HB-6231, As Passed Senate, August 30, 2006

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HOUSE BILL No. 6231

 

June 20, 2006, Introduced by Rep. Mortimer and referred to the Committee on Insurance.

 

     A bill to amend 1956 PA 218, entitled

 

"The insurance code of 1956,"

 

by amending section 7925 (MCL 500.7925), as amended by 1980 PA 41.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 7925. (1) "Covered claims" means obligations of an

 

insolvent insurer  which  that meet all of the following

 

requirements:

 

     (a) Arise out of the insurance policy contracts of the

 

insolvent insurer issued to residents of this state or are payable

 

to residents of this state on behalf of insureds of the insolvent

 

insurer.

 

     (b) Were unpaid by the insolvent insurer.

 

     (c) Are presented as a claim to the receiver in this state or

 

the  asssociation  association on or before the last date fixed for


 

the filing of claims in the domiciliary delinquency proceedings.

 

     (d) Were incurred or existed before, at the time of, or within

 

30 days after the date the receiver was appointed.

 

     (e) Arise out of policy contracts of the insolvent insurer

 

issued for all kinds of insurance except life and disability

 

insurance.

 

     (f) Arise out of insurance policy contracts issued on or

 

before the last date on which the insolvent insurer was a member

 

insurer.

 

     (2) Covered claims shall not include any of the following:

 

     (a) Obligations to refund unearned premiums above the first

 

$500.00 of unearned premiums from each person from any 1 insolvent

 

insurer. The maximum amount of unearned premiums which shall

 

constitute a covered claim shall be adjusted annually to reflect

 

changes in the cost of living under rules prescribed by the

 

commissioner. A refund in an amount less than $50.00 shall not be

 

made for unearned premiums.

 

     (b) Obligations incurred after the expiration date of the

 

insurance policy, after the insurance policy has been replaced by

 

the insured, or after the insurance policy has been canceled by the

 

association as provided in this chapter.

 

     (c) Obligations  which arise  arising out of sections 2001 to

 

2050, or similar provisions of law in another jurisdiction.

 

     (3) Covered claims shall not include  obligations to an

 

insurer, insurance pool, underwriting association, or to a person

 

who has a net worth greater than 1/10 of 1% of the aggregate

 

premiums written by member insurers in this state in the preceding


 

calendar year.  any amount due any reinsurer, insurer, insurance

 

pool, underwriting association, health maintenance organization, or

 

health care corporation as subrogation recoveries, contribution,

 

indemnification, or other obligation. A claim for any amount due

 

any reinsurer, insurer, insurance pool, underwriting association,

 

health maintenance organization, or health care corporation shall

 

not be brought against an insured or claimant under a policy issued

 

by the insolvent insurer unless the claim exceeds the association's

 

obligation limitations under subsection (6).

 

     (4) Covered claims shall not include obligations for any first

 

party or third party claim by or against an insured whose net worth

 

exceeds $25,000,000.00 on December 31, or on the last date of the

 

insured's fiscal period if that is other than December 31, of the

 

year immediately preceding the date the insurer becomes an

 

insolvent insurer. In determining net worth on this date, an

 

insured's net worth shall include the aggregate net worth of the

 

insured and all of its subsidiaries and affiliates as calculated on

 

a consolidated basis. The $25,000,000.00 net worth limit shall be

 

adjusted annually to reflect the aggregate annual percentage change

 

in the consumer price index since the previous adjustment, rounded

 

to the nearest $10,000.00. The effective date of the adjustment

 

shall be January 1 of each year. This subsection applies to an

 

insolvency that occurs on or after the effective date of the

 

amendatory act that added this subsection.

 

     (5)  (4)  Covered claims shall not include any portion of a

 

claim  which  that is in excess of an applicable limit provided in

 

the insurance policy.


 

     (6)  (5)  Covered claims shall not include that portion of a

 

claim, other than a worker's compensation claim  , which is in

 

excess of 1/20 of 1% of the aggregate premiums written by member

 

insurers in this state in the preceding calendar year.  or a claim

 

for personal protection insurance benefits under section 3107, that

 

is in excess of $5,000,000.00. The $5,000,000.00 claim cap shall be

 

adjusted annually to reflect the aggregate annual percentage change

 

in the consumer price index since the previous adjustment, rounded

 

to the nearest $10,000.00. The effective date of the adjustment

 

shall be January 1 of each year and shall apply to claims made on

 

or after that date. The claim cap in effect at the time of payment

 

of a claim shall apply.

 

     (7)  (6)  Covered claims shall not include adjustment fees and

 

expenses, attorneys' fees and expenses, court costs, interest, or

 

bond premiums if the fees, expenses, costs, interest, or premiums

 

were incurred by the insolvent insurer before the receiver was

 

appointed.

 

     (8) As used in this section:

 

     (a) "Consumer price index" means the consumer price index for

 

all urban consumers in the US city average, as most recently

 

reported by the United States department of labor, bureau of labor

 

statistics, and as certified by the commissioner.

 

     (b) "Control" means that term as defined in section 115(b)(i).

 

     (c) "Health care corporation" means that term as defined in

 

section 105 of the nonprofit health care corporation reform act,

 

1980 PA 350, MCL 550.1105.

 

     Enacting section 1.  This amendatory act does not take effect


 

unless all of the following bills of the 93rd Legislature are

 

enacted into law:

 

     (a) Senate Bill No.____ or House Bill No. 6235(request no.

 

07127'06).

 

     (b) Senate Bill No.____ or House Bill No. 6234(request no.

 

07128'06).

 

     (c) Senate Bill No.____ or House Bill No. 6233(request no.

 

07129'06).

 

     (d) Senate Bill No.____ or House Bill No. 6232(request no.

 

07130'06).

 

     (e) Senate Bill No.____ or House Bill No. 6230(request no.

 

07132'06).

 

     (f) Senate Bill No.____ or House Bill No. 6229(request no.

 

07133'06).

 

     (g) Senate Bill No.____ or House Bill No. 6228(request no.

 

07134'06).

 

     (h) Senate Bill No.____ or House Bill No. 6227(request no.

 

07135'06).

 

     (i) Senate Bill No.____ or House Bill No. 6226(request no.

 

07136'06).

 

     (j) Senate Bill No.____ or House Bill No. 6225(request no.

 

07137'06).

 

     (k) Senate Bill No.____ or House Bill No. 6224(request no.

 

07138'06).

 

     (l) Senate Bill No.____ or House Bill No. 6223(request no.

 

07139'06).