As used in this article:
(a) (1) “Financial guaranty insurance” means a surety bond, an insurance policy or, when issued by an insurer, an indemnity contract and any guarantee similar to the foregoing types, under which loss is payable upon proof of occurrence of financial loss to an insured claimant, obligee, or indemnitee as a result of any of the following events:
(A) Failure of any obligor on or issuer of any debt instrument or other monetary obligation (including equity securities guaranteed under a surety bond, insurance policy, or indemnity contract) to pay, when due to be paid by the obligor or scheduled at the time insured to be received by the holder of the obligation, principal, interest, premium, dividend, purchase price of or on the instrument or obligation, or other monetary payment when the failure is the result of financial default or insolvency, or, provided that the payment source is investment grade, any other failure of that payment source to make payment, regardless of whether the obligation is incurred directly or as guarantor by or on behalf of another obligor that has also defaulted.
(B) Changes in the levels of interest rates, whether short or long term, or the differential in interest rates between various markets or products.
(C) Changes in the rate of exchange of currency.
(D) Changes in the value of financial or commodity indices, or price levels in general.
(E) Other events that the commissioner determines by order, regulation, or written consent are substantially similar to any of the foregoing.
(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), “financial guaranty insurance” shall not include any of the following:
(A) Insurance of any loss resulting from any event described in paragraph (1), if the loss is payable only upon the occurrence of any of the following, as specified in a surety bond, insurance policy, or indemnity contract:
(i) A fortuitous physical event.
(ii) A failure of or deficiency in the operation of equipment.
(iii) An inability to extract or recover a natural resource.
(B) Title insurance authorized by Section 104 and as permitted to be written by title insurers pursuant to Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 12340) of Part 6.
(C) Surety insurance as authorized by Section 105.
(D) Credit unemployment insurance, meaning insurance on a debtor in connection with a specific loan or other credit transaction, to provide payments to a creditor in the event of unemployment of the debtor for the installments or other periodic payments becoming due while a debtor is unemployed.
(E) Credit insurance authorized by Section 113.
(F) Guaranteed investment contracts and funding agreements issued by life insurance companies that provide that the life insurer itself will make specified payments in exchange for specific premiums or contributions.
(G) Mortgage guaranty insurance authorized by Section 119 and as permitted to be written by a mortgage guaranty insurer pursuant to Chapter 2A (commencing with Section 12640.01) of Part 6.
(H) Indemnity contracts or similar guarantees, to the extent that they are not otherwise limited or proscribed by this article, in which a life insurer does any of the following:
(i) Guarantees its obligations or indebtedness or the obligations or indebtedness of a subsidiary (as defined in Section 1215) other than a financial guaranty insurance corporation; provided that:
(I) To the extent that any obligations or indebtedness are backed by specific assets, those assets shall at all times be owned by the life insurer or the subsidiary.
(II) In the case of the guarantee of the obligations or indebtedness of the subsidiary that are not backed by specific assets of the life insurer, the guarantee terminates once the subsidiary ceases to be a subsidiary.
(ii) Guarantees obligations or indebtedness (including the obligation to substitute assets where appropriate) with respect to specific assets acquired by a life insurer in the course of normal investment activities and not for the purpose of resale with credit enhancement, or guarantees obligations or indebtedness acquired by its subsidiary, provided that the assets acquired pursuant to this clause have been either of the following:
(I) Acquired by a special purpose entity, whose sole purpose is to acquire specific assets of the life insurer or the subsidiary and issue securities or participation certificates backed by the assets.
(II) Sold to an independent third party.
(iii) Guarantees obligations or indebtedness of an employee or agent of the life insurer.
(I) Any cramdown bond or mortgage repurchase bond, as those phrases are used by nationally recognized rating agencies in respect of mortgage-backed securities.
(J) Residual value insurance.
(K) Any other form of insurance covering risks that the commissioner determines by order, regulation, or written consent to be substantially similar to any of the foregoing.
(b) “Affiliate” means a person that, directly or indirectly, owns at least 10 but less than 50 percent of the financial guaranty insurance corporation or that is at least 10 percent but less than 50 percent, directly or indirectly, owned by a financial guaranty insurance corporation.
(c) “Asset-backed securities” means either of the following:
(1) Securities or other financial obligations of an issuer provided that both of the following apply:
(A) The issuer is a special purpose corporation, trust, or other entity, or, provided that the securities or other financial obligations constitute an insurable risk, is a bank, trust company, or other financial institution, deposits in which are insured by the Bank Insurance Fund or the Savings Association Insurance Fund of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any successors thereto.
(B) The securities or other financial obligations are related to a pool of assets so that all of the following apply:
(i) The pool of assets has been conveyed, pledged, or otherwise transferred to or is otherwise owned or acquired by the issuer.
(ii) The pool of assets backs the securities or other financial obligations issued.
(iii) No asset in the pool, other than an asset directly payable by, guaranteed by, or backed by the full faith and credit of the United States government or that otherwise qualifies as collateral under paragraph (1) or (2) of subdivision (e), has a value exceeding 20 percent of the aggregate value of the pool.
(2) A pool of credit default swaps or credit default swaps referencing a pool of obligations, provided that each of the following is true:
(A) The swap counterparty whose obligations are insured under the credit default swap is a special purpose corporation, special purpose trust, or other special purpose legal entity.
(B) No reference obligation in the pool, other than an obligation directly payable by, guaranteed by, or backed by the full faith and credit of the United States government, or that otherwise qualifies as collateral under paragraph (2) of subdivision (e), has a notional amount exceeding 10 percent of the pool’s aggregate notional amount.
(C) The insurer has the benefit of a deductible or other first loss credit protection against claims under its insurance policy.
(d) “Average annual debt service” means the amount of insured unpaid principal and interest on an obligation multiplied by the number of the insured obligations (assuming that each obligation represents a $1,000 par value), divided by the amount equal to the aggregate life of all of those obligations. This definition, expressed as a formula in regard to bonds, is as follows:
Average Annual Debt Service | = | Total Debt Service × Number of Bonds |
Bond Years | ||
Total Debt Service | = | Insured Unpaid Principal + Interest |
Number of Bonds | = | Total Insured Principal |
$1,000 | ||
Bond Years | = | Number of Bonds × Term in Years |
Term in Years = Term to maturity based on scheduled amortization or, in the absence of a scheduled amortization in the case of asset-backed securities or other obligations lacking a scheduled amortization, expected amortization, in each case determined as of the date of issuance of the insurance policy based upon the amortization assumptions employed in pricing the insured obligations or otherwise used by the insurer to determine aggregate net liability. |
(e) “Collateral” means any of the following:
(1) Cash.
(2) The cashflow from specific obligations that are not callable and scheduled to be received based on expected prepayment speed on or prior to the date of scheduled debt service (including scheduled redemptions and prepayments) on the insured obligation, provided that any of the following is true, as applicable:
(A) The specific obligations are directly payable by, guaranteed by, or backed by the full faith and credit of the United States government.
(B) In the case of insured obligations denominated or payable in a foreign currency as permitted under paragraph (3) of subdivision (b) of Section 12112, the specific obligations are directly payable by, guaranteed by, or backed by the full faith and credit of the foreign government or the central bank thereof.
(C) The specific obligations are insured by the same insurer that insures the obligations being collateralized, and the cashflows from the specific obligations are sufficient to cover the insured scheduled payments on the obligations being collateralized.
(3) The market value of investment grade obligations, other than obligations evidencing an interest in the project or projects financed with the proceeds of the insured obligations.
(4) The face amount of each letter of credit that meets all of the following criteria:
(A) Is irrevocable.
(B) Provides for payment under the letter of credit in lieu of or as reimbursement to the insurer for payment required under a financial guaranty insurance policy.
(C) Is issued, presentable, and payable either:
(i) At an office of the letter of credit issuer in the United States.
(ii) At an office of the letter of credit issuer located in the jurisdiction in which the trustee or paying agent for the insured obligation is located.
(D) Contains a statement that either:
(i) Identifies the financial guaranty insurance corporation, its collateral agent, or any successor by operation of law, including any liquidator, rehabilitator, receiver, or conservator, as the beneficiary.
(ii) Identifies the trustee or the paying agent for the insured obligation as the beneficiary.
(E) Contains a statement to the effect that the obligation of the letter of credit issuer under the letter of credit is an individual obligation of that issuer and is in no way contingent upon reimbursement with respect thereto.
(F) Contains an issue date and an expiration date.
(G) Does either of the following:
(i) Has a term at least as long as the shorter of the term of the insured obligation or the term of the financial guaranty insurance policy.
(ii) Provides that the letter of credit shall not expire without 30 days prior written notice to the beneficiary and allows for drawing under the letter of credit in the event that, prior to expiration, the letter of credit is not renewed or extended or a substitute letter of credit or alternate collateral meeting the requirements of subdivision (e) is not provided.
(H) If the letter of credit is governed by the 1983 revision of the Uniform Customs and Practice for Documentary Credits of the International Chamber of Commerce (Publication 400 or 500), or any successor revision approved by the commissioner, it shall contain a provision for an extension of time, of not less than 30 days after resumption of business, to draw against the letter of credit in the event that one or more of the occurrences described in Article 19 of Publication 400 or 500 occurs.
(I) Is issued by a bank, trust company, or savings association that meets all of the following criteria:
(i) Is organized and existing under the laws of the United States or any state thereof or, in the case of a financial institution organized under the laws of a foreign country, has a branch or agency office licensed under the laws of the United States or any state thereof and is domiciled in a member country of the Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development having a sovereign rating in one of the top two generic lettered rating classifications by a securities rating agency acceptable to the commissioner.
(ii) Has (or is the principal operating subsidiary of a financial institution holding company that has) a long-term debt rating of at least investment grade.
(iii) Is not a parent, subsidiary, or affiliate of the trustee or paying agent, if any, with respect to the insured obligation if that trustee or paying agent is the named beneficiary of the letter of credit.
(5) The amount of credit protection available to the insurer (or its nominee) under each credit default swap that satisfies each of the following:
(A) May not be amended without the consent of the insurer and may only be terminated in accordance with one of the following:
(i) At the option of the insurer.
(ii) At the option of the counterparty to the insurer (or its nominee), if the credit default swap provides for the payment of a termination amount equal to the replacement cost of the terminated credit default swap determined with reference to standard documentation of the International Swap and Derivatives Association, Inc. or otherwise acceptable to the commissioner.
(iii) At the discretion of the commissioner acting as rehabilitator, liquidator, or receiver of the insurer upon payment by or on behalf of the insurer of any termination amount due from the insurer.
(B) Provides for payment under all instances in which payment under a financial guaranty insurance policy is required, except that payment under the credit default swap may be on a first loss, excess of loss, or other nonpro rata basis and may apply on an aggregate basis to more than one policy.
(C) Is provided by one of the following:
(i) A counterparty whose obligations under the credit default swap are insured by a financial guaranty insurance corporation licensed under this article or guaranteed by a financial institution referred to in clauses (ii) and (iii) of this subparagraph.
(ii) A financial institution satisfying the requirements of clauses (i) to (iii), inclusive, of subparagraph (I) of paragraph (4), provided that obligations of the financial institution on parity with its obligations under the credit default swap are rated as investment grade, and further provided that, if the financial institution is not organized under, or acting through a branch or agency office licensed under, the laws of the United States or any state thereof, then the financial institution is required to collateralize the replacement cost of the credit default swap in the event that it fails to maintain the investment grade rating.
(iii) Any other financial institution that the commissioner determines to be substantially similar to any specified in clause (i) or (ii).
(iv) The requirements of this subparagraph shall not be construed as authority for an insurer domiciled in the United States to issue credit default swaps unless the insurer has explicit authority to issue credit default swaps.
Collateral shall be deposited with or held by the financial guaranty insurance corporation, held by a trustee or agent for the benefit of the financial guaranty insurance corporation in trust or to perfect a security interest, or held in trust pursuant to the bond indenture or other trust arrangement by a trustee or custodian for the benefit of holders of the insured obligations in the form of funds for payment of insured obligations, sinking funds, or other reserves that may be used for the payment of insured obligations, collateral agent fees and trustee fees, or reimbursement of the financial guaranty insurance corporation on any obligation insured by the corporation. The trustee, custodian, or agent shall be a bank, savings association, depository institution, or other entity acceptable to the commissioner, the deposits of which are insured by the Bank Insurance Fund or the Savings Association Insurance Fund of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (or any successors thereto), or in the case of banking organizations organized under the laws of a foreign country in addition satisfies the requirements of clauses (i) and (ii) of subparagraph (I) of paragraph (4), and in each case that has a net worth of at least twenty-five million dollars ($25,000,000). The trustee or agent may also be an approved or qualified servicer or originator of the kind of assets that comprise the collateral that maintains in force at all times errors and omissions insurance applicable to the trust or agency activities, including without limitation, a servicer qualified under a federal or state insurance or guaranty program to service loans or mortgage loans. The commissioner may adopt regulations, bulletins, notices or orders to limit the amount of collateral provided by obligations, letters of credit, or credit default swaps, or to limit the amount of collateral provided by any single issuer, bank, or counterparty as provided for in this subdivision. The commissioner may also require additional reporting as deemed necessary.
(f) “Commercial real estate” means income-producing real property other than residential property consisting of less than five units.
(g) “Contingency reserve” means an additional liability reserve established to protect policyholders against the effects of adverse economic cycles or other unforeseen circumstances.
(h) “Credit default swap” means an agreement referencing credit derivative definitions published from time to time by the International Swap and Derivatives Association, Inc., or otherwise acceptable to the commissioner, pursuant to which a party agrees to compensate another party in the event of a payment default by, insolvency of, or other adverse credit event in respect of, an issuer of a specified security or other obligation; provided that the agreement does not constitute an insurance contract and the making of the credit default swap does not constitute the transaction of insurance.
(i) “Excess spread” means, with respect to any insured issue of asset-backed securities, the excess of (A) the scheduled cashflow on the underlying assets that is reasonably projected to be available, over the term of the insured securities after payment of the expenses associated with the insured issue, to make debt service payments on the insured securities over (B) the scheduled debt service requirements on the insured securities, provided that this excess is held in the same manner as collateral is required to be held under subdivision (e).
(j) “Financial guaranty insurance corporation” means an insurer transacting financial guaranty insurance.
(k) “Governmental unit” means a state, territory, or possession of the United States of America, the District of Columbia, the country of Canada, a province of Canada, the United Kingdom, a public authority of the United Kingdom, a member country of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development having a sovereign rating in one of the top two generic lettered rating classifications by a securities rating agency acceptable to the commissioner, a municipality, or a political subdivision of any of the foregoing, or any public agency or instrumentality thereof.
(l) “Guarantees of consumer debt obligations” means insurance policies indemnifying a purchaser or lender against loss or damage resulting from defaults on a pool of debts owed for extensions of credit (including in respect of installment purchase agreements and leases) to individuals provided in the normal course of the purchaser’s or lender’s business, provided that the pool meets the requirements of paragraph (2) of subdivision (c) and that the pool has been determined to be investment grade. Policies providing that coverage shall contain a provision that all liability terminates upon sale or transfer of the underlying obligation to any transferee that is not an insured of the financial guaranty insurance corporation under a similar policy.
(m) “Industrial development bond” means any security, or other instrument under which a payment obligation is created, issued by or on behalf of a governmental unit to finance a project serving a private industrial, commercial, or manufacturing purpose and not guaranteed by a governmental unit.
(n) “Insurable risk” means that the obligation on an uninsured basis has been determined to be not less than investment grade. With respect to asset-backed securities as defined in subdivision (c), the determination shall be, based solely on the pool of assets backing the insured obligation or securing the financial guaranty insurance corporation, without consideration of the creditworthiness of the issuer.
(o) “Investment grade” means that the obligation or parity obligation of the same issuer is rated in one of the top four generic lettered rating classifications by a securities rating agency acceptable to the commissioner, that the obligation or parity obligation of the same issuer, without regard to financial guaranty insurance, has been identified in writing by that rating agency as an insurable risk deemed to be of investment grade quality, or that the obligation or parity obligation of the same issuer has been determined to be investment grade (as indicated by a category 1 or 2 rating) by the Securities Valuation Office of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.
(p) “Municipal bonds” means municipal obligation bonds and special revenue bonds.
(q) (1) “Municipal obligation bond” means any security, or other instrument, including a lease payable or guaranteed by the United States or another national government that qualifies as a governmental unit, or any agency, department, or instrumentality thereof, or by a state or an equivalent subdivision of another national government that qualifies as a governmental unit, but not a lease of any other governmental unit, under which a payment obligation is created, issued by or on behalf of a governmental unit or issued by a special purpose corporation, special purpose trust, or other special purpose legal entity to finance a project or undertaking serving a substantial public purpose, and that is one or more of the following:
(A) Payable from tax revenues, but not tax allocations, within the jurisdiction of the governmental unit.
(B) Payable or guaranteed by the United States of America or another national government that qualifies as a governmental unit, or any agency, department, or instrumentality thereof, or by a housing agency of a state or an equivalent political subdivision of another national government that qualifies as a governmental unit.
(C) Payable from rates or charges (but not tolls) levied or collected in respect of a nonnuclear utility project, public transportation facility (other than an airport facility) or public higher education facility.
(D) With respect to lease obligations, payable from past, present, or future appropriations.
(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), obligations of a special purpose corporation, special purpose trust, or other special purpose legal entity shall not be considered municipal obligation bonds unless the obligations are investment grade at the time of issuance, the obligations are payable from sources enumerated in subparagraphs (A) to (D), inclusive, and the project being financed or the tolls, tariffs, usage fees, or other similar rates or charges for its use are subject to regulation or oversight by a governmental entity.
(r) “Parent” means a person that, directly or indirectly, owns at least 50 percent of a financial guaranty insurance corporation.
(s) “Reinsurance” means cessions qualifying for credit under Section 12121.
(t) “Security” or “secured” means any of the following:
(1) A deposit at least equal to the full amount of the outstanding principal of the insured obligation.
(2) Collateral, as defined by subdivision (e), at least equal to the full amount of the outstanding principal of the insured obligation or that has a market value or scheduled cashflow that is equal to or greater than the scheduled debt service on the insured obligation.
(3) Property, provided the financial guaranty insurance corporation or the trustee has possession of evidence of the right, title, or authority to claim or foreclose thereon or otherwise dispose of the property for value, the scheduled cashflow from which, or market value thereof, is at least equal to the scheduled debt service on the insured obligation.
(u) “Special revenue bond” means any security or other instrument under which a payment obligation is created, issued by or on behalf of, or payable or guaranteed by, a governmental unit to finance a project or undertaking serving a substantial public purpose and not payable from the sources enumerated in subdivision (q) or securities that are substantially similar to the foregoing issued by any of the following:
(1) A not-for-profit corporation.
(2) A special purpose corporation, special purpose trust or other special purpose legal entity, provided that the obligations are investment grade at the time of issuance, the obligations are not payable from the sources enumerated in subparagraphs (A) to (D), inclusive, of paragraph (1) of subdivision (q), and the project being financed or the tolls, tariffs, usage fees, or other similar rates or charges for its use are subject to regulation or oversight by a governmental entity.
(v) “Subsidiary” means a person that, directly or indirectly, is at least 50 percent owned by a financial guaranty insurance corporation.
(w) “Total net liability” of a financial guaranty insurance corporation means the aggregate amount of insured unpaid principal, interest, and other monetary payments, if any, of guaranteed obligations insured or assumed, less reinsurance and less collateral.
(x) “Utility first mortgage obligation” means an obligation of an issuer secured by a first priority mortgage on property owned or leased by an investor-owned or cooperative-owned utility company and located in the United States, Canada, or a member country of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development having a sovereign rating in one of the top two generic lettered rating classifications by a securities rating agency acceptable to the commissioner, provided that the utility or utility property or the usage fees or other similar utility rates or charges are subject to regulation or oversight by a governmental entity.
(Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 786, Sec. 41. (AB 2303) Effective January 1, 2013.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018