§ 44-417 — Credit for reinsurance; conditions

No credits specified in sections 44-416.05 to 44-416.10 shall be made or allowed as an admitted asset or deduction from liability to any ceding insurer for reinsurance unless the contract of reinsurance provides in substance that, in the event of the insolvency of the ceding insurer, the portion of any risk or obligation assumed by the reinsurer, when such portion is ascertained, shall be payable by the assuming insurer on the basis of the liability of the ceding insurer under the contract or contracts reinsured without diminution because of the insolvency of the ceding insurer. Such payments shall be made directly to the ceding insurer or to its domiciliary liquidator except (1) when the contract or other written agreement specifically provides another payee of such reinsurance in the event of the insolvency of the ceding insurer or (2) when the assuming insurer, with the consent of the direct insured, has assumed such policy obligations of the ceding insurer as direct obligations of the assuming insurer to the payees under such policies and in substitution for the obligations of the ceding insurer to such payees. The reinsurance agreement may provide that the domiciliary liquidator, receiver, or legal successor of an insolvent ceding insurer shall give written notice of the pendency of a claim against the insolvent ceding insurer on the policy or bond reinsured, within a reasonable time after such claim is filed in the insolvency proceeding, and that during the pendency of such claim, any assuming insurer may investigate such claim and interpose, at its own expense, in the proceeding in which such claim is to be adjudicated, any defense or defenses which it may deem available to the ceding insurer or its liquidator, receiver, or legal successor. The expense thus incurred by the assuming insurer may be filed as a claim against the insolvent ceding insurer as part of the expense of liquidation, to the extent of a proportionate share of the benefit which may accrue to the ceding insurer solely as a result of the defense undertaken by the assuming insurer.
When two or more assuming insurers are involved in the same claim and a majority in interest elect to interpose a defense to such claim, the expense shall be apportioned subject to court approval, in accordance with the terms of the reinsurance agreement as though such expense had been incurred by the ceding insurer.

Legislative History

Source: Laws 1951, c. 131, § 2, p. 552; Laws 1985, LB 299, § 9; Laws 1991, LB 236, § 43; Laws 2001, LB 360, § 1; Laws 2005, LB 119, § 8.