Article XIE. Special Purpose Reinsurance Vehicle Law  

    (215 ILCS 5/179E-1)
    Sec. 179E-1. Short title. This Article may be cited as the Special Purpose Reinsurance Vehicle Law.
(Source: P.A. 92-124, eff. 7-20-01.)

    (215 ILCS 5/179E-5)
    Sec. 179E-5. Purpose. This Article is adopted to provide for the creation of Special Purpose Reinsurance Vehicles ("SPRV") exclusively to facilitate the securitization of one or more ceding insurers' risk as a means of accessing alternative sources of capital and achieving the benefits of securitization. Investors in fully funded insurance securitization transactions provide funds that are available to the SPRV to secure the aggregate limit under an SPRV contract that provides coverage against the occurrence of a triggering event. The creation of SPRVs is intended to achieve greater efficiencies in conducting insurance securitizations, to diversify and broaden insurers' access to sources of risk bearing capital, and to make insurance securitization generally available on reasonable terms to as many U.S. insurers as possible.
    Under the terms of the typical securities underlying an insurance securitization transaction, proceeds from the issuance of securities are repaid to the investor on a specified maturity date with interest or dividends unless a triggering event occurs. The insurance securitization proceeds are available to pay the SPRV's obligations to the ceding insurer if the triggering event occurs, as well as being available to satisfy the SPRV's obligation to repay the insurance securitization investors if a triggering event does not occur. Insurance securitization transactions have been performed by alien companies to utilize efficiencies available to those alien companies that are not currently available to domestic companies. This Article is adopted to allow more efficiency in conducting insurance securitizations, to allow ceding insurers easier access to alternative sources of risk bearing capital, and to promote the benefits of insurance securitization to U.S. insurers.
(Source: P.A. 92-124, eff. 7-20-01.)

    (215 ILCS 5/179E-10)
    Sec. 179E-10. Exemption from insurance laws within limitations.
    (a) An SPRV is subject to the following:
        (1) Articles I, XII 1/2, XXIV, XXV (Sections 408 and

    (215 ILCS 5/179E-15)
    Sec. 179E-15. Definitions. For purposes of this Article, the following terms have the indicated meanings:
    "Aggregate limit" means the maximum sum payable to the ceding insurer under an SPRV contract.
    "Ceding insurer" means one or more insurers or reinsurers under common control that enters into an SPRV contract with an SPRV.
    "Control" (including the terms "controlling," "controlled by" and "under common control with") means the possession, direct or indirect, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of a person, whether through the ownership of voting securities, by contract other than a commercial contract for goods or non-management services, or otherwise, unless the power is the result of an official position with or corporate office held by the person. Control shall be presumed to exist if any person, directly or indirectly, owns, controls, holds with the power to vote, or holds proxies representing, 10% or more of the voting securities of any other person. This presumption may be rebutted by a showing that control does not, in fact, exist. Notwithstanding the foregoing, for purposes of this Article, the fact that an SPRV exclusively provides reinsurance to a ceding insurer under an SPRV contract shall not by itself be sufficient grounds for a finding that the SPRV or the SPRV organizer or owner is controlled by or under common control with the ceding insurer.
    "Fair Value" means:
        (1) as to cash, the amount thereof; and
        (2) as to an asset other than cash:
            (A) the amount at which that asset could be

    (215 ILCS 5/179E-20)
    Sec. 179E-20. Limited certificate of authority.
    (a) Within 30 days after receipt by the Director of a complete filing by the prospective SPRV organizer for authority to form or acquire an SPRV, which SPRV shall exist and operate expressly for the limited purposes set forth in this Article, the application shall be deemed approved and a limited certificate of authority shall be issued, unless before the expiration of the 30-day period the Director approves or disapproves the application in writing. A limited certificate of authority may not be issued unless the country or state of domicile of each ceding insurer has notified the Director in writing that they have not disapproved the transaction. A complete filing of the application must include the following:
        (1) an affidavit verifying that each prospective SPRV

    (215 ILCS 5/179E-25)
    Sec. 179E-25. Limited purpose of SPRV. This Article authorizes SPRVs to be created for the limited purpose of entering into insurance securitization transactions with investors and into related agreements to pay one or more ceding insurers agreed upon amounts under an SPRV contract upon the occurrence of triggering events related to the insurance business of the ceding insurer. An SPRV may not issue a contract for assumption of risk or indemnification of loss other than an SPRV contract as defined herein.
(Source: P.A. 92-124, eff. 7-20-01.)

    (215 ILCS 5/179E-30)
    Sec. 179E-30. Approved transactions and operation of SPRVs.
    (a) SPRVs authorized under this Article may at any given time enter into and effectuate SPRV contracts with one or more ceding insurers, provided that the SPRV contracts obligate the SPRV to indemnify the ceding insurer for losses and that contingent obligations of the SPRV under the SPRV contracts are securitized in full through a single SPRV insurance securitization and are fully funded and secured with assets held in trust in accordance with the requirements of this Article pursuant to agreements contemplated by this Article and invested in a manner that meets the criteria set forth in Section 179E-85 of this Article.
    (b) An SPRV may enter into such agreements with third parties and conduct such business as is necessary to fulfill its obligations and administrative duties incident to the insurance securitization and the SPRV contract. The agreements may include entering into swap agreements or other transactions that have the objective of leveling timing differences in funding up-front or ongoing transaction expenses or managing credit or interest rate risk of the investments in trust to assure that the assets held in trust will be sufficient to satisfy (i) payment or repayment of the securities issued pursuant to an insurance securitization transaction or (ii) the obligations of the SPRV under the SPRV contract. In fulfilling its function, the SPRV shall adhere to the following requirements and shall, to the extent of its powers, ensure that contracts obligating other parties to perform certain functions incident to its operations are substantively and materially consistent with the following requirements and guidelines:
        (1) An SPRV shall have a distinct name, which shall

    (215 ILCS 5/179E-35)
    Sec. 179E-35. Powers.
    (a) An SPRV authorized under this Article shall have the necessary powers to enter into contracts and to conduct such other commercial activities as are necessary to fulfill the purposes of this Article. Those activities may include, but are not limited to, entering into SPRV contracts, issuing securities of the SPRV and complying with the terms thereof, entering into trust, swap, and other agreements as may be necessary to effectuate an insurance securitization in compliance with the limitations and pursuant to the authorities granted to the SPRV under this Article or the plan of operation approved or deemed approved by the Director.
    (b) An SPRV organized or doing business under this Article shall, by the name adopted by the SPRV, in law, be capable of suing or being sued, and may make or enforce contracts in relation to the business of the SPRV; may have and use a common seal, and in the name of the SPRV or by a trustee chosen by the board of directors, shall, in law, be capable of taking, purchasing, holding and disposing of real and personal property for carrying into effect the purposes of its organization; and may by its board of directors, trustees, officers, or managers, make by-laws and amendments thereto not inconsistent with the laws or the constitution of this State or of the United States, which by-laws shall define the manner of electing directors, trustees, or managers and officers of the SPRV, together with their qualifications and duties and fixing their term of office.
(Source: P.A. 92-124, eff. 7-20-01.)

    (215 ILCS 5/179E-40)
    Sec. 179E-40. Affiliation. Notwithstanding the provisions of Article VIII 1/2, the SPRV, the SPRV organizer, and subsequent debt or equity investors in SPRV securities shall not be deemed affiliates of the ceding insurer by virtue of the SPRV contract between the ceding insurer and the SPRV, the securities of the SPRV, or related agreements necessary to implement the SPRV insurance securitization. An SPRV may not be controlled by, may not control, and may not be under common control with any ceding insurer that is a party to an SPRV contract.
(Source: P.A. 92-124, eff. 7-20-01.)

    (215 ILCS 5/179E-45)
    Sec. 179E-45. Capitalization. An SPRV must have minimum initial capital of not less than $5,000. All of the initial capital must be received by the SPRV in cash. The minimum initial capital required and all other funds of the SPRV in excess of its minimum initial capital, including funds held in trust to secure the obligations of the SPRV pursuant to its obligations under the SPRV contracts, shall be invested as provided in Section 179E-85.
(Source: P.A. 92-124, eff. 7-20-01.)

    (215 ILCS 5/179E-50)
    Sec. 179E-50. Dividends. An SPRV may not declare or pay dividends in any form to its owners unless the dividends do not decrease the capital of the SPRV below $5,000, and after giving effect to the dividends, the assets of the SPRV, including assets held in trust pursuant to the terms of the insurance securitization, are sufficient to meet its obligations. Dividends may be declared by the board of directors of the SPRV if the declaration of dividends would not violate the provisions of this Article or jeopardize the fulfillment of the obligations of the SPRV or the trustee pursuant to the SPRV insurance securitization, the SPRV contract or any related transaction.
(Source: P.A. 92-124, eff. 7-20-01.)

    (215 ILCS 5/179E-55)
    Sec. 179E-55. Records and financial reports.
    (a) The records of the SPRV must be maintained in this State and must be available for examination by the Department. The Director shall have the right to examine the records of an SPRV at any time. No later than 5 months after the fiscal year end of the SPRV, the SPRV must file with the Director an audit by a certified public accounting firm of the financial statements of the SPRV and the trust accounts.
    (b) No later than March 1 of each year, an SPRV organized under this Article must file with the Director a statement of operations, including, but not limited to, a statement of income, a balance sheet, and a detailed listing of invested assets, including identification of assets held in trust to secure the SPRV's obligations under the SPRV contract, for the year ending the previous December 31. The statements shall be prepared in accordance with Section 136 of this Code on such forms and shall reveal such information as shall be required by the Director.
    (c) An SPRV must keep its books and records in a manner so that its financial condition, affairs, and operations can be ascertained, its financial statements filed with the Director can be readily verified, and its compliance with the provisions of this Article can be determined. An SPRV may cause any or all of the books or records to be photographed, reproduced on film, or stored and reproduced electronically.
    (d) All original books, records, documents, accounts, and vouchers, or reproductions of those items, must be preserved and kept available in this State for the purpose of examination and until authority to destroy or otherwise dispose of the records is secured from the Director. The original records may, however, be kept and maintained outside this State if, according to a plan adopted by the SPRV's board of directors and approved by the Director, it maintains other suitable records.
(Source: P.A. 92-124, eff. 7-20-01.)

    (215 ILCS 5/179E-60)
    Sec. 179E-60. Officers and directors.
    (a) The directors of an SPRV shall elect such officers they deem necessary to carry out the purposes of the SPRV pursuant to this Article. The provisions of Section 10 of this Code relating to the indemnification of officers and directors apply to and govern SPRVs organized under this Article.
    (b) An SPRV authorized to do business in this State must notify the Director of the appointment or election of any new officers or directors within 30 days after the appointment or election.
    (c) If, after notice and hearing afforded to the officer or director, and after a finding that the officer or director is incompetent or untrustworthy or of known bad character, the Director shall order the removal of the person. If the SPRV does not comply with a removal order within 30 days, the Director may suspend that SPRV's limited certificate of authority until such time as the order is complied with.
    (d) An SPRV may not make loans to any SPRV organizer, owner, director, officer, manager, or affiliate.
(Source: P.A. 92-124, eff. 7-20-01.)

    (215 ILCS 5/179E-65)
    Sec. 179E-65. Fees and taxes. The Director may charge fees to reimburse the Director for expenses and costs incurred by the Department incident to the examination of financial statements and review of the plan of operation and to reimburse other such activities of the Director related to the formation and ongoing operation of an SPRV. An SPRV is not be subject to State premium or other State taxes incidental to the operation of its business as long as the business remains within the limitations of this Article.
(Source: P.A. 92-124, eff. 7-20-01.)

    (215 ILCS 5/179E-70)
    Sec. 179E-70. Dissolution. An SPRV operating under this Article may be dissolved by a vote of its board of directors at any time after the Director has approved that action. A voluntary dissolution may not be effected or allowed until and unless all of the obligations of the SPRV pursuant to the insurance securitization have been fully and finally satisfied pursuant to their terms. In the case of voluntary dissolution, the disposition of the affairs of the SPRV (including the settlement of all outstanding obligations) shall be made by the officers or directors of the SPRV, and when the liquidation has been completed and a final statement, in acceptable form, filed with and approved, or deemed approved, by the Director, the provisions for voluntary dissolution under the laws of this State shall be followed to dissolve the SPRV.
(Source: P.A. 92-124, eff. 7-20-01.)

    (215 ILCS 5/179E-75)
    Sec. 179E-75. Conservation, rehabilitation, or liquidation.
    (a) The provisions of Articles XIII and XIII 1/2 apply to an SPRV, except to the extent modified in this Section.
    (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 188 of this Code, the Director may apply by petition to the Circuit Court of Cook County, the Circuit Court of Sangamon County, or the circuit court of the county in which an SPRV has or last had its principal office for an order authorizing the Director to conserve, rehabilitate or liquidate an SPRV domiciled in this State solely on one or more of the following grounds:
        (1) there has been embezzlement, wrongful

    (215 ILCS 5/179E-80)
    Sec. 179E-80. SPRV not subject to guaranty funds, residual market, or similar arrangements.
    (a) An SPRV or the activities, assets, and obligations relating to the SPRV are not subject to the provisions of Articles XXXIII 1/2 and XXXIV of this Code, and an SPRV may not be assessed by or otherwise be required to contribute to any guaranty fund or guaranty association in this State with respect to the activities, assets, or obligations of an SPRV or the ceding insurer.
    (b) An SPRV may not be required to participate in residual market, FAIR plan, or other similar plans to provide insurance coverage, take out policies, assume risks, make capital contributions, pay or be otherwise obligated for assessments, surcharges, or fees, or otherwise support or participate in such plans or arrangements.
(Source: P.A. 92-124, eff. 7-20-01.)

    (215 ILCS 5/179E-85)
    Sec. 179E-85. Asset and investment limitations.
    (a) Assets of the SPRV held in trust to secure obligations under the SPRV contract must at all times be held in:
        (1) cash and cash equivalents;
        (2) securities listed by the Securities Valuation

    (215 ILCS 5/179E-90)
    Sec. 179E-90. Credit for reinsurance for the SPRV contract. An SPRV contract meeting the requirements under this Article shall be granted credit for reinsurance treatment or shall otherwise qualify as an asset or a reduction from liability for reinsurance ceded by a domestic insurer to an assuming insurer under Section 173.1 of this Code for the benefit of the ceding insurer, provided and only to the extent that (i) the fair value of the assets held in trust for the benefit of the ceding insurer equal or exceed the obligations due and payable to the ceding insurer by the SPRV under the SPRV contract, (ii) the assets are held in trust in accordance with the requirements set forth in this Article, (iii) the assets are administered in the manner and pursuant to arrangements as set forth in this Article, and (iv) the assets are held or invested in one or more of the forms allowed in Section 179E-85.
(Source: P.A. 92-124, eff. 7-20-01.)

    (215 ILCS 5/179E-95)
    Sec. 179E-95. Insurance securitization deemed not to be transaction of insurance business. The securities issued by the SPRV under an SPRV insurance securitization shall not be deemed to be insurance or reinsurance contracts. An investor in securities issued pursuant to an SPRV insurance securitization or any holder of those securities shall not, by sole means of the investment or holding, be deemed to be transacting an insurance business in this State. The underwriters or selling agents (and their partners, directors, officers, members, managers, employees, agents, representatives, and advisors) involved in an SPRV insurance securitization shall not be deemed to be conducting an insurance or reinsurance agency, brokerage, intermediary, advisory, or consulting business by virtue of their activities in connection therewith.
(Source: P.A. 92-124, eff. 7-20-01.)

    (215 ILCS 5/179E-100)
    Sec. 179E-100. Authority to adopt rules. The Director may promulgate rules necessary to effectuate the purposes of this Article. Any rules so promulgated will not affect any existing SPRV insurance securitization in effect at the time of the promulgation.
(Source: P.A. 92-124, eff. 7-20-01.)