44-2155. International insurance group; director; identify group-wide supervisor; factors; director; powers; duties; supervision activities; expenses.

(1) In cooperation with other state, federal, and international regulatory agencies, the director may identify a group-wide supervisor for an international insurance group in accordance with this section. The director may determine that the director is the appropriate group-wide supervisor, or he or she may acknowledge that a chief insurance regulatory official from another jurisdiction is the appropriate group-wide supervisor.

(2) The director may determine that the director is the appropriate group-wide supervisor for:

(a) An international insurance group that conducts substantial insurance operations in this state;

(b) An international insurance group with substantial insurance operations conducted by subsidiary insurance companies domiciled in this state whose ultimate controlling person is domiciled outside of this state;

(c) An international insurance group with an insurance company domiciled in this state that conducts substantial insurance operations from offices in this state;

(d) An international insurance group whose ultimate controlling person is domiciled in this state or whose top-tiered insurance company subsidiary is domiciled in this state; or

(e) Any other international insurance group, under the factors set forth in subsection (4) of this section.

(3) The director may acknowledge that a chief insurance regulatory official from another jurisdiction is the appropriate group-wide supervisor if the international insurance group:

(a) Does not have substantial insurance operations in the United States;

(b) Has substantial insurance operations in the United States, but not in this state; or

(c) Has substantial insurance operations in the United States and this state, but the director has determined pursuant to the factors set forth in subsections (4) and (10) of this section that the chief insurance regulatory official from another jurisdiction is the appropriate group-wide supervisor.

(4) The director shall consider, but shall not be limited to, the following factors when making a determination or acknowledgment regarding a group-wide supervisor under this section:

(a) The place of domicile of the ultimate controlling person of the international insurance group, if the chief insurance regulatory official of that place has significant insurance regulatory authority over such ultimate controlling person;

(b) The place of domicile of the insurer within the international insurance group that holds the largest share of the group’s written premiums, assets, or liabilities;

(c) The place of domicile of the top-tiered insurer or insurers in the insurance holding company system of the international insurance group;

(d) The location of the executive offices of the international insurance group;

(e) Whether another chief insurance regulatory official is acting or is seeking to act as the group-wide supervisor under a regulatory system that the director determines is accredited by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners or has substantially similar laws when compared to the insurance laws of this state, especially with regard to the provision of group-wide supervision, enterprise risk analysis, and cooperation with other chief insurance regulatory officials;

(f) Whether another chief insurance regulatory official acting or seeking to act as the group-wide supervisor provides the director with reasonably reciprocal recognition and cooperation;

(g) Whether substantial insurance operations are conducted by subsidiary insurance companies domiciled in this state;

(h) Whether another chief insurance regulatory official acting or seeking to act as the group-wide supervisor and key staff maintain the requisite skill, experience, and tenure necessary to act as group-wide supervisor; and

(i) Whether the international insurance group’s current group-wide supervisor is carrying out such duty reasonably.

(5) An international insurance group for which the director has not determined or acknowledged a group-wide supervisor may request that the director make a determination or acknowledgment as to a group-wide supervisor pursuant to this section.

(6) A group-wide supervisor may determine that it is appropriate to acknowledge another chief insurance regulatory official to serve as the group-wide supervisor. The acknowledgment of the group-wide supervisor shall be made after consideration of the factors listed in subsection (4) of this section and shall be made in cooperation with and subject to the acknowledgment of other regulatory officials involved with supervision of members of the international insurance group and in consultation with the international insurance group.

(7) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, when another chief insurance regulatory official is acting as the group-wide supervisor of an international insurance group, the director may acknowledge that chief insurance regulatory official as the group-wide supervisor. Such acknowledgment shall not remove any obligation of an insurer to provide information to the director pursuant to the Insurance Holding Company System Act. However, if there is a material change in the international insurance group that results in (a) the international insurance group’s insurers domiciled in this state holding the largest share of the group’s premiums, assets, or liabilities or (b) this state being the place of domicile of the top-tiered insurer or insurers in the insurance holding company system of the international insurance group, the director shall make a determination or acknowledgment as to the appropriate group-wide supervisor for such an international insurance group pursuant to this section.

(8) Pursuant to section 44-2137, the director is authorized to collect from any insurer registered pursuant to section 44-2132 all information necessary to determine whether the director may act as the group-wide supervisor of an international insurance group or if the director may acknowledge another chief insurance regulatory official to act as the group-wide supervisor. Prior to issuing a determination that an international insurance group is subject to group-wide supervision by the director, the director shall notify the insurer registered pursuant to section 44-2132 and the ultimate controlling person within the international insurance group. The international insurance group shall have not less than thirty days to provide the director with additional information pertinent to the pending determination. The director shall publish on the website of the Department of Insurance the identity of international insurance groups that the director has determined are subject to group-wide supervision by the director.

(9) If the director is the group-wide supervisor for an international insurance group, the director may engage in any of the following group-wide supervision activities:

(a) Assess the enterprise risks within the international insurance group to ensure that:

(i) The material financial condition and liquidity risks to the members of the international insurance group that are engaged in the business of insurance are identified by management; and

(ii) Reasonable and effective mitigation measures are in place;

(b) Request, from any member of an international insurance group subject to the director’s supervision, information necessary and appropriate to assess enterprise risk, including, but not limited to, information about the members of the international insurance group regarding:

(i) Governance, risk assessment, and management;

(ii) Capital adequacy; and

(iii) Material intercompany transactions;

(c) Coordinate and, through the authority of the regulatory officials of the jurisdictions where members of the international insurance group are domiciled, compel development and implementation of reasonable measures designed to ensure that the international insurance group is able to timely recognize and mitigate enterprise risks to members of such international insurance group that are engaged in the business of insurance;

(d) Communicate with other state, federal, and international regulatory agencies for members within the international insurance group and share relevant information, subject to the confidentiality provisions of section 44-2138, through supervisory colleges as set forth in section 44-2137.01 or otherwise;

(e) Enter into agreements with or obtain documentation from any insurer registered under section 44-2132, any member of the international insurance group, and any other state, federal, and international regulatory agencies for members of the international insurance group, providing the basis for or otherwise clarifying the director's role as group-wide supervisor, including provisions for resolving disputes with other regulatory officials. Such agreements or documentation shall not serve as evidence in any proceeding that any insurer or person within an insurance holding company system not domiciled or incorporated in this state is doing business in this state or is otherwise subject to jurisdiction in this state; and

(f) Other group-wide supervision activities, consistent with the authorities and purposes enumerated in this section, as considered necessary by the director.

(10) If the director acknowledges that another regulatory official from a jurisdiction that is not accredited by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners is the group-wide supervisor, the director may reasonably cooperate, through supervisory colleges or otherwise, with group-wide supervision undertaken by the group-wide supervisor if:

(a) The director's cooperation is in compliance with the laws of this state; and

(b) The regulatory official acknowledged as the group-wide supervisor also recognizes and cooperates with the director's activities as a group-wide supervisor for other international insurance groups where applicable. Where such recognition and cooperation is not reasonably reciprocal, the director may refuse recognition and cooperation.

(11) The director may enter into agreements with or obtain documentation from any insurer registered under section 44-2132, any affiliate of the insurer, and other state, federal, and international regulatory agencies for members of the international insurance group that provide the basis for or otherwise clarify a regulatory official's role as group-wide supervisor.

(12) A registered insurer subject to this section shall be liable for and shall pay the reasonable expenses of the director's participation in the administration of this section, including the engagement of attorneys, actuaries, and any other professionals and all reasonable travel expenses.

Source:Laws 2016, LB772, § 13.