Legislation Clerk's Office Members Committees Meetings Home Senate
HB 43 - Insurance; investments of insurers; investment pools
Williams, Robin L (114th)
Status Summary HC: Ins SC: I&L FR: 01/12/99 LA: 04/28/99 Signed by Governor

First Reader Summary

A BILL to amend Title 33 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to insurance, so as to change certain provisions relating to investments of insurers; to change certain provisions relating to investment pools; and for other purposes.

Page Numbers: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52
Code Sections - 20-2-919/ 33-10-14 <->/ 33-11-50/ 33-11-51/ 33-11-52/ 33-11-53/ 33-11-54/ 33-11-55/ 33-11-56/ 33-11-57/ 33-11-58/ 33-11-59/ 33-11-60/ 33-11-61/ 33-11-62/ 33-11-63/ 33-11-64/ 33-11-65/ 33-11-66/ 33-11-67/ 33-20-22/ 45-18-13

Recorded Votes
Vote # HV99-1033 PASS 03/03/99

House Action Senate
1/12/99 Read 1st Time 3/4/99
1/13/99 Read 2nd Time 3/17/99
2/24/99 Favorably Reported 3/17/99
Sub Committee Amend/Sub Am
3/3/99 Read 3rd Time 3/23/99
3/3/99 Passed/Adopted 3/23/99
CS Comm/Floor Amend/Sub CA
3/24/99 Amend/Sub Agreed To
4/12/99 Sent to Governor
4/28/99 Signed by Governor
336 Act/Veto Number
1/1/00/9 Effective Date
Version by LC Number
HB 43/AP Amend/Sub Agreed To
LC 25 1134 As Introduced
LC 25 1330ERS H - Favorably Reported (Sub)

HB 43                                                HB 43/AP 
 
      H. B. No. 43 (AS PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE) 
      By:  Representative Williams of the 114th 
 
 
 
                        A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 
                               AN ACT 
 
 
  1- 1  To amend Part 6 of Article 17 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of 
  1- 2  the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to health 
  1- 3  insurance plans for public school teachers and public school 
  1- 4  employees, so as to change certain provisions relating to 
  1- 5  the health insurance fund for public school teachers; to 
  1- 6  change certain provisions relating to investment of the 
  1- 7  health insurance fund for public school employees; to amend 
  1- 8  Title 33 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating 
  1- 9  to insurance, so as to change certain provisions relating to 
  1-10  valuation of reserves; to revise extensively provisions 
  1-11  relating to investments of insurers; to provide for 
  1-12  investments of life, accident and sickness, property, and 
  1-13  casualty insurers; to change certain provisions relating to 
  1-14  investment pools; to change certain provisions relating to 
  1-15  investment of funds of health care corporations; to amend 
  1-16  Title 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating 
  1-17  to professions and businesses, so as to change certain 
  1-18  provisions relating to auctioneers education, research, and 
  1-19  recovery fund; to change certain provisions relating to real 
  1-20  estate education, research, and recovery fund; to amend 
  1-21  Article 1 of Chapter 18 of Title 45 of the Official Code of 
  1-22  Georgia Annotated, relating to the state employees' health 
  1-23  insurance plan, so as to change certain provisions relating 
  1-24  to deposit of amounts from the health insurance fund 
  1-25  available for investment in trust account and investment and 
  1-26  withdrawal of funds; to designate and redesignate certain 
  1-27  portions of the Code; to provide for related matters; to 
  1-28  provide an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and 
  1-29  for other purposes. 
 
  1-30       BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA: 
 
  1-31                           SECTION 1. 
 
  1-32  Part 6 of Article 17 of Chapter 2 of Title 20 of the 
  1-33  Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to health 
  1-34  insurance plans for public school teachers and public school 
  1-35  employees, is amended by striking subsection (b) of Code 
 
 
 
                                 -1- 
 
 
 
  2- 1  Section 20-2-891, relating to health insurance fund for 
  2- 2  public school teachers, and inserting in lieu thereof the 
  2- 3  following: 
 
  2- 4    "(b) Any amounts held by the health insurance fund which 
  2- 5    are available for investment shall be paid over to the 
  2- 6    Office of Treasury and Fiscal Services. The director of 
  2- 7    the Office of Treasury and Fiscal Services shall deposit 
  2- 8    such funds in a trust account for credit only to the 
  2- 9    health insurance fund.  The director of the Office of 
  2-10    Treasury and Fiscal Services shall invest these health 
  2-11    insurance funds subject to all the terms, conditions, 
  2-12    limitations, and restrictions imposed by the laws of this 
  2-13    state Articles 1 and 3 of Chapter 11 of Title 33 upon 
  2-14    domestic life insurance companies in the making and 
  2-15    disposing of their investments.  All income derived from 
  2-16    such investment shall accrue to the health insurance fund. 
  2-17    When moneys are paid over to the Office of Treasury and 
  2-18    Fiscal Services as provided in this subsection, the 
  2-19    commissioner shall submit an estimate of the date such 
  2-20    funds shall no longer be available for investment.  When 
  2-21    the commissioner wishes to withdraw funds from the trust 
  2-22    account provided for in this subsection, he or she shall 
  2-23    submit a request for such withdrawal, in writing, to the 
  2-24    director of the Office of Treasury and Fiscal Services." 
 
  2-25                           SECTION 2. 
 
  2-26  Said part is further amended by striking Code Section 
  2-27  20-2-919, relating to investment of the health insurance 
  2-28  fund for public school employees, and inserting in lieu 
  2-29  thereof the following: 
 
  2-30    "20-2-919. 
 
  2-31    Any amounts held by the health insurance fund which are 
  2-32    available for investment shall be paid over to the Office 
  2-33    of Treasury and Fiscal Services. The director of the 
  2-34    Office of Treasury and Fiscal Services shall deposit such 
  2-35    funds in a trust account for credit only to the health 
  2-36    insurance fund.  The director of the Office of Treasury 
  2-37    and Fiscal Services shall invest these health insurance 
  2-38    funds subject to all the terms, conditions, limitations, 
  2-39    and restrictions imposed by the laws of this state 
  2-40    Articles 1 and 3 of Chapter 11 of Title 33 upon domestic 
  2-41    life  insurance companies in the making and disposing of 
  2-42    their investments.  All income derived from such 
  2-43    investments shall accrue to the health insurance fund. 
 
 
 
                                 -2- 
 
 
 
  3- 1    When moneys are paid over to the Office of Treasury and 
  3- 2    Fiscal Services, as provided in this Code section, the 
  3- 3    commissioner shall submit an estimate of the date such 
  3- 4    funds shall no longer be available for investment.  When 
  3- 5    the commissioner wishes to withdraw funds from the trust 
  3- 6    account provided for in this Code section, he or she shall 
  3- 7    submit a request for such withdrawal, in writing, to the 
  3- 8    director of the Office of Treasury and Fiscal Services." 
 
  3- 9                           SECTION 3. 
 
  3-10  Title 33 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating 
  3-11  to insurance, is amended by striking Code Section 33-10-14, 
  3-12  relating to valuation of reserves including bonds and other 
  3-13  evidences of debt, and inserting in lieu thereof the 
  3-14  following: 
 
  3-15    "33-10-14.  
 
  3-16    (a) All bonds or other evidence of debt having a fixed 
  3-17    term and rate of interest held by an insurer may, if amply 
  3-18    secured and not in default as to principal or interest, be 
  3-19    valued as follows:  
 
  3-20      (1) If purchased at par, at the par value;  
 
  3-21      (2) If purchased above or below par, on the basis of the 
  3-22      purchase price adjusted so as to bring the value to par 
  3-23      at maturity and so as to yield in the meantime the 
  3-24      effective rate of interest at which the purchase was 
  3-25      made or, in lieu of such method, according to the 
  3-26      accepted methods of valuation as is approved by the 
  3-27      Commissioner;  
 
  3-28      (3) Purchase price shall in no case be taken at a higher 
  3-29      figure than the actual market value at the time of 
  3-30      purchase plus actual brokerage, transfer, postage, or 
  3-31      express charges paid in the acquisition of such 
  3-32      securities; and  
 
  3-33      (4) Unless otherwise provided by valuation established 
  3-34      or approved by the Commissioner, no security shall be 
  3-35      carried at above the call price for the entire issue 
  3-36      during any period within which the security may be so 
  3-37      called. 
 
  3-38    (b) The Commissioner shall have discretion in determining 
  3-39    the method of calculating values according to the rules 
  3-40    set forth in this Code section but no such method or 
  3-41    valuation shall be inconsistent with any applicable 
 
 
 
                                 -3- 
 
 
 
  4- 1    valuation or method used by insurers in general or any 
  4- 2    such method then currently formulated or approved by the 
  4- 3    National Association of Insurance Commissioners or its 
  4- 4    successor organization.  The value or amount of 
  4- 5    investments, unless otherwise specified in this chapter, 
  4- 6    and excluding assets of separate accounts which are 
  4- 7    subject to Code Sections 33-11-65 through 33-11-67, shall 
  4- 8    be the value at which assets of an insurer are required to 
  4- 9    be reported for statutory accounting purposes as 
  4-10    determined in accordance with procedures prescribed in 
  4-11    published accounting and valuation standards of the 
  4-12    National Association of Insurance Commissioners and 
  4-13    adopted by regulation promulgated by the Commissioner or 
  4-14    as otherwise prescribed by regulation promulgated by the 
  4-15    Commissioner." 
 
  4-16                           SECTION 4. 
 
  4-17  Said title is further amended by striking and reserving Code 
  4-18  Section 33-10-15, relating to valuation of reserves 
  4-19  including other securities, preferred or guaranteed stocks 
  4-20  or shares, and stock of subsidiary corporations. 
 
  4-21                           SECTION 5. 
 
  4-22  Said title is further amended by striking the phrase "this 
  4-23  chapter" and inserting in lieu thereof "this article" 
  4-24  wherever such phrase occurs in Chapter 11, relating to 
  4-25  investments of insurers, as follows: 
 
  4-26      (1) In Code Section 33-11-1, relating to scope of 
  4-27      chapter; 
 
  4-28      (2) In Code Section 33-11-2, relating to eligible 
  4-29      investments; 
 
  4-30      (3) In Code Section 33-11-3, relating to acquisition of 
  4-31      securities or investments by insurers generally; 
 
  4-32      (4) In Code Section 33-11-5, relating to required 
  4-33      investments and limitations; 
 
  4-34      (5) In Code Section 33-11-8, relating to foreign 
  4-35      securities; 
 
  4-36      (6) In Code Section 33-11-16, relating to obligations 
  4-37      issued, assumed, or guaranteed by the International Bank 
  4-38      for Reconstruction and Development or the International 
  4-39      Finance Corporation; 
 
 
 
 
                                 -4- 
 
 
 
  5- 1      (7) In Code Section 33-11-23, relating to loans secured 
  5- 2      by pledge of securities or by pledge or assignment of 
  5- 3      life insurance policies; 
 
  5- 4      (8) In Code Section 33-11-25, relating to obligations 
  5- 5      secured by first mortgage or deed of trust upon improved 
  5- 6      or income-producing real property in the United States 
  5- 7      or Canada; 
 
  5- 8      (9) In Code Section 33-11-26, relating to chattel 
  5- 9      mortgage loans; 
 
  5-10      (10) In Code Section 33-11-27, relating to abstract 
  5-11      plant and equipment and stocks of abstract companies; 
 
  5-12      (11) In Code Section 33-11-30, relating to investment of 
  5-13      assets in real estate acquired for purposes of leasing; 
 
  5-14      (12) In Code Section 33-11-33, relating to prohibited 
  5-15      investments and underwriting of offering of securities 
  5-16      or property by other persons; 
 
  5-17      (13) In Code Section 33-11-37, relating to investment of 
  5-18      funds in excess of reserve and capital, or surplus, in 
  5-19      authorized and approved investments; 
 
  5-20      (14) In Code Section 33-11-39, relating to time limit 
  5-21      for disposal by insurer of real estate; 
 
  5-22      (15) In Code Section 33-11-42, relating to investments 
  5-23      of foreign and alien insurers; and 
 
  5-24      (16) In Code Section 33-11-43, relating to compliance 
  5-25      with Secondary Mortgage Market Enhancement Act. 
 
  5-26                           SECTION 6. 
 
  5-27  Said title is further amended by designating the existing 
  5-28  provisions of Chapter 11, relating to investments of 
  5-29  insurers, as Article 1 of said chapter. 
 
  5-30                           SECTION 7. 
 
  5-31  Said title is further amended by designating the existing 
  5-32  provisions of Code Section 33-11-1, relating to scope of 
  5-33  article, as subsection (a) of said Code section and adding a 
  5-34  new subsection (b) to read as follows: 
 
  5-35    "(b) The provisions of this article shall apply only to 
  5-36    those insurers that are not subject to Article 2 of this 
  5-37    chapter." 
 
 
 
 
                                 -5- 
 
 
 
  6- 1                           SECTION 8. 
 
  6- 2  Said title is further amended by striking and reserving Code 
  6- 3  Section 33-11-24, relating to life insurers' loans to 
  6- 4  policyholders secured by policies. 
 
  6- 5                           SECTION 9. 
 
  6- 6  Said title is further amended by striking and reserving Code 
  6- 7  Section 33-11-34, relating to separate accounts of domestic 
  6- 8  life insurance companies in connection with pension, 
  6- 9  retirement, and profit-sharing plans. 
 
  6-10                          SECTION 10. 
 
  6-11  Said title is further amended by striking and reserving Code 
  6-12  Section 33-11-35, relating to separate accounts of domestic 
  6-13  life insurance companies in connection with variable annuity 
  6-14  contracts. 
 
  6-15                          SECTION 11. 
 
  6-16  Said title is further amended by striking and reserving Code 
  6-17  Section 33-11-36, relating to separate accounts of domestic 
  6-18  life insurance companies in connection with variable life 
  6-19  insurance policies. 
 
  6-20                          SECTION 12. 
 
  6-21  Said title is further amended by adding to Chapter 11 a new 
  6-22  Article 2 to read as follows: 
 
 
 
  6-23    33-11-50. 
 
  6-24    (a) The purpose of this article is to protect and to 
  6-25    further the interests of insureds, creditors, and the 
  6-26    general public. This objective will be met by the 
  6-27    establishment of: 
 
  6-28      (1) Prudent standards by which an insurer shall develop 
  6-29      its investment policy and investment portfolio; 
 
  6-30      (2) A minimum financial security benchmark and a minimum 
  6-31      asset requirement, each of which shall be supported by 
  6-32      classes of investments and, as applicable, noninvested 
  6-33      assets, described in this article; 
 
  6-34      (3) A level of investment discretion whereby the 
  6-35      regulation of an insurer's investment practices has 
  6-36      minimum interference with management initiative and 
  6-37      judgment; and 
 
 
 
                                 -6- 
 
 
 
  7- 1      (4) A prescribed process for actions by the Commissioner 
  7- 2      to address situations where an insurer's investment 
  7- 3      policy or investment portfolio is not prudent under 
  7- 4      prevailing circumstances. 
 
  7- 5    (b) This article and the regulations adopted to interpret 
  7- 6    and implement it shall apply only to domestic life, 
  7- 7    accident and sickness, property, and casualty insurers 
  7- 8    licensed pursuant to Code Section 33-3-2 to transact the 
  7- 9    classes of business described in paragraphs (1) through 
  7-10    (5) of Code Section 33-3-5 and United States branches of 
  7-11    similar alien insurers entered through this state if such 
  7-12    entry is otherwise permitted by law. 
 
  7-13    (c) Separate accounts established in accordance with Code 
  7-14    Sections 33-11-65 through 33-11-67 shall be governed 
  7-15    pursuant to those Code sections. 
 
  7-16    33-11-51. 
 
  7-17    For purposes of this article, the term: 
 
  7-18      (1) 'Admitted assets' means assets permitted to be 
  7-19      reported as admitted assets on the statutory financial 
  7-20      statement of the insurer most recently required to be 
  7-21      filed with the Commissioner. 
 
  7-22      (2) 'Asset-backed/mortgage-backed securities' shall 
  7-23      include the types of securities defined below: 
 
  7-24        (A) 'Single-class mortgage-backed/asset-backed 
  7-25        securities' means pass-through certificates and other 
  7-26        securitized loans issued using only one class where 
  7-27        the payment of interest and/or principal of the 
  7-28        security is directly proportional to interest and/or 
  7-29        principal received by the business entity from the 
  7-30        loans supporting the security; 
 
  7-31        (B) 'Multiclass residential mortgage-backed 
  7-32        securities' means mortgage-backed securities which 
  7-33        have been divided into two or more classes, which do 
  7-34        not receive proportionate payments of principal and 
  7-35        interest, each of which represents an ownership 
  7-36        interest in instruments which are directly or 
  7-37        indirectly secured by liens on one-family to 
  7-38        four-family residential properties, including: 
 
  7-39          (i) 'Defined multiclass residential mortgage-backed 
  7-40          securities' which are first liens and are rated in 
  7-41          one of the two highest generic rating categories 
 
 
 
                                 -7- 
 
 
 
  8- 1          established by a Nationally Recognized Statistical 
  8- 2          Rating Organization that is recognized by the 
  8- 3          Securities Valuation Office in accordance with 
  8- 4          valuation standards adopted by the National 
  8- 5          Association of Insurance Commissioners and adopted 
  8- 6          by regulation promulgated by the Commissioner or as 
  8- 7          otherwise prescribed by regulation promulgated by 
  8- 8          the Commissioner; and 
 
  8- 9          (ii) 'Other multiclass residential mortgage-backed 
  8-10          securities' which are not first liens or, if secured 
  8-11          by first liens, are rated below the two highest 
  8-12          generic rating categories established by a 
  8-13          Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating 
  8-14          Organization that is recognized by the Securities 
  8-15          Valuation Office in accordance with valuation 
  8-16          standards adopted by the National Association of 
  8-17          Insurance Commissioners and adopted by regulation 
  8-18          promulgated by the Commissioner or as otherwise 
  8-19          prescribed by regulation promulgated by the 
  8-20          Commissioner; and 
 
  8-21        (C) 'Multiclass commercial 
  8-22        mortgage-backed/asset-backed securities' means 
  8-23        securities which have been divided into two or more 
  8-24        classes, which do not receive proportionate payments 
  8-25        of principal and interest, each of which represents an 
  8-26        ownership interest in instruments or cash flows, but 
  8-27        not including those secured by liens on one to four 
  8-28        family residential properties, including: 
 
  8-29          (i) 'Defined multiclass commercial mortgage-backed 
  8-30          securities' which have been divided into two or more 
  8-31          classes, which do not receive proportionate payments 
  8-32          of principal and interest, each of which represents 
  8-33          an ownership interest in instruments, directly or 
  8-34          indirectly secured by a first lien on one or more 
  8-35          parcels of real estate upon which is located one or 
  8-36          more commercial structures, and rated in one of the 
  8-37          two highest generic rating categories established by 
  8-38          a Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating 
  8-39          Organization that is recognized by the Securities 
  8-40          Valuation Office in accordance with valuation 
  8-41          standards adopted by the National Association of 
  8-42          Insurance Commissioners and adopted by regulation 
  8-43          promulgated by the Commissioner or as otherwise 
 
 
 
 
                                 -8- 
 
 
 
  9- 1          prescribed by regulation promulgated by the 
  9- 2          Commissioner; and 
 
  9- 3          (ii) 'Other multiclass commercial 
  9- 4          mortgage-backed/asset-backed securities' which have 
  9- 5          been divided into two or more classes, which do not 
  9- 6          receive proportionate payments of principal and 
  9- 7          interest, each of which represents an ownership 
  9- 8          interest in instruments or cash flows, including, 
  9- 9          but not limited to, instruments secured by liens on 
  9-10          one or more parcels of real estate upon which is 
  9-11          located one or more commercial structures that are 
  9-12          not first liens or, if secured by first liens, the 
  9-13          securities are rated below the two highest generic 
  9-14          rating categories established by a Nationally 
  9-15          Recognized Statistical Rating Organization that is 
  9-16          recognized by the Securities Valuation Office in 
  9-17          accordance with valuation standards adopted by the 
  9-18          National Association of Insurance Commissioners and 
  9-19          adopted by regulation promulgated by the 
  9-20          Commissioner or as otherwise prescribed by 
  9-21          regulation promulgated by the Commissioner. 
 
  9-22      (2.1) 'Asset-valuation reserve' means the reserve 
  9-23      required to be computed and reported in the annual and 
  9-24      quarterly financial statements, adopted for use by the 
  9-25      Commissioner, which is designed to address the 
  9-26      credit-related and equity risks of a domestic life or 
  9-27      accident and sickness insurer's assets. 
 
  9-28      (3) 'Debt-like preferred stock' means an investment with 
  9-29      the structure of a preferred stock that has the cash 
  9-30      flow characteristics of a debt instrument. 
 
  9-31      (4) 'Counterparty exposure amount' means: 
 
  9-32        (A) The net amount of credit risk attributable to a 
  9-33        derivative instrument entered into with a business 
  9-34        entity other than through a qualified exchange, 
  9-35        qualified foreign exchange, or cleared through a 
  9-36        qualified clearinghouse ('over-the-counter derivative 
  9-37        instrument'). The amount of credit risk equals: 
 
  9-38          (i) The market value of the over-the-counter 
  9-39          derivative instrument if the liquidation of the 
  9-40          derivative instrument would result in a final cash 
  9-41          payment to the insurer; or 
 
 
 
 
                                 -9- 
 
 
 
 10- 1          (ii) Zero if the liquidation of the derivative 
 10- 2          instrument would not result in a final cash payment 
 10- 3          to the insurer; 
 
 10- 4        (B) If over-the-counter derivative instruments are 
 10- 5        entered into under a written master agreement which 
 10- 6        provides for netting of payments owed by the 
 10- 7        respective parties, and the domiciliary jurisdiction 
 10- 8        of the counterparty is either within the United States 
 10- 9        or, if not within the United States, within a foreign 
 10-10        jurisdiction listed in the NAIC Purposes and 
 10-11        Procedures of the Securities Valuation Office as 
 10-12        eligible for netting in accordance with procedures 
 10-13        adopted by the National Association of Insurance 
 10-14        Commissioners and adopted by regulation promulgated by 
 10-15        the Commissioner or as otherwise prescribed by 
 10-16        regulation promulgated by the Commissioner, the net 
 10-17        amount of credit risk shall be the greater of zero or 
 10-18        the net sum of: 
 
 10-19          (i) The market value of the over-the-counter 
 10-20          derivative instruments entered into under the 
 10-21          agreement, the liquidation of which would result in 
 10-22          a final cash payment to the insurer; and 
 
 10-23          (ii) The market value of the over-the-counter 
 10-24          derivative instruments entered into under the 
 10-25          agreement, the liquidation of which would result in 
 10-26          a final cash payment by the insurer to the business 
 10-27          entity; and 
 
 10-28        (C) For open transactions, market value shall be 
 10-29        determined at the end of the most recent quarter of 
 10-30        the insurer's fiscal year and shall be reduced by the 
 10-31        market value of acceptable collateral held by the 
 10-32        insurer or placed in escrow by one or both parties. 
 
 10-33      (5) 'Derivative instrument' means a cap, collar, floor, 
 10-34      forward, future, option, swap, or warrant, as defined 
 10-35      below: 
 
 10-36        (A) 'Cap' means an option contract in which the cap 
 10-37        writer (seller), in return for a premium, agrees to 
 10-38        limit, or cap, the cap holder's (purchaser's) risk 
 10-39        associated with an increase in a reference rate or 
 10-40        index; 
 
 10-41        (B) 'Collar' means a combination of a cap and a floor 
 10-42        (one purchased and one written). A collar fixes the 
 
 
 
                                 -10- 
 
 
 
 11- 1        rate between two levels (the strike prices of the cap 
 11- 2        and the floor); 
 
 11- 3        (C) 'Floor' means an option contract in which the 
 11- 4        floor writer (seller), in return for a premium, agrees 
 11- 5        to limit the risk associated with a decline in a 
 11- 6        reference rate or index; 
 
 11- 7        (D) 'Forward' means a contract in which there is an 
 11- 8        agreement (other than a futures) between two parties 
 11- 9        that commit one party to purchase and the other to 
 11-10        sell the instrument or commodity underlying the 
 11-11        contract at a specified future date; 
 
 11-12        (E) 'Future' means a standardized forward contract 
 11-13        traded on organized exchanges. Each exchange specifies 
 11-14        the standard terms of futures contracts it sponsors. 
 11-15        Futures contracts are available for a wide variety of 
 11-16        underlying instruments, including insurance, 
 11-17        agricultural commodities, minerals, debt instruments 
 11-18        (such as U.S. Treasury bonds and bills), composite 
 11-19        stock indices, and foreign currencies; 
 
 11-20        (F) 'Option' means a contract that gives the option 
 11-21        holder (purchaser of the option rights) the right, but 
 11-22        not the obligation, to enter into a transaction with 
 11-23        the option writer (seller of the option rights) on 
 11-24        terms specified in the contract. A call option allows 
 11-25        the holder to buy the underlying instrument, while a 
 11-26        put option allows the holder to sell the underlying 
 11-27        instrument; 
 
 11-28        (G) 'Swap' means a contract to exchange, for a period 
 11-29        of time, the investment performance of one underlying 
 11-30        instrument for the investment performance of another 
 11-31        underlying instrument, typically without exchanging 
 11-32        the instruments themselves.  An interest rate swap is 
 11-33        a contractual agreement between two parties to 
 11-34        exchange interest rate payments (usually fixed for 
 11-35        variable) based on a specified amount of underlying 
 11-36        assets or liabilities (known as the notional amount) 
 11-37        for a specified period. The swap does not involve an 
 11-38        exchange of principal. The result of these 
 11-39        transactions is to transform payments from a variable 
 11-40        rate to a fixed rate, from a fixed rate to a variable 
 11-41        rate or from one variable rate index to another 
 11-42        variable rate index; and 
 
 
 
 
                                 -11- 
 
 
 
 12- 1        (H) 'Warrant' means an instrument that gives the 
 12- 2        holder the right to purchase an underlying financial 
 12- 3        instrument at a given price and time or at a series of 
 12- 4        prices and times outlined in the warrant agreement. 
 
 12- 5      (6) 'Derivative transaction' means a transaction 
 12- 6      involving the use of one or more derivative instruments. 
 
 12- 7      (7) 'Domestic jurisdiction' means the United States, 
 12- 8      Canada, any state, any province of Canada, or any 
 12- 9      political subdivision of any of the foregoing. 
 
 12-10      (8) 'Equity-like preferred stock' means an investment 
 12-11      with the structure of a preferred stock that has the 
 12-12      characteristics of an equity instrument. 
 
 12-13      (9) 'Government sponsored enterprise' means a: 
 
 12-14        (A) Governmental agency; or 
 
 12-15        (B) Corporation, limited liability company, 
 12-16        association, partnership, joint stock company, joint 
 12-17        venture, trust or other entity or instrumentality 
 12-18        organized under the laws of any domestic jurisdiction 
 12-19        to accomplish a public policy or other governmental 
 12-20        purpose. 
 
 12-21      (10) 'Hedging transaction' means a derivative 
 12-22      transaction which is entered into and maintained to 
 12-23      reduce or manage: 
 
 12-24        (A) The risk of a change in the value, yield, price, 
 12-25        cash flow, or quantity of assets or liabilities which 
 12-26        the insurer has acquired or incurred or anticipates 
 12-27        acquiring or incurring; or 
 
 12-28        (B) The currency exchange rate risk or the degree of 
 12-29        exposure as to assets or liabilities which an insurer 
 12-30        has acquired or incurred or anticipates acquiring or 
 12-31        incuring. 
 
 12-32      (11) 'High grade investment' means an investment rated 1 
 12-33      or 2 by the Securities Valuation Office or any successor 
 12-34      office, in accordance with valuation standards adopted 
 12-35      by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners 
 12-36      and adopted by regulation promulgated by the 
 12-37      Commissioner or as otherwise prescribed by regulation 
 12-38      promulgated by the Commissioner. 
 
 12-39      (12) 'Lower grade investment' means an investment rated 
 12-40      4, 5, or 6 by the Securities Valuation Office or any 
 
 
 
                                 -12- 
 
 
 
 13- 1      successor office in accordance with valuation standards 
 13- 2      adopted by the National Association of Insurance 
 13- 3      Commissioners and adopted by regulation promulgated by 
 13- 4      the Commissioner or as otherwise prescribed by 
 13- 5      regulation promulgated by the Commissioner. 
 
 13- 6      (13) 'Medium grade investment' means an investment rated 
 13- 7      3 by the Securities Valuation Office or any successor 
 13- 8      office in accordance with valuation standards adopted by 
 13- 9      the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and 
 13-10      adopted by regulation promulgated by the Commissioner or 
 13-11      as otherwise prescribed by regulation promulgated by the 
 13-12      Commissioner. 
 
 13-13      (14) 'Minimum asset requirement' means the sum of an 
 13-14      insurer's liabilities and its minimum financial security 
 13-15      benchmark. 
 
 13-16      (15) 'Minimum financial security benchmark' means the 
 13-17      amount an insurer is required to maintain under Code 
 13-18      Section 33-11-52. 
 
 13-19      (16) 'Potential exposure' means the amount determined in 
 13-20      accordance with the NAIC Annual Statement Instructions 
 13-21      adopted by the National Association of Insurance 
 13-22      Commissioners and adopted by regulation promulgated by 
 13-23      the Commissioner or as otherwise prescribed by 
 13-24      regulation promulgated by the Commissioner. 
 
 13-25      (17) 'Replication' means a derivative transaction 
 13-26      involving one or more derivative instruments being used 
 13-27      to modify the cash flow characteristics of one or more 
 13-28      investments held by an insurer in a manner so that the 
 13-29      aggregate cash flows of the derivative instruments and 
 13-30      investments reproduce the cash flows of another 
 13-31      investment having a higher risk-based capital charge 
 13-32      than the risk-based capital charge of the original 
 13-33      investments or investments. 
 
 13-34      (18) 'Special rated credit instrument' means an 
 13-35      asset-backed/mortgage-backed security authorized by 
 13-36      paragraph (2) of Code Section 33-11-55 where the 
 13-37      investment is structured such that: 
 
 13-38        (A) The payments are the interest only portion of the 
 13-39        underlying collateral; 
 
 13-40        (B) Such payments are reduced as the balance of the 
 13-41        underlying collateral is reduced; and 
 
 
 
                                 -13- 
 
 
 
 14- 1        (C) Such reduction may cause a significant loss of the 
 14- 2        original investment. For purposes of this 
 14- 3        subparagraph, 'significant' shall mean a loss of 15 
 14- 4        percent or more. 
 
 14- 5      (19) 'SVO listed mutual fund' means a money market 
 14- 6      mutual fund or short-term bond fund that is registered 
 14- 7      with the United States Securities and Exchange 
 14- 8      Commission under the Investment Company Act of 1940, and 
 14- 9      that has been determined by the Securities Valuation 
 14-10      Office or any successor office in accordance with 
 14-11      valuation standards adopted by the National Association 
 14-12      of Insurance Commissioners and adopted by regulation 
 14-13      promulgated by the Commissioner or as otherwise 
 14-14      prescribed by regulation promulgated by the Commissioner 
 14-15      to be eligible for special reserve and reporting 
 14-16      treatment other than as common stock. 
 
 14-17    33-11-52. 
 
 14-18      (a)(1) Unless otherwise established in accordance with 
 14-19      paragraphs (2) and (3) of this subsection, the amount of 
 14-20      the minimum financial security benchmark for an insurer 
 14-21      shall be the greater of: 
 
 14-22        (A) The authorized control level risk-based capital 
 14-23        applicable to the insurer as set forth by Code Section 
 14-24        33-56-3 less the asset valuation reserve and voluntary 
 14-25        investment reserves as defined by the valuation 
 14-26        procedures in Code Section 33-10-14; or 
 
 14-27        (B) The minimum capital and surplus required by this 
 14-28        title for maintenance of an insurer's certificate of 
 14-29        authority. 
 
 14-30      (2) The Commissioner may, in accordance with the factors 
 14-31      in paragraph (2) of subsection (b) of this Code section, 
 14-32      establish by order a minimum financial security 
 14-33      benchmark to apply to a specific insurer provided it is 
 14-34      not less than the amount determined by paragraph (1) of 
 14-35      this subsection. 
 
 14-36      (3) The Commissioner may establish by regulation a 
 14-37      minimum financial security benchmark that is a multiple 
 14-38      of authorized control level risk-based capital to apply 
 14-39      to any class of insurers provided the amount established 
 14-40      by the regulation is not less than the amount determined 
 14-41      in paragraph (1) of this subsection. 
 
 
 
 
                                 -14- 
 
 
 
 15- 1    (b) The Commissioner shall determine the amount of surplus 
 15- 2    that shall constitute an insurer's minimum financial 
 15- 3    security benchmark, as an amount that will provide 
 15- 4    reasonable security against contingencies affecting the 
 15- 5    insurer's financial position that are not fully covered by 
 15- 6    reserves or by reinsurance. 
 
 15- 7      (1) The Commissioner shall consider the risks of the 
 15- 8      following types of contingencies: 
 
 15- 9        (A) Increases in the frequency or severity of losses 
 15-10        beyond the levels contemplated by the rates charged; 
 
 15-11        (B) Increases in expenses beyond those contemplated by 
 15-12        the rates charged; 
 
 15-13        (C) Decreases in the value of or the return on 
 15-14        invested assets below those planned on; 
 
 15-15        (D) Changes in economic conditions that would make 
 15-16        liquidity more important than contemplated and would 
 15-17        force untimely sale of assets or prevent timely 
 15-18        investments; 
 
 15-19        (E) Currency devaluation to which the insurer may be 
 15-20        subject; and 
 
 15-21        (F) Any other contingencies the Commissioner can 
 15-22        identify that may affect the insurer's operations. 
 
 15-23      (2) In determining an insurer's minimum financial 
 15-24      security benchmark under this subsection, the 
 15-25      Commissioner shall take into account the following 
 15-26      factors: 
 
 15-27        (A) The most reliable information available as to the 
 15-28        magnitude of the various risks under paragraph (1) of 
 15-29        this subsection; 
 
 15-30        (B) The extent to which the risks in paragraph (1) of 
 15-31        this subsection are independent of each other or are 
 15-32        related, and whether any dependency is direct or 
 15-33        inverse; 
 
 15-34        (C) The insurer's recent history of profits or losses; 
 
 15-35        (D) The extent to which the insurer has provided 
 15-36        protection against the contingencies in other ways 
 15-37        than the establishment of surplus; including 
 15-38        redundancy of premiums, adjustability of contracts 
 15-39        under their terms, investment valuation reserves 
 15-40        whether voluntary or mandatory, appropriate 
 
 
                                 -15- 
 
 
 
 16- 1        reinsurance, the use of conservative actuarial 
 16- 2        assumptions to provide a margin of security, reserve 
 16- 3        adjustments in recognition of previous rate 
 16- 4        inadequacies, contingency or catastrophe reserves, 
 16- 5        diversification of assets and underwriting risks; 
 
 16- 6        (E) Independent judgments of the soundness of the 
 16- 7        insurer's operations, as evidenced by the ratings of 
 16- 8        reliable professional financial reporting services; 
 16- 9        and 
 
 16-10        (F) Any other relevant factors. 
 
 16-11      (3) An insurer subject to the provisions of this article 
 16-12      shall invest and maintain invested funds not less in 
 16-13      amount than the minimum financial security benchmark 
 16-14      only in the following: 
 
 16-15        (A) Cash; 
 
 16-16        (B) Certificates of deposit or similar certificates or 
 16-17        evidences of deposit in banks and trust companies to 
 16-18        the extent that the certificates or deposits are 
 16-19        insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation; 
 
 16-20        (C) Savings accounts, certificates of deposit, or 
 16-21        similar certificates or evidences of deposit in 
 16-22        savings and loan associations and building loan 
 16-23        associations to the extent that the same are insured 
 16-24        by the Savings Association Insurance Fund of the 
 16-25        Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation; 
 
 16-26        (D) Bonds, notes, warrants, and other evidences of 
 16-27        indebtedness which are direct obligations of the 
 16-28        government of the United States of America or for 
 16-29        which the full faith and credit of the government of 
 16-30        the United States of America is pledged for the 
 16-31        payment of principal and interest; 
 
 16-32        (E) Loans guaranteed as to principal and interest by 
 16-33        the government of the United States of America, or by 
 16-34        any agency or instrumentality of the government of the 
 16-35        United States of America, to the extent of such 
 16-36        guaranty; 
 
 16-37        (F) Bonds, notes, warrants, and other securities not 
 16-38        in default which are the direct obligations of any 
 16-39        domestic jurisdiction, or for which the full faith and 
 16-40        credit of such domestic jurisdiction has been pledged 
 16-41        for the payment of principal and interest; 
 
 
 
                                 -16- 
 
 
 
 17- 1        (G) The obligations of any county, any incorporated 
 17- 2        city, town, or village, any school district, water 
 17- 3        district, sewer district, road district, or any 
 17- 4        special district, or any other political subdivision 
 17- 5        or public authority of any state, territory, or 
 17- 6        insular possession of the United States, or of the 
 17- 7        District of Columbia, or of the Canadian cities having 
 17- 8        a population of over 25,000 according to the most 
 17- 9        recent official census, which has not defaulted for a 
 17-10        period of 120 days in the payment of interest upon, or 
 17-11        for a period of more than one year in the payment of 
 17-12        principal of, any of its bonds, notes, warrants, 
 17-13        certificates of indebtedness, securities, or any other 
 17-14        interest-bearing obligation during the five years 
 17-15        immediately preceding the acquisition of the 
 17-16        investment; 
 
 17-17        (H) Bonds, notes, or other evidences of indebtedness, 
 17-18        in addition to those eligible corporate bonds and 
 17-19        debentures, which are secured by first mortgages on 
 17-20        real estate situated within a domestic jurisdiction, 
 17-21        or purchase money mortgages or like securities 
 17-22        received upon the sale or exchange of real property 
 17-23        acquired; provided, however, that not more than 45 
 17-24        percent in the case of life insurers, and not more 
 17-25        than 25 percent in the case of nonlife insurers, of 
 17-26        the minimum financial security benchmark may be made 
 17-27        up of such investments; 
 
 17-28        (I) High grade investments in corporate bonds and 
 17-29        debentures having a remaining maturity of five years 
 17-30        or less; and 
 
 17-31        (J) Any other investment not otherwise prohibited by 
 17-32        this article that is considered exempt from risk based 
 17-33        capital requirements pursuant to Code Section 33-56-2 
 17-34        in accordance with risk-based capital instructions 
 17-35        adopted by the National Association of Insurance 
 17-36        Commissioners and adopted by regulation promulgated by 
 17-37        the Commissioner or as otherwise prescribed by 
 17-38        regulation promulgated by the Commissioner. 
 
 17-39    33-11-53. 
 
 17-40    The following factors shall be evaluated by the insurer 
 17-41    and considered along with its business in determining 
 17-42    whether an investment portfolio or investment policy is 
 17-43    prudent, and the Commissioner shall consider the following 
 
 
 
                                 -17- 
 
 
 
 18- 1    factors prior to making a determination that an insurer's 
 18- 2    investment portfolio or investment policy is not prudent: 
 
 18- 3      (1) General economic conditions; 
 
 18- 4      (2) The possible effect of inflation or deflation; 
 
 18- 5      (3) The expected tax consequences of investment 
 18- 6      decisions or strategies; 
 
 18- 7      (4) The fairness and reasonableness of the terms of an 
 18- 8      investment considering its probable risk and reward 
 18- 9      characteristics and relationship to the investment 
 18-10      portfolio as a whole; 
 
 18-11      (5) The extent of the diversification of the insurer's 
 18-12      investments among: 
 
 18-13        (A) Individual investments; 
 
 18-14        (B) Classes of investments; 
 
 18-15        (C) Industry concentrations; 
 
 18-16        (D) Dates of maturity; and 
 
 18-17        (E) Geographic areas; 
 
 18-18      (6) The quality and liquidity of investments in 
 18-19      affiliates; 
 
 18-20      (7) The investment exposure to the following risks, 
 18-21      quantified in a manner consistent with the insurer's 
 18-22      acceptable risk level appropriate for the insurer given 
 18-23      the level of capitalization and expertise available to 
 18-24      the insurer: 
 
 18-25        (A) Liquidity; 
 
 18-26        (B) Credit and default; 
 
 18-27        (C) Systemic (market); 
 
 18-28        (D) Interest rate; 
 
 18-29        (E) Call, prepayment and extension; 
 
 18-30        (F) Currency; and 
 
 18-31        (G) Foreign sovereign, political subdivision, and 
 18-32        corporate; 
 
 18-33      (8) The amount of the insurer's assets, capital and 
 18-34      surplus, premium writings, insurance in force, and other 
 18-35      appropriate characteristics; 
 
 
 
                                 -18- 
 
 
 
 19- 1      (9) The amount and adequacy of the insurer's reported 
 19- 2      liabilities; 
 
 19- 3      (10) The relationship of the expected cash flows of the 
 19- 4      insurer's assets and liabilities, and the risk of 
 19- 5      adverse changes in the insurer's assets and liabilities; 
 
 19- 6      (11) The adequacy of the insurer's capital and surplus 
 19- 7      to secure the risks and liabilities of the insurer; and 
 
 19- 8      (12) Any other factors appropriate for consideration and 
 19- 9      relevant to whether an investment is prudent. 
 
 19-10    33-11-54. 
 
 19-11    (a) An insurer's board of directors shall adopt a written 
 19-12    plan for acquiring and holding investments and for 
 19-13    engaging in investment practices that specifies guidelines 
 19-14    as to the quality, maturity, and diversification of 
 19-15    investments and other specifications, including investment 
 19-16    strategies intended to assure that the investments and 
 19-17    investment practices are appropriate for the business 
 19-18    conducted by the insurer, its liquidity needs, and its 
 19-19    capital and surplus. The board shall review and assess the 
 19-20    insurer's technical investment and administrative 
 19-21    capabilities and expertise before adopting a written plan 
 19-22    concerning an investment strategy or investment practice. 
 
 19-23    (b) Investments acquired and held under this article shall 
 19-24    be acquired and held under the supervision and direction 
 19-25    of the board of directors of the insurer. The board of 
 19-26    directors shall evidence by formal resolution, at least 
 19-27    annually, that it has determined whether all investments 
 19-28    have been made in accordance with delegations, standards, 
 19-29    limitations, and investment objectives prescribed by the 
 19-30    board or a committee of the board charged with the 
 19-31    responsibility to direct its investments. 
 
 19-32    (c) On no less than a quarterly basis, and more often if 
 19-33    deemed appropriate, an insurer's board of directors or 
 19-34    committee of the board of directors shall: 
 
 19-35      (1) Receive and review a summary report on the insurer's 
 19-36      investment portfolio, its investment activities, and 
 19-37      investment practices engaged in under delegated 
 19-38      authority, in order to determine whether the investment 
 19-39      activity of the insurer is consistent with its written 
 19-40      plan; and 
 
 19-41      (2) Review and revise, as appropriate, the written plan. 
 
 
 
                                 -19- 
 
 
 
 20- 1    (d) In discharging its duties under this Code section, the 
 20- 2    board of directors shall require that records of any 
 20- 3    authorizations or approvals, other documentation as the 
 20- 4    board may require, and reports of any action taken under 
 20- 5    authority delegated under the plan referred to in 
 20- 6    subsection (a) of this Code section shall be made 
 20- 7    available on a regular basis to the board of directors. 
 
 20- 8    (e) If an insurer does not have a board of directors, all 
 20- 9    references to the board of directors in this article shall 
 20-10    be deemed to be references to the governing body of the 
 20-11    insurer having authority equivalent to that of a board of 
 20-12    directors. 
 
 20-13    (f) In discharging their duties under this Code section, 
 20-14    the directors of an insurer shall perform their duties to 
 20-15    the same degree  required by Code Section 14-2-830. 
 
 20-16    33-11-55. 
 
 20-17    (a) The following classes of investments are eligible for 
 20-18    support of an insurer's outstanding liabilities, whether 
 20-19    they are made directly or through limited partnership 
 20-20    interests, joint ventures, stock of an investment 
 20-21    subsidiary or membership interests in a limited liability 
 20-22    company, trust certificates, participation certificates, 
 20-23    or other similar instruments and, with the prior written 
 20-24    approval of the Commissioner, general partnership 
 20-25    interests: 
 
 20-26      (1) Cash; 
 
 20-27      (2) Bonds, investment pools, trust certificates, 
 20-28      asset-backed/mortgage-backed securities, SVO listed 
 20-29      mutual funds, debt-like preferred stock, or evidences of 
 20-30      indebtedness of governmental units or government 
 20-31      sponsored enterprises  of a domestic jurisdiction, or 
 20-32      private business entities domiciled in a domestic 
 20-33      jurisdiction; 
 
 20-34        (3)(A) Obligations secured by mortgages on real estate 
 20-35        situated within a domestic jurisdiction, in an 
 20-36        aggregate amount which, together with those 
 20-37        investments made pursuant to paragraph (6) of this 
 20-38        subsection, does not exceed 45 percent of admitted 
 20-39        assets in the case of life insurers and 25 percent in 
 20-40        the case of nonlife insurers; but a mortgage loan 
 20-41        which is secured by other than a first lien may only 
 20-42        be acquired when: 
 
 
 
                                 -20- 
 
 
 
 21- 1          (i) The insurer is the holder of the first lien; or 
 
 21- 2          (ii) No senior loan is cross-collateralized or 
 21- 3          cross-defaulted with another mortgage loan secured 
 21- 4          by real estate, and the insurer has the right to 
 21- 5          cure a default on any senior loans. 
 
 21- 6        (B) The obligations held by the insurer and any 
 21- 7        obligations with an equal lien priority shall not, at 
 21- 8        the time of acquisition of the obligation, exceed: 
 
 21- 9          (i) Ninety percent of the fair market value of the 
 21-10          real estate, if the mortgage loan is secured by a 
 21-11          purchase money mortgage or like security received by 
 21-12          the insurer upon disposition of the real estate; 
 
 21-13          (ii) Eighty percent of the fair market value of the 
 21-14          real estate, if the mortgage loan requires immediate 
 21-15          scheduled payment in periodic installments of 
 21-16          principal and interest, has an amortization period 
 21-17          of 30 years or less, and has periodic payments made 
 21-18          no less frequently than annually. Each periodic 
 21-19          payment shall be sufficient to assure that at all 
 21-20          times the outstanding principal balance of the 
 21-21          mortgage loan shall be not greater than the 
 21-22          outstanding principal balance that would be 
 21-23          outstanding under a mortgage loan with the same 
 21-24          original principal balance, with the same interest 
 21-25          rate and requiring equal payments of principal and 
 21-26          interest with the same frequency over the same 
 21-27          amortization period. Mortgage loans permitted under 
 21-28          this subsection are permitted notwithstanding the 
 21-29          fact that they provide for a payment of the 
 21-30          principal balance prior to the end of the period of 
 21-31          amortization of the loan. For residential mortgage 
 21-32          loans, the 80 percent limitation may be increased to 
 21-33          97 percent if acceptable private mortgage insurance 
 21-34          has been obtained; or 
 
 21-35          (iii) Seventy-five percent of the fair market value 
 21-36          of the real estate for mortgage loans that do not 
 21-37          meet the requirements of division (i) or (ii) of 
 21-38          this subparagraph. 
 
 21-39        (C) For purposes of subparagraph (A) of this 
 21-40        paragraph, the amount of an obligation required to be 
 21-41        included in the calculation of the loan-to-value ratio 
 21-42        may be reduced to the extent the obligation is insured 
 21-43        by the Federal Housing Administration or guaranteed by 
 
 
                                 -21- 
 
 
 
 22- 1        the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, or 
 22- 2        their successors. 
 
 22- 3        (D) Subject to the limitations of Code Section 
 22- 4        33-11-58, credit tenant loans with the following 
 22- 5        characteristics shall be exempt from the provisions of 
 22- 6        subparagraph (B) of this paragraph: 
 
 22- 7          (i) The loan amortizes over the initial fixed lease 
 22- 8          term at least in an amount sufficient so that the 
 22- 9          loan balance at the end of the lease term does not 
 22-10          exceed the original appraised value of the real 
 22-11          estate; 
 
 22-12          (ii) The lease payments cover or exceed the total 
 22-13          debt service over the life of the loan; 
 
 22-14          (iii) A tenant or its affiliated entity whose 
 22-15          outstanding obligations have a high grade 
 22-16          designation or a comparable rating from a Nationally 
 22-17          Recognized Statistical Rating Organization 
 22-18          recognized by the Securities Valuation Office or any 
 22-19          successor office in accordance with valuation 
 22-20          standards adopted by the National Association of 
 22-21          Insurance Commissioners and adopted by regulation 
 22-22          promulgated by the Commissioner or as otherwise 
 22-23          prescribed by regulation promulgated by the 
 22-24          Commissioner and where the tenant or its affiliated 
 22-25          entity has a full faith and credit obligation to 
 22-26          make the lease payments; 
 
 22-27          (iv) The insurer holds or is the beneficial holder 
 22-28          of a first lien mortgage on the real estate; 
 
 22-29          (v) The expenses of the real estate are passed 
 22-30          through to the tenant, excluding exterior, 
 22-31          structural, parking, and heating, ventilation, and 
 22-32          air conditioning replacement expenses, unless annual 
 22-33          escrow contributions from cash flows derived from 
 22-34          the lease payments cover the expense shortfall; and 
 
 22-35          (vi) There is a perfected assignment of the rents 
 22-36          due pursuant to the lease to, or for the benefit of, 
 22-37          the insurer. 
 
 22-38        (E) An insurer shall not acquire an investment under 
 22-39        this paragraph if, as a result of and after giving 
 22-40        effect to the investment, the aggregate amount of all 
 22-41        investments then held by the insurer under this 
 22-42        paragraph would exceed: 
 
 
                                 -22- 
 
 
 
 23- 1          (i) Four percent of its admitted assets in mortgage 
 23- 2          loans covering any one secured location; 
 
 23- 3          (ii) One percent of its admitted assets in 
 23- 4          construction loans covering any one secured 
 23- 5          location; or 
 
 23- 6          (iii) Eight percent of its admitted assets in 
 23- 7          construction loans in the aggregate; 
 
 23- 8      (4) Common stock or equity-like preferred stock or 
 23- 9      equity interests in any business entity in a domestic 
 23-10      jurisdiction, or shares of mutual funds registered with 
 23-11      the Securities and Exchange Commission of the United 
 23-12      States under the Investment Company Act of 1940, other 
 23-13      than Securities Valuation Office listed mutual funds, in 
 23-14      an amount not exceeding 20 percent of admitted assets in 
 23-15      the case of life insurers, and 25 percent in the case of 
 23-16      nonlife insurers; 
 
 23-17      (5) Real property for the convenient accommodation of 
 23-18      the insurer's (which may include its affiliates) 
 23-19      business operations, including home office, branch 
 23-20      office, and field office operations, in an amount not 
 23-21      exceeding 10 percent of admitted assets; 
 
 23-22        (A) Real estate acquired under this paragraph may 
 23-23        include excess space for rent to others, if the excess 
 23-24        space, valued at its fair market value, would 
 23-25        otherwise be a permitted investment under paragraph 
 23-26        (6) of this subsection and is so qualified by the 
 23-27        insurer; 
 
 23-28        (B) The real estate acquired under this paragraph may 
 23-29        be subject to one or more mortgages, liens, or other 
 23-30        encumbrances, the amount of which shall, to the extent 
 23-31        that the obligations secured by the mortgages, liens, 
 23-32        or encumbrances are without recourse to the insurer, 
 23-33        be deducted from the amount of the investment of the 
 23-34        insurer in the real estate for purposes of determining 
 23-35        compliance with this Code section; and 
 
 23-36        (C) For purposes of this paragraph, business 
 23-37        operations shall not include that portion of real 
 23-38        estate used for the direct provision of health care 
 23-39        services by an accident and sickness insurer for its 
 23-40        insureds. An insurer may acquire real estate used for 
 23-41        these purposes under paragraph (6) of this subsection; 
 
 
 
 
                                 -23- 
 
 
 
 24- 1      (6) Real property, together with the fixtures, 
 24- 2      furniture, furnishings, and equipment pertaining thereto 
 24- 3      situated in a domestic jurisdiction, in an amount not 
 24- 4      exceeding 20 percent of admitted assets in the case of 
 24- 5      life insurers, and 10 percent in the case of nonlife 
 24- 6      insurers. Real estate acquired under this paragraph: 
 
 24- 7        (A) Shall be income producing or intended for 
 24- 8        improvement or development for investment purposes 
 24- 9        under an existing program (in which case the real 
 24-10        estate shall be deemed to be income producing); 
 
 24-11        (B) May be subject to mortgages, liens, or other 
 24-12        encumbrances, the amount of which shall, to the extent 
 24-13        that the obligations secured by the mortgages, liens, 
 24-14        or encumbrances are without recourse to the insurer, 
 24-15        be deducted from the amount of the investment of the 
 24-16        insurer in the real estate for purposes of determining 
 24-17        compliance with subparagraph (C) of this paragraph; 
 24-18        and 
 
 24-19        (C) An insurer shall not acquire an investment under 
 24-20        this paragraph if, as a result of and after giving 
 24-21        effect to the investment and any outstanding 
 24-22        guarantees made by the insurer in connection with the 
 24-23        investment, the aggregate amount of investments then 
 24-24        held by the insurer under this paragraph plus the 
 24-25        guarantees then outstanding would exceed: 
 
 24-26          (i) Four percent of its admitted assets in one 
 24-27          parcel or group of contiguous parcels of real 
 24-28          estate, except that this limitation shall not apply 
 24-29          to that portion of real estate used for the direct 
 24-30          provision of health care services by an accident and 
 24-31          sickness insurer for its insureds, such as 
 24-32          hospitals, medical clinics, medical professional 
 24-33          buildings, or other health facilities used for the 
 24-34          purpose of providing health services; or 
 
 24-35          (ii) Fifteen percent of its admitted assets in the 
 24-36          aggregate; 
 
 24-37      (7) Loans, securities, or other investments of the types 
 24-38      described in paragraphs (1) through (6) of this 
 24-39      subsection in countries other than the United States and 
 24-40      Canada; provided that the aggregate amount of 
 24-41      investments shall not exceed 20 percent of admitted 
 24-42      assets; 
 
 
 
                                 -24- 
 
 
 
 25- 1      (8) Bonds or other evidences of indebtedness of 
 25- 2      international development organizations of which the 
 25- 3      United States is a member, in an amount not exceeding 5 
 25- 4      percent of admitted assets in each organization; 
 
 25- 5      (9) Loans upon the security of the insurer's own 
 25- 6      policies in amounts that are adequately secured by the 
 25- 7      policies and that in no case exceed the surrender values 
 25- 8      of the policies; 
 
 25- 9      (10) Tangible personal property under contract of sale 
 25-10      or lease under which contractual payments may reasonably 
 25-11      be expected to return the principal of and provide 
 25-12      earnings on the investment within its anticipated useful 
 25-13      life, in an amount not exceeding 2 percent of admitted 
 25-14      assets; 
 
 25-15      (11) Loans guaranteed as to principal and interest by 
 25-16      the Georgia Higher Education Assistance Corporation, to 
 25-17      the extent of such guaranty; 
 
 25-18      (12) Chattel mortgage loans as follows: 
 
 25-19        (A) In connection with a loan on the security of real 
 25-20        estate designed and used primarily for residential 
 25-21        purposes only, which loan was acquired in accordance 
 25-22        with paragraph (3) of subsection (a) of this Code 
 25-23        section, an insurer may lend or invest an amount not 
 25-24        exceeding 20 percent of the amount loaned on a chattel 
 25-25        mortgage to be amortized by regular periodic payments 
 25-26        within a term of not more than five years, and 
 25-27        representing a first and prior lien, except for taxes 
 25-28        not then delinquent, on personal property constituting 
 25-29        durable equipment owned by the mortgagor or security 
 25-30        grantor and kept and used in the mortgaged premises; 
 
 25-31        (B) For the purpose of this paragraph, the term 
 25-32        'durable equipment' shall include only mechanical 
 25-33        refrigerators, air-conditioning equipment, mechanical 
 25-34        laundering machines, heating and cooking stoves and 
 25-35        ranges, and in addition, in the case of apartment 
 25-36        houses and hotels, room furniture and furnishings; 
 
 25-37        (C) Prior to the acquisition of a chattel mortgage as 
 25-38        prescribed by this Code section, items of property to 
 25-39        be included in such mortgage shall be separately 
 25-40        appraised by a qualified appraiser and the fair market 
 25-41        value of such items of property determined.  No 
 25-42        chattel mortgage loan shall exceed in amount the same 
 
 
 
                                 -25- 
 
 
 
 26- 1        ratio of loan to the value of the property as is 
 26- 2        applicable to the companion loan on the real property; 
 26- 3        and 
 
 26- 4        (D) This paragraph shall not prohibit an insurer from 
 26- 5        taking liens on personal property as additional 
 26- 6        security for any investment otherwise eligible under 
 26- 7        this article; 
 
 26- 8        (13)(A) If real property securing any evidence of 
 26- 9        indebtedness held by an insurer is used for 
 26-10        agricultural purposes and a proceeding to foreclose 
 26-11        the security instrument or an insolvency proceeding 
 26-12        relating to the mortgagor has been commenced or, if 
 26-13        the mortgagor has made an assignment for the benefit 
 26-14        of creditors, the insurer may, for the purpose of 
 26-15        preserving or enhancing the earnings of the property: 
 
 26-16          (i) Purchase agricultural livestock or equipment and 
 26-17          utilize the same or cause the same to be utilized in 
 26-18          the operation of the property by the mortgagor, or a 
 26-19          receiver or trustee, or by the insurer-creditor; or 
 
 26-20          (ii) Lend up to the value of any agricultural 
 26-21          equipment or livestock which may be used in the 
 26-22          operation of the property, on the security of a 
 26-23          first lien on the equipment and livestock. 
 
 26-24        (B) Nothing in this Code section shall be deemed to 
 26-25        limit any right which the insurer may otherwise have 
 26-26        under or with respect to any loan, mortgage, or 
 26-27        investment; 
 
 26-28      (14) Subject to prior approval of the Commissioner, an 
 26-29      insurer may acquire and hold real property for 
 26-30      recreation, hospitalization, convalescence, and 
 26-31      retirement purposes of its employees. All investments 
 26-32      under this paragraph shall not exceed 5 percent of the 
 26-33      insurer's surplus; or, if a mutual or reciprocal 
 26-34      insurer, all of those investments shall not exceed 5 
 26-35      percent of the insurer's surplus in excess of the 
 26-36      surplus required to be maintained under this title for 
 26-37      its authority to transact insurance; 
 
 26-38      (15) Other investments the Commissioner authorizes by 
 26-39      regulation; and 
 
 26-40      (16) Investments not otherwise expressly permitted by 
 26-41      this Code section but not specifically prohibited by 
 
 
 
                                 -26- 
 
 
 
 27- 1      statute, to the extent of not more than 10 percent of 
 27- 2      the insurer's admitted assets. 
 
 27- 3    (b) An insurer may exceed the aggregate limitation 
 27- 4    contained in paragraph (3) of subsection (a) of this Code 
 27- 5    section by no more than 30 percent of its admitted assets 
 27- 6    if: 
 
 27- 7      (1) This increased amount is invested only in 
 27- 8      residential mortgage loans; 
 
 27- 9      (2) The insurer has no more than 10 percent of its 
 27-10      admitted assets invested in mortgage loans other than 
 27-11      residential mortgage loans; 
 
 27-12      (3) The loan-to-value ratio of each residential mortgage 
 27-13      loan does not exceed 60 percent at the time the mortgage 
 27-14      loan is qualified under this increased authority, and 
 27-15      the fair market value is supported by an appraisal no 
 27-16      more than two years old, prepared by an independent 
 27-17      appraiser; and 
 
 27-18      (4) A single mortgage loan qualified under this 
 27-19      increased authority shall not exceed 0.5 percent of its 
 27-20      admitted assets. 
 
 27-21    (c) With the permission of the Commissioner, additional 
 27-22    amounts of real estate may be acquired under paragraph (5) 
 27-23    of subsection (a) of this Code section. 
 
 27-24    33-11-56. 
 
 27-25    (a) An insurer may, directly or indirectly through an 
 27-26    investment subsidiary, engage in derivative transactions 
 27-27    under this article under the following conditions: 
 
 27-28      (1) An insurer may use derivative instruments under this 
 27-29      Code section to engage in hedging transactions which 
 27-30      manage risk and certain income generation transactions, 
 27-31      as these terms may be further defined in regulation 
 27-32      promulgated by the Commissioner; 
 
 27-33      (2) An insurer shall be able to demonstrate to the 
 27-34      Commissioner the intended hedging characteristics and 
 27-35      the ongoing effectiveness of the derivative transaction 
 27-36      or combination of the transactions through cash flow 
 27-37      testing or other appropriate analyses. 
 
 27-38      (3) An insurer may enter into hedging transactions under 
 27-39      this Code section if, as a result of and after giving 
 27-40      effect to the transaction: 
 
 
 
                                 -27- 
 
 
 
 28- 1        (A) The aggregate statement value of options, caps, 
 28- 2        floors and warrants not attached to another financial 
 28- 3        instrument purchased and used in hedging transactions 
 28- 4        does not exceed 7.5 percent of its admitted assets; 
 
 28- 5        (B) The aggregate statement value of options, caps, 
 28- 6        and floors written in hedging transactions does not 
 28- 7        exceed 3 percent of its admitted assets; and 
 
 28- 8        (C) The aggregate potential exposure of collars, 
 28- 9        swaps, forwards, and futures used in hedging 
 28-10        transactions does not exceed 6.5 percent of its 
 28-11        admitted assets; 
 
 28-12      (4) An insurer may only enter into the types of income 
 28-13      generation transactions described in subparagraphs (A) 
 28-14      through (D) of this paragraph if, as a result of and 
 28-15      after giving effect to the transactions, the aggregate 
 28-16      statement value of the fixed income assets that are 
 28-17      subject to call or that generate the cash flows for 
 28-18      payments under the caps or floors, plus the face value 
 28-19      of fixed income securities underlying a derivative 
 28-20      instrument subject to call, plus the amount of the 
 28-21      purchase obligations under the puts, does not exceed 10 
 28-22      percent of its admitted assets: 
 
 28-23        (A) Sales of covered call options on noncallable fixed 
 28-24        income securities, callable fixed income securities if 
 28-25        the option expires by its terms prior to the end of 
 28-26        the noncallable period, or derivative instruments 
 28-27        based on fixed income securities; 
 
 28-28        (B) Sales of covered call options on equity 
 28-29        securities, if the insurer holds in its portfolio, or 
 28-30        can immediately acquire through the exercise of 
 28-31        options, warrants, or conversion rights already owned, 
 28-32        the equity securities subject to call during the 
 28-33        complete term of the call option sold; 
 
 28-34        (C) Sales of covered puts on investments that the 
 28-35        insurer is permitted to acquire under this article, if 
 28-36        the insurer has escrowed, or entered into a custodian 
 28-37        agreement segregating, cash or cash equivalents with a 
 28-38        market value equal to the amount of its purchase 
 28-39        obligations under the put during the complete term of 
 28-40        the put option sold; or 
 
 28-41        (D) Sales of covered caps or floors, if the insurer 
 28-42        holds in its portfolio the investments generating the 
 
 
 
                                 -28- 
 
 
 
 29- 1        cash flow to make the required payments under the caps 
 29- 2        or floors during the complete term that the cap or 
 29- 3        floor is outstanding; and 
 
 29- 4      (5) An insurer shall include all counterparty exposure 
 29- 5      amounts in determining compliance with the limitations 
 29- 6      of this article. 
 
 29- 7    (b) The Commissioner may approve additional transactions 
 29- 8    involving the use of derivative instruments in excess of 
 29- 9    the limits of this Code section or for other risk 
 29-10    management purposes under regulations promulgated by the 
 29-11    Commissioner. 
 
 29-12    33-11-57. 
 
 29-13    (a) Investments not conforming to this article shall not 
 29-14    be admitted assets. 
 
 29-15    (b) Subject to subsection (c) of this Code section, an 
 29-16    insurer shall not acquire or hold an investment as an 
 29-17    admitted asset unless at the time of acquisition it is: 
 
 29-18      (1) Eligible for the payment or accrual of interest or 
 29-19      discount (whether in cash or other forms of income or 
 29-20      securities), eligible to receive dividends or other 
 29-21      distributions, or is otherwise income producing; 
 
 29-22      (2) Acquired under Code Section 33-11-55, Code Section 
 29-23      33-11-56, or Code Section 33-11-63, as a result of 
 29-24      securities lending, repurchase, reverse repurchase, 
 29-25      dollar roll transactions or, if a life insurer, the 
 29-26      administration of policy loans; or 
 
 29-27      (3) Under the authority of provisions of this chapter 
 29-28      other than this article. 
 
 29-29    (c) An insurer may acquire or hold as admitted assets 
 29-30    investments that do not otherwise qualify as provided in 
 29-31    this article if the insurer has not acquired them for the 
 29-32    purpose of circumventing any limitations contained in this 
 29-33    article, the insurer complies with the provisions of Code 
 29-34    Section 33-11-60 and values such investments in accordance 
 29-35    with Code Section 33-10-14, and if the insurer acquires 
 29-36    the investments in the following circumstances: 
 
 29-37      (1) As payment on account of existing indebtedness or in 
 29-38      connection with the refinancing, restructuring, or 
 29-39      workout of existing indebtedness, if taken to protect 
 29-40      the insurer's interest in that investment; 
 
 
 
                                 -29- 
 
 
 
 30- 1      (2) As realization on collateral for an obligation; 
 
 30- 2      (3) In connection with an otherwise qualified investment 
 30- 3      or investment practice, as interest on or a dividend or 
 30- 4      other distribution related to the investment or 
 30- 5      investment practice or in connection with the 
 30- 6      refinancing of the investment, in each case for no 
 30- 7      additional or only nominal consideration; 
 
 30- 8      (4) Under a lawful and bona fide agreement of 
 30- 9      recapitalization or voluntary or involuntary 
 30-10      reorganization in connection with an investment held by 
 30-11      the insurer; or 
 
 30-12      (5) Under a bulk reinsurance, merger, or consolidation 
 30-13      transaction approved by the Commissioner if the assets 
 30-14      constitute admissible investments for the ceding, 
 30-15      merged, or consolidated companies. 
 
 30-16    (d) An investment or portion of an investment acquired by 
 30-17    an insurer under subsection (c) of this Code section shall 
 30-18    become a nonadmitted asset three years (or five years in 
 30-19    the case of mortgage loans and real estate) from the date 
 30-20    of its acquisition, unless within that period the 
 30-21    investment has become a qualified investment under a 
 30-22    provision of this article other than subsection (c) of 
 30-23    this Code section, but an investment acquired under an 
 30-24    agreement of bulk reinsurance, merger, or consolidation 
 30-25    may be qualified for a longer period if so provided in the 
 30-26    plan for reinsurance, merger, or consolidation as approved 
 30-27    by the Commissioner. Upon application by the insurer and a 
 30-28    showing that the nonadmission of an asset held under 
 30-29    subsection (c) of this Code section would materially 
 30-30    injure the interests of the insurer, the Commissioner may 
 30-31    extend the period for admissibility for an additional 
 30-32    reasonable period of time. 
 
 30-33    (e) Except as provided in subsections (f) and (h) of this 
 30-34    Code section, an investment acquired or committed to be 
 30-35    acquired prior to the effective date of this article shall 
 30-36    qualify under this article if, on the date the insurer 
 30-37    committed to acquire the investment or on the date of its 
 30-38    acquisition, it would have qualified under provisions of 
 30-39    this chapter then in effect. For the purposes of 
 30-40    determining limitations contained in this article, an 
 30-41    insurer shall give appropriate recognition to any 
 30-42    commitments to acquire investments. 
 
 
 
 
                                 -30- 
 
 
 
 31- 1      (f)(1) Each specific transaction constituting an 
 31- 2      investment practice of the type described in this 
 31- 3      article that was lawfully entered into by an insurer and 
 31- 4      was in effect on the effective date of this article 
 31- 5      shall continue to be permitted under this article until 
 31- 6      its expiration or termination under its terms. 
 
 31- 7      (2) A mortgage made pursuant to Code Section 33-11-55 or 
 31- 8      held as an admitted asset pursuant to paragraph (1) of 
 31- 9      this subsection shall remain qualified as an admitted 
 31-10      asset regardless of any refinancing, modification, or 
 31-11      extension of such mortgage loan. 
 
 31-12    (g) Unless otherwise specified, an investment limitation 
 31-13    computed on the basis of an insurer's admitted assets or 
 31-14    capital and surplus shall relate to the amount required to 
 31-15    be shown on the statutory balance sheet of the insurer 
 31-16    most recently required to be filed with the Commissioner. 
 
 31-17    (h) An investment qualified, in whole or in part, for 
 31-18    acquisition or holding as an admitted asset may be 
 31-19    qualified or requalified at the time of acquisition or a 
 31-20    later date, in whole or in part, under any other provision 
 31-21    of this article, if the relevant conditions contained in 
 31-22    such other provision are satisfied at the time of 
 31-23    qualification or requalification. 
 
 31-24    (i) An insurer shall maintain documentation demonstrating 
 31-25    that investments were acquired in accordance with this 
 31-26    article and specifying the Code section under which they 
 31-27    were acquired. 
 
 31-28    (j) An insurer shall not enter into an agreement to 
 31-29    purchase securities in advance of their issuance for 
 31-30    resale to the public as part of a distribution of the 
 31-31    securities by the issuer or otherwise guarantee the 
 31-32    distribution, except that an insurer may acquire privately 
 31-33    placed securities with registration rights. 
 
 31-34    (k) Notwithstanding the provisions of this article, the 
 31-35    Commissioner, for good cause, may order under an insurer 
 31-36    to nonadmit, limit, dispose of, withdraw from, or 
 31-37    discontinue an investment or investment practice. The 
 31-38    authority of the Commissioner under this subsection is in 
 31-39    addition to any other authority of the Commissioner. 
 
 31-40    (l) Insurance futures and insurance futures options are 
 31-41    not considered investments or investment practices for 
 31-42    purposes of this article. 
 
 
 
                                 -31- 
 
 
 
 32- 1    33-11-58. 
 
 32- 2      (a)(1) For purposes of determining compliance with Code 
 32- 3      Section 33-11-61, securities of a single issuer and its 
 32- 4      affiliates, other than: 
 
 32- 5        (A) The government of the United  States; or 
 
 32- 6        (B) Government sponsored enterprises, 
 
 32- 7      shall not exceed 10 percent of admitted assets. 
 
 32- 8      (2) This limitation shall not apply to the aggregate 
 32- 9      amounts insured by a single financial guaranty insurer 
 32-10      with the highest generic rating issued by a Nationally 
 32-11      Recognized Statistical Rating Organization. 
 
 32-12    (b) For the purpose of determining compliance with the 
 32-13    limitations of this Code section, the admitted portion of 
 32-14    assets of subsidiaries authorized under Code Section 
 32-15    33-13-2 shall be deemed to be owned directly by the 
 32-16    insurer and any other investors in proportion to the 
 32-17    market value or, if there is no market, the reasonable 
 32-18    value, of their interest in the subsidiaries. 
 
 32-19    (c) To the extent that investments exceed the limitations 
 32-20    specified in subsections (a) and (b) of this Code section, 
 32-21    the excess may be assigned to the investment class 
 32-22    authorized in paragraph (15) of Code Section 33-11-55, 
 32-23    until that limit is exhausted. 
 
 32-24    (d) Unless otherwise specified, an investment limitation 
 32-25    computed on the basis of an insurer's admitted assets or 
 32-26    capital and surplus shall relate to the amount required to 
 32-27    be shown on the statutory balance sheet of the insurer 
 32-28    most recently required to be filed with the Commissioner. 
 
 32-29    (e) Notwithstanding any provision of the federal Secondary 
 32-30    Mortgage Enhancement Act, 15 U.S.C. Section 77r-1, to the 
 32-31    contrary, any insurer subject to the provisions of this 
 32-32    article shall comply with all restrictions and limitations 
 32-33    concerning investments provided in this article. 
 
 32-34    (f) Notwithstanding any other provision of this article, 
 32-35    an insurer authorized to transact insurance in a foreign 
 32-36    country may make investments, in a manner consistent with 
 32-37    the laws of such country, in securities or other 
 32-38    investments which are similar in characteristics and 
 32-39    quality to like investments required pursuant to this 
 32-40    chapter for investments in the United States of America. 
 32-41    The aggregate amount of the investments must not exceed 
 
 
                                 -32- 
 
 
 
 33- 1    the amount which is customary and necessary for the 
 33- 2    servicing of the insurance which the insurer has in force 
 33- 3    in the foreign country. 
 
 33- 4    (g) Subject to the restrictions and limitations provided 
 33- 5    in this article, an insurer may invest in bonds, notes, 
 33- 6    warrants, and other securities not in default which are 
 33- 7    the direct obligations of the government of any foreign 
 33- 8    country for which the full faith and credit of such 
 33- 9    government has been pledged for the payment of principal 
 33-10    and interest, provided such securities are listed as high 
 33-11    by a securities rating organization accepted by the 
 33-12    National Association of Insurance Commissioners in 
 33-13    accordance with valuation standards adopted by the 
 33-14    National Association of Insurance Commissioners and 
 33-15    adopted by regulation promulgated by the Commissioner or 
 33-16    as otherwise prescribed by regulation promulgated by the 
 33-17    Commissioner. 
 
 33-18    33-11-59. 
 
 33-19    An insurer doing business that requires it to make payment 
 33-20    in different currencies shall have investments in 
 33-21    securities in each of these currencies in an amount that 
 33-22    independently of all other investments meets the 
 33-23    requirements of this article as applied separately to the 
 33-24    insurer's obligations in each currency. The Commissioner 
 33-25    may by order exempt an insurer, or by regulation a class 
 33-26    of insurers, from this requirement if the obligations in 
 33-27    other currencies are small enough that no significant 
 33-28    problem for financial solidity would be created by 
 33-29    substantial fluctuations in relative currency values. 
 
 33-30    33-11-60. 
 
 33-31    In addition to investments excluded or prohibited pursuant 
 33-32    to other provisions of this article, an insurer shall not, 
 33-33    directly or indirectly: 
 
 33-34      (1) Engage on its own behalf or through one or more 
 33-35      affiliates in a transaction or series of transactions 
 33-36      designed to evade the prohibitions of this article; or 
 
 33-37      (2) Invest in or lend its funds upon the security of 
 33-38      shares of its own stock, except that an insurer may 
 33-39      acquire shares of its own stock for the following 
 33-40      purposes, but the shares shall not be admitted assets of 
 33-41      the insurer: 
 
 
 
 
                                 -33- 
 
 
 
 34- 1        (A) Conversion of a stock insurer into a mutual or 
 34- 2        reciprocal insurer or a mutual or reciprocal insurer 
 34- 3        into a stock insurer; 
 
 34- 4        (B) Issuance to the insurer's officers, employees or 
 34- 5        agents in connection with a plan approved by the 
 34- 6        Commissioner for converting a publicly held insurer 
 34- 7        into a privately held insurer or in connection with 
 34- 8        other stock option and employee benefit plans; or 
 
 34- 9        (C) In accordance with any other plan approved by the 
 34-10        Commissioner. 
 
 34-11    33-11-61. 
 
 34-12    (a) Invested assets may be counted toward satisfaction of 
 34-13    the minimum asset requirement only so far as they are 
 34-14    invested in compliance with this article and applicable 
 34-15    regulations promulgated and orders issued by the 
 34-16    Commissioner pursuant to this article. Assets other than 
 34-17    invested assets may be counted toward satisfaction of the 
 34-18    minimum asset requirement at admitted annual statement 
 34-19    value. 
 
 34-20    (b) An investment held as an admitted asset by an insurer 
 34-21    on the effective date of this article which qualified 
 34-22    under Article 1 of this chapter shall remain qualified as 
 34-23    an admitted asset under this article. 
 
 34-24    (c) If an insurer does not own, or is unable to apply 
 34-25    toward compliance with this article, an amount of assets 
 34-26    equal to its minimum asset requirement, the Commissioner 
 34-27    may deem it to be financially hazardous under Chapter 37 
 34-28    of this title. 
 
 34-29    33-11-62. 
 
 34-30    (a) The Commissioner may retain at the insurer's expense 
 34-31    attorneys, actuaries, accountants, and other experts not 
 34-32    otherwise a part of the Commissioner's staff as may be 
 34-33    reasonably necessary to assist in reviewing the insurer's 
 34-34    investments. Persons so retained shall be under the 
 34-35    direction and control of the Commissioner and shall act in 
 34-36    a purely advisory capacity. 
 
 34-37    (b) The investment policy or information related to the 
 34-38    investment policy provided to the Commissioner for review 
 34-39    under this article shall be considered confidential and 
 34-40    shall not be a public record for purposes of Article 4 of 
 34-41    Chapter 18 of Title 50 or subject to subpoena, and shall 
 
 
 
                                 -34- 
 
 
 
 35- 1    be subject to disclosure only as required for purposes of 
 35- 2    and in accordance with this title. 
 
 35- 3    33-11-63. 
 
 35- 4    (a) If the Commissioner determines that an insurer's 
 35- 5    investment practices do not meet the provisions of this 
 35- 6    article, the Commissioner may, after notification to the 
 35- 7    insurer of the Commissioner's findings, order the insurer 
 35- 8    to make changes necessary to comply with the provisions of 
 35- 9    this article. 
 
 35-10    (b) If the Commissioner determines that by reason of the 
 35-11    financial condition, current investment practice, or 
 35-12    current investment plan of an insurer, the interests of 
 35-13    insureds, creditors, or the general public are or may be 
 35-14    endangered, the Commissioner may impose reasonable 
 35-15    additional restrictions upon the admissibility or 
 35-16    valuation of investments or may impose restrictions on the 
 35-17    investment practices of an insurer, including prohibition 
 35-18    or divestment. 
 
 35-19    (c) If the Commissioner is satisfied by evidence of an 
 35-20    insurer's financial strength and the competence of 
 35-21    management and its investment advisors, the Commissioner 
 35-22    may count toward satisfaction of the minimum asset 
 35-23    requirement any other investment not specifically 
 35-24    prohibited by this article to the extent that the 
 35-25    Commissioner is satisfied that the interests of insureds, 
 35-26    creditors, and the general public of this state are 
 35-27    protected. 
 
 35-28    33-11-64. 
 
 35-29    (a) An insurer shall not acquire an investment under this 
 35-30    article if, as a result of and after giving effect to the 
 35-31    investment, the aggregate amount of all investments then 
 35-32    held by the insurer under this article would exceed: 
 
 35-33      (1) For medium and lower grade investments, 20 percent 
 35-34      of admitted assets; 
 
 35-35      (2) For lower grade investments, 10 percent of admitted 
 35-36      assets; 
 
 35-37      (3) For investments rated 5 or 6 by the Securities 
 35-38      Valuation Office or any successor office pursuant to the 
 35-39      valuation procedures of Code Section 33-10-14, 5 percent 
 35-40      of admitted assets; or 
 
 
 
 
                                 -35- 
 
 
 
 36- 1      (4) For investments rated 6 by the Securities Valuation 
 36- 2      Office or any successor office pursuant to the valuation 
 36- 3      procedures of Code Section 33-10-14, 1 percent of 
 36- 4      admitted assets. 
 
 36- 5    (b) The aggregate amount of special rated credit 
 36- 6    instruments held by an insurer pursuant to the valuation 
 36- 7    procedures of Code Section 33-10-14 shall not exceed 10 
 36- 8    percent of admitted assets. 
 
 36- 9    33-11-65. 
 
 36-10    (a) Any domestic life insurance company may establish one 
 36-11    or more separate accounts and may allocate to such 
 36-12    separate account or accounts, in accordance with the terms 
 36-13    of a written agreement, any amounts paid to the company in 
 36-14    connection with a pension, retirement, or profit-sharing 
 36-15    plan, which is established by or in behalf of any group 
 36-16    listed in Code Section 33-27-1, which are to be applied to 
 36-17    provide benefits payable in fixed or variable dollar 
 36-18    amounts. 
 
 36-19    (b) The amounts allocated to each account and 
 36-20    accumulations thereon may be invested and reinvested in 
 36-21    any class of investments which may be authorized in the 
 36-22    written agreement without regard to any requirements or 
 36-23    limitations prescribed by the laws of this state governing 
 36-24    the investments of domestic life insurance companies, 
 36-25    provided that, to the extent that the company's reserve 
 36-26    liability with regard to benefits guaranteed as to amount 
 36-27    and duration and funds guaranteed as to principal amount 
 36-28    or stated rate of interest is maintained in any separate 
 36-29    account, a portion of the assets of such separate account 
 36-30    at least equal to such reserve liability shall be invested 
 36-31    in accordance with the laws of this state governing the 
 36-32    investment of reserves of domestic life insurance 
 36-33    companies, as set forth in this article. The investments 
 36-34    in such separate account or accounts shall not be taken 
 36-35    into account in applying the investment limitations 
 36-36    applicable to other investments of the company. 
 
 36-37    (c) The income, if any, and gains and losses realized or 
 36-38    unrealized on each account shall be credited to or charged 
 36-39    against the amounts allocated to the account in accordance 
 36-40    with the written agreement, without regard to other 
 36-41    income, gains, or losses of the company. 
 
 36-42    (d) Assets allocated to a separate account shall be valued 
 36-43    at their market value on the date of valuation or, if 
 
 
                                 -36- 
 
 
 
 37- 1    there is no readily available market, in accordance with 
 37- 2    the terms of the applicable written agreement, provided 
 37- 3    that the portion of the assets of such separate account at 
 37- 4    least equal to the company's reserve liability with regard 
 37- 5    to the guaranteed benefits and funds referred to in 
 37- 6    subsection (b) of this Code section, if any, shall be 
 37- 7    valued in accordance with the rules otherwise applicable 
 37- 8    to the company's assets. 
 
 37- 9    (e) Amounts allocated to a separate account in the 
 37-10    exercise of the power granted by this Code section shall 
 37-11    be owned by the company, and the company shall not be, nor 
 37-12    hold itself out to be, a trustee with respect to those 
 37-13    amounts. 
 
 37-14    (f) If the agreement provides for payment of benefits in 
 37-15    variable amounts, any contract entered into pursuant to 
 37-16    this chapter and delivered in this state providing for 
 37-17    such variable benefits shall be a group annuity contract. 
 37-18    Such contract shall: 
 
 37-19      (1) Cover at least ten persons at the time it is entered 
 37-20      into; 
 
 37-21      (2) Be for the purpose of funding a pension, retirement, 
 37-22      or profit-sharing plan or agreement which meets the 
 37-23      requirements for qualification under Section 401, 403, 
 37-24      or 414 of the United States Internal Revenue Code, as 
 37-25      now or hereafter amended, or any corresponding 
 37-26      provisions of prior or subsequent United States revenue 
 37-27      laws; and 
 
 37-28      (3) Prohibit the allocation to the separate account of 
 37-29      any payment or contribution made by any employee. 
 
 37-30    The contract shall contain a statement of the essential 
 37-31    features of the procedure to be followed by the company in 
 37-32    determining the dollar amounts of such variable benefits. 
 37-33    The contract and any group certificate issued under the 
 37-34    contract shall state that such dollar amounts may decrease 
 37-35    or increase and shall contain on its first page, in a 
 37-36    prominent position, a statement that the benefits under 
 37-37    the contract are on a variable basis. 
 
 37-38    (g) No domestic life insurance company and no foreign or 
 37-39    Canadian life insurance company admitted to transact 
 37-40    business in this state shall be authorized to deliver 
 37-41    within this state any contract entered into pursuant to 
 37-42    this article and providing benefits in variable amounts 
 
 
 
                                 -37- 
 
 
 
 38- 1    until said company has satisfied the Commissioner that its 
 38- 2    condition or methods of operation in connection with the 
 38- 3    issuance of such contracts will not be such as would 
 38- 4    render its operation hazardous to the public or its 
 38- 5    policyholders in this state. In determining the 
 38- 6    qualification of a company requesting authority to deliver 
 38- 7    the contracts in this state, the Commissioner shall 
 38- 8    consider, among other things: 
 
 38- 9      (1) The history and financial condition of the company; 
 
 38-10      (2) The character, responsibility, and general fitness 
 38-11      of the officers and directors of the company; and 
 
 38-12      (3) In the case of a foreign or Canadian company, 
 38-13      whether the regulations provided by the state of its 
 38-14      domicile or that province in which its head office is 
 38-15      located provides a degree of protection to policyholders 
 38-16      and the public which is substantially equal to that 
 38-17      provided by this Code section and the rules and 
 38-18      regulations issued thereunder. 
 
 38-19    (h) Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, the 
 38-20    Commissioner shall have sole authority to issue such 
 38-21    reasonable rules and regulations as may be necessary to 
 38-22    carry out the purposes of this Code section. 
 
 38-23    (i) Nothing in this Code section shall be deemed to repeal 
 38-24    any provision of Code Section 33-25-9 and no contract or 
 38-25    agreement made pursuant to this Code section, or policy or 
 38-26    certificate issued under this Code section, shall be 
 38-27    construed to violate Code Section 33-25-9. 
 
 38-28    33-11-66. 
 
 38-29    (a) This Code section is cumulative of and in addition to 
 38-30    the authority granted by any other law of this state 
 38-31    relating to separate accounts for insurance companies or 
 38-32    to annuity contracts on a variable basis and shall not be 
 38-33    deemed to repeal or affect the provisions of Code Section 
 38-34    33-11-65 dealing with the group variable annuity contracts 
 38-35    referred to in subsection (f) of Code Section 33-11-65. 
 
 38-36    (b) When used in this Code section, the term 'variable 
 38-37    annuity contract' shall mean any individual or group 
 38-38    contract issued by an insurance company or annuity company 
 38-39    providing for annuity benefits and incidental contractual 
 38-40    payments or values which vary in whole or in part so as to 
 38-41    reflect investment results of any segregated portfolio of 
 38-42    investments or of a designated separate account or 
 
 
                                 -38- 
 
 
 
 39- 1    accounts in which amounts received or retained in 
 39- 2    connection with any of the contracts have been placed. 
 
 39- 3    (c) Any domestic life insurance company may establish one 
 39- 4    or more separate accounts and may allocate to those 
 39- 5    accounts amounts to provide for annuities (and benefits 
 39- 6    incidental thereto) payable in fixed or variable amounts 
 39- 7    or both. 
 
 39- 8    (d) Except as provided in subsection (f) of this Code 
 39- 9    section, amounts allocated to any separate account and 
 39-10    accumulations thereon may be invested and reinvested 
 39-11    without regard to any requirements or limitations 
 39-12    prescribed by the laws of this state governing the 
 39-13    investments of domestic life insurance companies, provided 
 39-14    that, to the extent that the company's reserve liability 
 39-15    with regard to benefits guaranteed as to amount and 
 39-16    duration and funds guaranteed as to principal amount or 
 39-17    stated rate of interest is maintained in any separate 
 39-18    account, a portion of the assets of such separate account 
 39-19    at least equal to the reserve liability shall be invested 
 39-20    in accordance with the laws of this state governing the 
 39-21    investment of reserves of life insurance companies. The 
 39-22    investments in the separate account or accounts shall not 
 39-23    be taken into account in applying the investment 
 39-24    limitations applicable to other investments of the 
 39-25    company. 
 
 39-26    (e) To the extent any such domestic company deems it 
 39-27    necessary to comply with any applicable federal or state 
 39-28    laws, the company, with respect to any separate account, 
 39-29    including without limitation any separate account which is 
 39-30    a management investment company or a unit investment 
 39-31    trust, may provide for persons having an interest in such 
 39-32    separate account appropriate voting and other rights and 
 39-33    special procedures for the conduct of the business of such 
 39-34    account, including without limitation, special rights and 
 39-35    procedures relating to investment policy, investment 
 39-36    advisory services, selection of independent public 
 39-37    accountants, and the selection of a committee, the members 
 39-38    of which need not be otherwise affiliated with the 
 39-39    company, to manage the business of the account. This 
 39-40    subsection shall not affect existing laws pertaining to 
 39-41    the voting rights of the life insurance company's 
 39-42    stockholders or policyholders except as provided in this 
 39-43    Code section. 
 
 
 
 
                                 -39- 
 
 
 
 40- 1    (f) No domestic company shall, for any separate account, 
 40- 2    purchase the voting securities of a single issuer if such 
 40- 3    purchase would result in such company, and all domestic 
 40- 4    insurance companies, directly or indirectly controlling, 
 40- 5    controlled by, or under common control with the company 
 40- 6    and holding in the company's or companies' separate 
 40- 7    account or accounts an amount in excess of 10 percent of 
 40- 8    the total issued and outstanding voting securities of the 
 40- 9    issuer, provided that this limitation shall not apply with 
 40-10    respect to securities held in separate accounts, the 
 40-11    voting rights in which are exercisable in accordance with 
 40-12    instructions from persons having interests in such 
 40-13    accounts. This limitation shall not apply to the 
 40-14    investment for a separate account in the securities of an 
 40-15    investment company registered under the Investment Company 
 40-16    Act of 1940. 
 
 40-17    (g) No sale, exchange, or other transfer of assets may be 
 40-18    made by any domestic company between any of its separate 
 40-19    accounts or between any other investment account and one 
 40-20    or more of its separate accounts unless, in case of a 
 40-21    transfer into a separate account, the transfer is made 
 40-22    solely to establish the account or to support the 
 40-23    operation of the contracts with respect to the separate 
 40-24    account to which the transfer is made and unless the 
 40-25    transfer, whether into or from a separate account, is made 
 40-26    by transfer of cash or by a transfer of securities having 
 40-27    a readily determinable market value, provided that 
 40-28    transfer of securities is approved by the Commissioner. 
 40-29    The Commissioner may approve other transfers among such 
 40-30    accounts if, in his or her opinion, the transfers would 
 40-31    not be inequitable. 
 
 40-32    (h) The income, if any, and gains and losses, realized or 
 40-33    unrealized, from assets allocated to each account shall be 
 40-34    credited to or charged against the account without regard 
 40-35    to income, gains, or losses of the company. 
 
 40-36    (i) Unless otherwise approved by the Commissioner, assets 
 40-37    allocated to a separate account shall be valued at their 
 40-38    market value on the date of valuation or, if there is no 
 40-39    readily available market, as provided under the terms of 
 40-40    the contract or the rules or other written agreement 
 40-41    applicable to such separate account, provided that the 
 40-42    portion of the assets of the separate account equal to the 
 40-43    company's reserve liability with regard to the guaranteed 
 40-44    benefits and funds referred to in subsection (d) of this 
 
 
 
                                 -40- 
 
 
 
 41- 1    Code section, if any, shall be valued in accordance with 
 41- 2    the rules otherwise applicable to the company's assets. 
 41- 3    The reserve liability for variable annuity contracts shall 
 41- 4    be determined in accordance with actuarial procedures that 
 41- 5    recognize the variable nature of the benefits provided and 
 41- 6    any mortality guarantees. 
 
 41- 7    (j) The amounts held in any separate account shall not be 
 41- 8    chargeable with liabilities arising out of any other 
 41- 9    business the company may conduct but shall be held and 
 41-10    applied exclusively for the benefit of the owners or 
 41-11    beneficiaries of the variable annuity contracts applicable 
 41-12    thereto. 
 
 41-13    (k) Each domestic life insurance company shall have the 
 41-14    power within the limits of its corporate charter to do all 
 41-15    things necessary under any applicable state or federal law 
 41-16    in order that variable annuity contracts may be lawfully 
 41-17    sold or offered for sale including, without limitation, 
 41-18    the power to provide for management of a separate account 
 41-19    by persons who may otherwise be unaffiliated with the life 
 41-20    insurance company and the power to grant in connection 
 41-21    with such contracts such voting rights as are set forth in 
 41-22    subsection (e) of this Code section. Each domestic life 
 41-23    insurance company may allocate from its general accounts 
 41-24    to each separate account established under this Code 
 41-25    section an initial cash amount necessary to meet minimum 
 41-26    capitalization requirements for such account as prescribed 
 41-27    by the Securities and Exchange Commission, provided that 
 41-28    the total of all such allocations shall not exceed 10 
 41-29    percent of the company's assets or $1 million, whichever 
 41-30    is less. Any allocation may be withdrawn when sufficient 
 41-31    amounts have been received by the company in connection 
 41-32    with variable annuity contracts and allocated to a 
 41-33    separate account to meet the minimum capitalization 
 41-34    requirement. 
 
 41-35    (l) Amounts allocated to a separate account in the 
 41-36    exercise of the power granted by this Code section shall 
 41-37    be owned by the company, and the company shall not be, or 
 41-38    hold itself out to be, a trustee with respect to such 
 41-39    amounts. 
 
 41-40    (m) Any variable annuity contract providing benefits 
 41-41    payable in variable amounts issued under this Code section 
 41-42    shall contain a statement of the essential features of the 
 41-43    procedure to be followed by the company in determining the 
 41-44    dollar amount of such variable benefits. Any contract, 
 
 
                                 -41- 
 
 
 
 42- 1    including a group contract and certificate in evidence or 
 42- 2    variable benefits issued under such contract, shall state 
 42- 3    that such dollar amount will vary to reflect investment 
 42- 4    experience and shall contain on its first page a statement 
 42- 5    to the effect that benefits under the contract are on a 
 42- 6    variable basis. 
 
 42- 7    (n) No company shall deliver or issue for delivery 
 42- 8    variable annuity contracts within this state unless it is 
 42- 9    licensed or organized to do a life insurance or annuity 
 42-10    business in this state or is organized as a nonprofit 
 42-11    educational corporation in its state of domicile and 
 42-12    issues variable annuity contracts solely for the purpose 
 42-13    of aiding and strengthening nonproprietary and 
 42-14    nonprofit-making colleges, universities, and other 
 42-15    institutions engaged primarily in education or research 
 42-16    and the Commissioner is satisfied that its condition or 
 42-17    method of operation in connection with the issuance of 
 42-18    such contracts will not render its operation hazardous to 
 42-19    the public or its policyholders in this state. In this 
 42-20    connection, the Commissioner shall consider among other 
 42-21    things: 
 
 42-22      (1) The history and financial condition of the company; 
 
 42-23      (2) The character, responsibility, and fitness of the 
 42-24      officers and directors of the company; and 
 
 42-25      (3) The law and regulation under which the company is 
 42-26      authorized in the state of domicile to issue variable 
 42-27      contracts. 
 
 42-28    (o) The Commissioner shall have sole and exclusive 
 42-29    authority to regulate the issuance or sale of the 
 42-30    contracts and to issue such reasonable rules and 
 42-31    regulations as may be necessary to carry out the purposes 
 42-32    and provisions of this Code section; and the contracts, 
 42-33    the companies which issue them, and the agent or other 
 42-34    persons who sell them shall not be subject to Chapter 5 of 
 42-35    Title 10, the 'Georgia Securities Act of 1973,' in the 
 42-36    sale of the contracts. 
 
 42-37    (p) Notwithstanding any other laws of this state, no 
 42-38    person shall, within this state, sell or offer for sale 
 42-39    variable annuity contracts as defined in this Code section 
 42-40    unless the person shall have both a valid and current life 
 42-41    insurance license and variable annuity license issued by 
 42-42    the Commissioner. No license shall be issued unless and 
 42-43    until the Commissioner is satisfied, after examination, 
 
 
                                 -42- 
 
 
 
 43- 1    that the person is by training, knowledge, ability, and 
 43- 2    character qualified to act as such a variable annuity 
 43- 3    agent. The Commissioner may reject any application or 
 43- 4    suspend or revoke or refuse to renew any variable annuity 
 43- 5    agent's license upon any ground that would bar the 
 43- 6    applicant or the agent from being licensed to sell life 
 43- 7    insurance contracts in this state or for the violation of 
 43- 8    any federal or state securities laws or regulations. The 
 43- 9    rules governing any proceedings relating to the suspension 
 43-10    or revocation of a life insurance agent's license shall 
 43-11    also govern any proceedings for the suspension or 
 43-12    revocation of a variable annuity agent's license. Renewal 
 43-13    of a variable annuity agent's license shall follow the 
 43-14    same procedure established for renewal of an agent's 
 43-15    license to sell life insurance contracts in this state. 
 
 43-16    (q) No contract or agreement made pursuant to this Code 
 43-17    section or policy or certificate issued under this Code 
 43-18    section shall be construed to violate Code Section 
 43-19    33-25-9, and the sale or offer of any policy or 
 43-20    certificate shall not be deemed an unfair method of 
 43-21    competition or an unfair or deceptive act or practice in 
 43-22    the business of insurance in violation of paragraph (7) 
 43-23    and subparagraphs (B) and (C) of paragraph (8) of Code 
 43-24    Section 33-6-4. 
 
 43-25    (r) Except for paragraphs (1), (5), and (6) of subsection 
 43-26    (b) of Code Section 33-28-2 and except as otherwise 
 43-27    provided in this Code section, all pertinent provisions of 
 43-28    this title shall apply to separate accounts and variable 
 43-29    annuity contracts relating thereto. The Commissioner, by 
 43-30    regulation, may require that any individual variable 
 43-31    annuity contract delivered or issued for delivery in this 
 43-32    state contain provisions as to grace period and 
 43-33    reinstatement appropriate for a variable annuity contract. 
 
 43-34    33-11-67. 
 
 43-35    (a) As used in this Code section, 'variable life insurance 
 43-36    policy' means any individual or group policy issued by an 
 43-37    insurance company providing for life insurance and 
 43-38    benefits incidental thereto, under which payments or 
 43-39    values may vary in whole or in part so as to reflect 
 43-40    investment results of any segregated portfolio of 
 43-41    investments or of a designated separate account or 
 43-42    accounts in which amounts received or retained in 
 43-43    connection with any of such policies have been placed. 
 
 
 
                                 -43- 
 
 
 
 44- 1    (b) A domestic life insurance company may establish one or 
 44- 2    more separate accounts and may allocate to the accounts 
 44- 3    amounts including without limitation proceeds applied 
 44- 4    under optional modes of settlement or under dividend 
 44- 5    options to provide for life insurance and benefits 
 44- 6    incidental thereto, payable in variable amounts, subject 
 44- 7    to the following: 
 
 44- 8      (1) The income, gains, and losses, realized or 
 44- 9      unrealized, from assets allocated to a separate account 
 44-10      shall be credited to or charged against the account, 
 44-11      without regard to other income, gains, or losses of the 
 44-12      company; 
 
 44-13      (2) Except as provided in paragraph (4) of this 
 44-14      subsection, amounts allocated to any separate account 
 44-15      and accumulations thereon may be invested and reinvested 
 44-16      without regard to any requirements or limitations 
 44-17      prescribed by the laws of this state governing the 
 44-18      investments of domestic life insurance companies, 
 44-19      provided that, to the extent that the company's reserve 
 44-20      liability with regard to benefits guaranteed as to 
 44-21      amount and duration and funds guaranteed as to principal 
 44-22      amount or stated rate of interest is maintained in any 
 44-23      separate account, a portion of the assets of the 
 44-24      separate account at least equal to the reserve liability 
 44-25      shall be invested in accordance with the laws of this 
 44-26      state governing the investment of reserves of life 
 44-27      insurance companies. The investments in the separate 
 44-28      account or accounts shall not be taken into account in 
 44-29      applying the investment limitations applicable to other 
 44-30      investments of the company; 
 
 44-31      (3) To the extent any domestic company deems it 
 44-32      necessary to comply with any applicable federal or state 
 44-33      laws, the company, with respect to any separate account, 
 44-34      including without limitation any separate account which 
 44-35      is a management investment company or a unit investment 
 44-36      trust, may provide for persons having an interest 
 44-37      therein appropriate voting and other rights and special 
 44-38      procedures for the conduct of the business of the 
 44-39      account, including without limitation special rights and 
 44-40      procedures relating to investment policy, investment 
 44-41      advisory services, selection of independent public 
 44-42      accountants, and the selection of a committee, the 
 44-43      members of which need not be otherwise affiliated with 
 44-44      the company, to manage the business of such account. 
 
 
 
                                 -44- 
 
 
 
 45- 1      This paragraph shall not affect existing laws pertaining 
 45- 2      to the voting rights of the life insurance company's 
 45- 3      stockholders or policyholders except as provided in 
 45- 4      paragraph (4) of this subsection; 
 
 45- 5      (4) No domestic company shall, for any separate account, 
 45- 6      purchase the voting securities of a single issuer if the 
 45- 7      purchase would result in the company and all domestic 
 45- 8      insurance companies directly or indirectly controlling, 
 45- 9      controlled by, or under common control with the company 
 45-10      and holding in the company's or companies' separate 
 45-11      account or accounts an amount in excess of 10 percent of 
 45-12      the total issued and outstanding voting securities of 
 45-13      the issuer, provided that this limitation shall not 
 45-14      apply with respect to securities held in separate 
 45-15      accounts, the voting rights in which are exercisable in 
 45-16      accordance with instructions from persons having 
 45-17      interest in the accounts. This limitation shall not 
 45-18      apply to the investment for a separate account in the 
 45-19      securities of an investment company registered under the 
 45-20      Investment Company Act of 1940; 
 
 45-21      (5) Unless otherwise approved by the Commissioner, 
 45-22      assets allocated to a separate account shall be valued 
 45-23      at their market value on the date of valuation or, if 
 45-24      there is no readily available market, as provided under 
 45-25      the terms of the policy or the rules or other written 
 45-26      agreement applicable to the separate account, provided 
 45-27      that, unless otherwise approved by the Commissioner, the 
 45-28      portion, if any, of the assets of such separate account 
 45-29      equal to the company's reserve liability with regard to 
 45-30      the guaranteed benefits and funds referred to in 
 45-31      paragraph (2) of this subsection shall be valued in 
 45-32      accordance with the rules otherwise applicable to the 
 45-33      company's assets; 
 
 45-34      (6) Amounts allocated to a separate account in the 
 45-35      exercise of the power granted by this Code section shall 
 45-36      be owned by the company, and the company shall not be, 
 45-37      nor hold itself out to be, a trustee with respect to 
 45-38      such amounts. If and to the extent so provided under the 
 45-39      applicable contracts, that portion of the assets of any 
 45-40      such separate account equal to the reserves and other 
 45-41      contract liabilities with respect to the account shall 
 45-42      not be chargeable with liabilities arising out of any 
 45-43      other business the company may conduct; and 
 
 
 
 
                                 -45- 
 
 
 
 46- 1      (7) No sale, exchange, or other transfer of assets may 
 46- 2      be made by a company between any of its separate 
 46- 3      accounts or between any other investment account and one 
 46- 4      or more of its separate accounts unless, in case of a 
 46- 5      transfer into a separate account, the transfer is made 
 46- 6      solely to establish the account or to support the 
 46- 7      operation of the policies with respect to the separate 
 46- 8      account to which the transfer is made and unless the 
 46- 9      transfer, whether into or from a separate account, is 
 46-10      made by a transfer of cash or by a transfer of 
 46-11      securities having a readily determinable market value, 
 46-12      provided that the transfer of securities is approved by 
 46-13      the Commissioner. The Commissioner may approve other 
 46-14      transfers among the accounts if, in his or her opinion, 
 46-15      the transfers would not be inequitable. 
 
 46-16    (c) Each domestic life insurance company shall have the 
 46-17    power within the limits of its corporate charter to do all 
 46-18    things necessary under any applicable state or federal law 
 46-19    in order that variable life insurance policies may be 
 46-20    lawfully sold or offered for sale including, without 
 46-21    limitation, the power to provide for management of a 
 46-22    separate account by persons who may otherwise be 
 46-23    unaffiliated with the life insurance company and the power 
 46-24    to grant in connection with the policies such voting 
 46-25    rights as are set forth in paragraph (3) of subsection (b) 
 46-26    of this Code section. Each domestic life insurance company 
 46-27    may allocate from its general accounts to each separate 
 46-28    account established under this Code section an initial 
 46-29    cash amount necessary to meet minimum capitalization 
 46-30    requirements for such account as prescribed by the 
 46-31    Securities and Exchange Commission, provided that the 
 46-32    total of all of the allocations shall not exceed 10 
 46-33    percent of the company's assets or $1 million, whichever 
 46-34    is less. Any allocation may be withdrawn when sufficient 
 46-35    amounts have been received by the company in connection 
 46-36    with variable life insurance policies and allocated to a 
 46-37    separate account to meet the minimum capitalization 
 46-38    requirement. 
 
 46-39    (d) Any variable life insurance policy issued under this 
 46-40    Code section shall contain a statement of the essential 
 46-41    features of the procedure to be followed by the company in 
 46-42    determining the dollar amount of variable benefits 
 46-43    provided under such policy. Any policy, including a group 
 46-44    contract and certificates in evidence of variable benefits 
 46-45    issued thereunder, shall state that the dollar amount will 
 
 
                                 -46- 
 
 
 
 47- 1    vary to reflect investment experience and shall contain on 
 47- 2    its first page a statement to the effect that benefits 
 47- 3    under such policy are on a variable basis. 
 
 47- 4    (e) No company shall deliver or issue for delivery 
 47- 5    variable life insurance policies within this state unless 
 47- 6    it has a current certificate of authority to transact life 
 47- 7    insurance in this state and the Commissioner is satisfied 
 47- 8    that its condition or method of operations in connection 
 47- 9    with the issuance of such policies will not render its 
 47-10    operation hazardous to the public or its policyholders in 
 47-11    this state. In this connection, the Commissioner shall 
 47-12    consider among other things: 
 
 47-13      (1) The history and financial condition of the company; 
 
 47-14      (2) The experience, character, responsibility, and 
 47-15      fitness of the officers and directors of the company; 
 47-16      and 
 
 47-17      (3) The law and regulation under which the company is 
 47-18      authorized in the state of domicile to issue variable 
 47-19      life insurance policies. 
 
 47-20    (f) The Commissioner shall have sole and exclusive 
 47-21    authority to regulate the solicitation, sale, and issuance 
 47-22    of variable life insurance policies and to issue any 
 47-23    reasonable rules and regulations as may be necessary to 
 47-24    carry out the purposes and provisions of this Code 
 47-25    section; and the policies, the companies which issue them, 
 47-26    and the agents or other persons who sell them shall not be 
 47-27    subject to Chapter 5 of Title 10, the 'Georgia Securities 
 47-28    Act of 1973,' in the sale of the policies. 
 
 47-29    (g) Notwithstanding any other laws of this state, no 
 47-30    person shall, within this state, sell or offer for sale 
 47-31    variable life insurance contracts as defined in this Code 
 47-32    section unless such person shall have both a valid and 
 47-33    current life insurance license and variable life insurance 
 47-34    license issued by the Commissioner. No license shall be 
 47-35    issued unless and until the Commissioner is satisfied, 
 47-36    after examination, that the person is by training, 
 47-37    knowledge, ability, and character qualified to act as such 
 47-38    a variable life insurance agent. The Commissioner may 
 47-39    reject any application or suspend or revoke or refuse to 
 47-40    renew any variable life insurance agent's license upon any 
 47-41    ground that would bar the applicant or the agent from 
 47-42    being licensed to sell life insurance contracts in this 
 47-43    state or for the violation of any federal or state 
 
 
                                 -47- 
 
 
 
 48- 1    securities laws or regulations. The rules governing any 
 48- 2    proceedings relating to the suspension or revocation of a 
 48- 3    life insurance agent's license shall also govern any 
 48- 4    proceedings for the suspension or revocation of a variable 
 48- 5    life insurance agent's license. Renewal of a variable life 
 48- 6    insurance agent's license shall follow the same procedure 
 48- 7    established for renewal of an agent's license to sell life 
 48- 8    insurance contracts in this state. 
 
 48- 9    (h) No variable life insurance policy or certificate 
 48-10    issued pursuant to this Code section shall be construed to 
 48-11    violate Code Section 33-25-9, and the sale or offer of any 
 48-12    such policy or certificate shall not be deemed an unfair 
 48-13    method of competition or an unfair or deceptive act or 
 48-14    practice in the business of insurance in violation of 
 48-15    paragraph (7) and subparagraphs (B) and (C) of paragraph 
 48-16    (8) of subsection (b) of Code Section 33-6-4. 
 
 48-17      (i)(1) Except for paragraphs (1), (5), (6), (7), and (8) 
 48-18      of subsection (a) of Code Section 33-25-3, Code Section 
 48-19      33-25-4, and paragraph (1) of Code Section 33-27-3 and 
 48-20      except as otherwise provided in this Code section, all 
 48-21      pertinent provisions of this title shall apply to 
 48-22      separate accounts and variable life insurance policies 
 48-23      relating to such accounts. The Commissioner, by 
 48-24      regulation, may require that any individual variable 
 48-25      life insurance policy delivered or issued for delivery 
 48-26      in this state contain provisions as to grace, 
 48-27      reinstatement, and nonforfeiture appropriate for that 
 48-28      policy; and any such group variable life insurance 
 48-29      policy shall contain a provision for grace and 
 48-30      nonforfeiture appropriate to that policy. 
 
 48-31      (2) The reserve liability for variable life insurance 
 48-32      policies shall be determined in accordance with 
 48-33      actuarial procedures approved by the Commissioner that 
 48-34      recognize the variable nature of the benefits provided 
 48-35      and any mortality guarantees." 
 
 48-36                          SECTION 13. 
 
 48-37  Said title is further amended by striking the phrase "this 
 48-38  chapter" or "This chapter" and inserting in lieu thereof 
 48-39  "this article" or "This article," respectively, wherever 
 48-40  such phrase occurs in Chapter 11A, relating to investment 
 48-41  pools, as follows: 
 
 48-42      (1) In Code Section 33-11A-1, relating to a short title; 
 
 
 
                                 -48- 
 
 
 
 49- 1      (2) In Code Section 33-11A-2, relating to applicability; 
 
 49- 2      (3) In Code Section 33-11A-3, relating to definitions; 
 
 49- 3      (4) In Code Section 33-11A-5, relating to qualifications 
 49- 4      in investment pool; 
 
 49- 5      (5) In Code Section 33-11A-6, relating to limitations to 
 49- 6      insurer's investment; 
 
 49- 7      (6) In Code Section 33-11A-7, relating to management of 
 49- 8      investment pool; 
 
 49- 9      (7) In Code Section 33-11A-8, relating to notification 
 49-10      to Commissioner of Insurance, ownership, and inspection; 
 49-11      and 
 
 49-12      (8) In Code Section 33-11A-9, relating to business entry 
 49-13      requirement. 
 
 49-14                          SECTION 14. 
 
 49-15  Said title is further amended by striking the phrase 
 49-16  "Chapter 11 of this title" and inserting in lieu thereof 
 49-17  "Article 1 or Article 2 of this chapter" where such phrase 
 49-18  occurs in subsection (a) of Code Section 33-11A-4, relating 
 49-19  to authorization and requirements for insurers acquiring 
 49-20  investments in investment pools. 
 
 49-21                          SECTION 15. 
 
 49-22  Said title is further amended by designating the existing 
 49-23  provisions of Chapter 11A, relating to investment pools, as 
 49-24  Article 3 of Chapter 11, relating to investments of 
 49-25  insurers, and redesignating Code sections as follows: 
 
 49-26      (1) Code Section 33-11A-1, relating to a short title, as 
 49-27      Code Section 33-11-80; 
 
 49-28      (2) Code Section 33-11A-2, relating to applicability, as 
 49-29      Code Section 33-11-81; 
 
 49-30      (3) Code Section 33-11A-3, relating to definitions, as 
 49-31      Code Section 33-11-82; 
 
 49-32      (4) Code Section 33-11A-4, relating to authorization and 
 49-33      requirements for insurers acquiring investments in 
 49-34      investment pools, as Code Section 33-11-83; 
 
 49-35      (5) Code Section 33-11A-5, relating to qualifications in 
 49-36      investment pool, as Code Section 33-11-84; 
 
 49-37      (6) Code Section 33-11A-6, relating to limitations to 
 49-38      insurer's investment, as Code Section 33-11-85; 
 
 
                                 -49- 
 
 
 
 50- 1      (7) Code Section 33-11A-7, relating to management of 
 50- 2      investment pool, as Code Section 33-11-86; 
 
 50- 3      (8) Code Section 33-11A-8, relating to notification to 
 50- 4      Commissioner of Insurance, ownership, and inspection, as 
 50- 5      Code Section 33-11-87; 
 
 50- 6      (9) Code Section 33-11A-9, relating to business entry 
 50- 7      requirement, as Code Section 33-11-88; and 
 
 50- 8      (10) Code Section 33-11A-10, relating to 
 50- 9      nonapplicability of certain standards and reporting 
 50-10      requirements, as Code Section 33-11-89. 
 
 50-11                          SECTION 16. 
 
 50-12  Said title is further amended by striking Code Section 
 50-13  33-20-22, relating to investment of funds of health care 
 50-14  corporations, and inserting in lieu thereof the following: 
 
 50-15    "33-20-22. 
 
 50-16    Health care corporations shall invest in or lend their 
 50-17    funds on security of and shall hold as invested assets 
 50-18    only such assets as are authorized by Articles 1 and 3 of 
 50-19    Chapter 11 of this title for the investments of assets of 
 50-20    domestic life insurance companies and such investments 
 50-21    shall be subject to the same requirements, conditions, 
 50-22    restrictions, and limitations as are applicable to the 
 50-23    investments by life such insurers." 
 
 50-24                          SECTION 17. 
 
 50-25  Title 43 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating 
 50-26  to professions and businesses, is amended by striking 
 50-27  subsection (e) of Code Section 43-6-22.1, relating to 
 50-28  auctioneers education, research, and recovery fund, and 
 50-29  inserting in lieu thereof the following: 
 
 50-30    "(e) The sums received by the commission pursuant to any 
 50-31    provisions of this Code section shall be deposited into 
 50-32    the state treasury and held in a special fund to be known 
 50-33    as the 'auctioneers education, research, and recovery 
 50-34    fund' and shall be held by the commission in trust for 
 50-35    carrying out the purposes of this Code section. These 
 50-36    funds may be invested in any investments which are legal 
 50-37    for domestic life insurance companies under the laws of 
 50-38    this state Articles 1 and 3 of Chapter 11 of Title 33, and 
 50-39    the interest from these investments shall be deposited to 
 50-40    the credit of the auctioneers education, research, and 
 50-41    recovery fund and shall be available for the same purposes 
 
 
                                 -50- 
 
 
 
 51- 1    as all other money deposited in the auctioneers education, 
 51- 2    research, and recovery fund." 
 
 51- 3                          SECTION 18. 
 
 51- 4  Said title is further amended by striking subsection (e) of 
 51- 5  Code Section 43-40-22, relating to real estate education, 
 51- 6  research, and recovery fund, and inserting in lieu thereof 
 51- 7  the following: 
 
 51- 8    "(e) The sums received by the commission pursuant to any 
 51- 9    provisions of this Code section shall be deposited into 
 51-10    the state treasury and held in a special fund to be known 
 51-11    as the 'Real Estate Education, Research, and Recovery 
 51-12    Fund' and shall be held by the commission in trust for 
 51-13    carrying out the purposes of this Code section. These 
 51-14    funds may be invested in any investments which are legal 
 51-15    for domestic life insurance companies under the laws of 
 51-16    this state Articles 1 and 3 of Chapter 11 of Title 33, and 
 51-17    the interest from these investments shall be deposited to 
 51-18    the credit of the real estate education, research, and 
 51-19    recovery fund and shall be available for the same purposes 
 51-20    as all other money deposited in the real estate education, 
 51-21    research, and recovery fund." 
 
 51-22                          SECTION 19. 
 
 51-23  Article 1 of Chapter 18 of Title 45 of the Official Code of 
 51-24  Georgia Annotated, relating to the state employees' health 
 51-25  insurance plan, is amended by striking Code Section 
 51-26  45-18-13, relating to deposit of amounts from the health 
 51-27  insurance fund available for investment in trust account and 
 51-28  investment and withdrawal of funds, and inserting in lieu 
 51-29  thereof the following: 
 
 51-30    "45-18-13. 
 
 51-31    Any amounts held by the health insurance fund which are 
 51-32    available for investment shall be paid over to the Office 
 51-33    of Treasury and Fiscal Services. The director of the 
 51-34    Office of Treasury and Fiscal Services shall deposit said 
 51-35    funds in a trust account for credit only to the health 
 51-36    insurance fund.  The director of the Office of Treasury 
 51-37    and Fiscal Services shall invest these health insurance 
 51-38    funds subject to all the terms, conditions, limitations, 
 51-39    and restrictions imposed by the laws of the state Articles 
 51-40    1 and 3 of Chapter 11 of Title 33 upon domestic life 
 51-41    insurance companies in the making and disposing of their 
 51-42    investments.  All income derived from said investments 
 
 
 
                                 -51- 
 
 
 
 52- 1    shall accrue to the health insurance fund. When moneys are 
 52- 2    paid over to the Office of Treasury and Fiscal Services as 
 52- 3    provided in this Code section, the commissioner of 
 52- 4    personnel administration shall submit an estimate of the 
 52- 5    date such funds shall no longer be available for 
 52- 6    investment.  When the commissioner of personnel 
 52- 7    administration wishes to withdraw funds from the trust 
 52- 8    account provided for in this Code section, he or she shall 
 52- 9    submit a request for such withdrawal in writing to the 
 52-10    director of the Office of Treasury and Fiscal Services." 
 
 52-11                          SECTION 20. 
 
 52-12  This Act shall become effective on January 1, 2000. 
 
 52-13                          SECTION 21. 
 
 52-14  All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are 
 52-15  repealed. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                 -52- 

Clerk of the House
Robert E. Rivers, Jr., Clerk
Last Updated on 05/05/99