c) An order issued under this section must require an accounting to the court by the receiver. Accountings must be at the intervals that the court specifies in its order.
(d) Policies, other than life or health insurance or annuities, in effect at the time of issuance of an order of liquidation continue in force only for the lesser of
(1) a period of 30 days after the date of entry of the liquidation order;
(2) the expiration of the policy coverage;
(3) the date on which the insured replaces the insurance coverage with equivalent insurance in another insurer or otherwise terminates the policy; or
(4) the date on which the receiver effects a transfer of the policy obligation to a solvent assuming insurer.
(e) For purposes of any other provision of law, an order of liquidation terminates policy coverage at the time specified in (d) of this section.
(f) A policy of life or health insurance, or annuities, in effect at the time an order of liquidation is issued, continues in force for the period and under the terms provided for by an applicable guaranty association or foreign guaranty association.
(g) A policy of life or health insurance, or annuities, and any period of coverage not covered by a guaranty association or foreign guaranty association terminates as provided in (d) and (e) of this section.
(h) Upon issuance of an order appointing a receiver of a domestic insurer or of an alien insurer domiciled in this state, an action may not be brought against the insurer or receiver, whether in this state or elsewhere, and an existing action may not be maintained or further presented after issuance of an order. A court of this state shall give full faith and credit to an injunction against the receiver or the company, or against the continuation of an existing action against the receiver or the company, if an injunction is included in an order to liquidate an insurer that is issued under corresponding provisions in another state. If, in the receiver's judgment, protection of the estate of the insurer necessitates intervention in an action against the insurer that is pending outside this state, the receiver may intervene in the action. The receiver may defend an action in which the receiver intervenes under this section at the expense of the estate of the insurer.
(i) The receiver may, within two years after an order for liquidation, or within the additional time that applicable law permits, institute an action or proceeding on behalf of the estate of the insurer if the period of limitation applicable to the action or proceeding fixed by law has not expired at the time of the filing of the petition upon which the liquidation order is entered. If, by agreement, a period of limitation is fixed for instituting a suit or proceeding upon a claim, or for filing a claim, proof of claim, proof of loss, demand, or notice, or if in a judicial or other proceeding a period of limitation is fixed, either in the proceeding or by applicable law, for taking an action, filing a claim or pleading, or doing an act, and if the period had not expired as of the date of the filing of the petition for liquidation, the receiver may, for the benefit of the estate, take an action or do an act, required of or permitted to the insurer, within a period of 180 days after the entry of an order for liquidation, or within a longer period that is shown to the satisfaction of the court not to be unfairly prejudicial to the other party.
(j) A statute of limitations or defense of laches does not run with respect to an action against an insurer between the filing of a petition for liquidation against an insurer and the denial of the petition. An action against the insurer that might have been commenced when the petition was filed may be commenced for at least 60 days after the petition is denied.
(k) A guaranty association or foreign guaranty association has standing to appear in a court proceeding concerning the liquidation of an insurer if the association is, or might become, liable to act as a result of the liquidation.
Section: Previous 21.78.030 21.78.040 21.78.050 21.78.060 21.78.070 21.78.080 21.78.090 21.78.100 21.78.110 21.78.120 21.78.130 21.78.140 21.78.150 21.78.160 21.78.170 NextLast modified: November 15, 2016