Subchapter II. Liabilities and Reserves

TITLE 18

Insurance Code

Insurance

CHAPTER 11. ASSETS AND LIABILITIES

Subchapter II. Liabilities and Reserves

§ 1103. Liabilities, in general.

In any determination of the financial condition of an insurer, capital stock and liabilities to be charged against its assets shall include:

(1) The amount of its capital stock outstanding, if any, or capital account required by § 511(a) of this title;

(2) The amount, estimated consistent with the provisions of this title, necessary to pay all of its unpaid losses and claims incurred on or prior to the date of statement, whether reported or unreported, together with the expenses of adjustment or settlement thereof;

(3) With reference to life insurance policies and annuity contracts, and disability and accidental death benefits in or supplemental thereto:

a. The amount of reserves on life insurance policies and annuity contracts in force, valued according to the tables of mortality, rates of interest, and methods adopted pursuant to this title which are applicable thereto;

b. Reserves for disability benefits, for both active and disabled lives;

c. Reserves for accidental death benefits;

d. Any additional reserves which may be required by the Commissioner consistent with applicable customary and general practice in insurance accounting;

(4) As to health insurance policies, the reserves required under § 1108 of this title;

(5) With reference to insurance other than specified in subdivisions (3) and (4) above, and other than title insurance, the amount of the unearned premium reserves computed in accordance with this subchapter;

(6) Taxes, expenses and other obligations due or accrued at the date of the statement;

(7) With respect to an insurance division of a bank or trust company established pursuant to § 767(a) of Title 5, only those liabilities enumerated in this section which are entered on the separate and distinct financial records of such department or division.

18 Del. C. 1953, § 1103; 56 Del. Laws, c. 380, § 1; 67 Del. Laws, c. 223, §§ 23, 24.;

§ 1104. Reserves of domestic insurers transacting business in foreign countries only.

A domestic insurer transacting insurance in foreign countries only, and not transacting insurance in any state as defined in § 103 of this title, may calculate its reserves on insurance written in each foreign jurisdiction in accordance with the reserve standards required by such jurisdiction; and negotiation and issuance of insurance on subjects of insurance resident, located or to be performed in such foreign jurisdiction, and changes in, communications concerning, and collection of premiums on insurance so issued shall not be deemed to constitute the transaction of insurance in any such state.

18 Del. C. 1953, § 1104; 56 Del. Laws, c. 380, § 1.;

§ 1105. Disallowance of "wash" transactions.

(a) The Commissioner shall disallow as an asset or as a credit against liabilities any reinsurance found by him/her after a hearing thereon to have been arranged for the purpose principally of deception as to the ceding insurer's financial condition as at the date of any financial statement of the insurer. Without limiting the general purport of the foregoing provision, reinsurance of any substantial part of the insurer's outstanding risks contracted for in fact within 4 months prior to the date of any such financial statement and cancelled in fact within 4 months after the date of such statement, or reinsurance under which the reinsurer bears no substantial insurance risk or chance of net loss to itself, shall prima facie be deemed to have been arranged principally for the purpose of deception.

(b) The Commissioner shall disallow as an asset any deposit, funds or other assets of the insurer found by him/her after a hearing thereon:

(1) Not to be in good faith the property of the insurer; and

(2) Not freely subject to withdrawal or liquidation by the insurer at any time for the payment or discharge of claims or other obligations arising under its policies; and

(3) To be resulting from arrangements made principally for the purpose of deception as to the insurer's financial condition as at the date of any financial statement of the insurer.

(c) The Commissioner may suspend or revoke the certificate of authority of any insurer which has knowingly been a party to any such deception or attempt thereat.

18 Del. C. 1953, § 1105; 56 Del. Laws, c. 380, § 1; 70 Del. Laws, c. 186, § 1.;

§ 1106. Unearned premium reserve.

(a) As to property, casualty and surety insurance the insurer shall maintain an unearned premium reserve on all policies in force.

(b) Except as provided in § 1107 of this title as to marine and transportation risks, the unearned premium shall be equal to the unearned portion of gross premiums in force (after deduction of applicable reinsurance in solvent insurers) computed on an annual, monthly or more frequently pro rata basis.

18 Del. C. 1953, § 1106; 56 Del. Laws, c. 380, § 1.;

§ 1107. Unearned premium reserve for marine and transportation insurance.

As to marine and transportation insurance, the entire amount of premiums on trip risks not terminated shall be deemed unearned, and the Commissioner may require the insurer to carry a reserve equal to 100% of premiums on trip risks written during the month ended as of the date of statement.

18 Del. C. 1953, § 1107; 56 Del. Laws, c. 380, § 1.;

§ 1108. Health insurance policy reserves.

For all health insurance policies the insurer shall maintain an active life reserve which shall place a sound value on its liabilities under such policies and be not less than the reserve according to appropriate standards set forth in regulations issued by the Commissioner and, in no event, less in the aggregate than the pro rata gross unearned premiums for such policies.

18 Del. C. 1953, § 1108; 56 Del. Laws, c. 380, § 1.;

§ 1109. Title insurance reserves.

In addition to an adequate reserve as to outstanding losses as required under § 1103 of this title, a title insurer shall maintain a guaranty fund or unearned premium reserve of not less than an amount computed as follows:

(1) Ten percent of the total amount of the risk portion of premiums written in the calendar year for title insurance contracts shall be assigned originally to the reserve;

(2) During each of the 20 years next following the year in which the title insurance contract was issued, the reserve applicable to the contract may be reduced by 5% of the original amount of such reserve.

18 Del. C. 1953, § 1109; 56 Del. Laws, c. 380, § 1.;

§ 1110. Mortgage guaranty contingency reserve.

Casualty or surety insurers insuring real property mortgage lenders against loss by reason of nonpayment of the mortgage indebtedness by the borrower shall maintain a contingency reserve for the protection of policyholders against the effects of adverse economic cycles.

18 Del. C. 1953, § 1110; 56 Del. Laws, c. 380, § 1; 74 Del. Laws, c. 214, § 5.;