CHAPTER 402-C INSURERS REHABILITATION AND LIQUIDATION
Formal Proceedings
Section 402-C:21
402-C:21 Liquidation Orders. –
I.
Order to Liquidate. An order to liquidate the business of a domestic insurer shall appoint the commissioner and his successors in office liquidator and shall direct the liquidator forthwith to take possession of the assets of the insurer and to administer them under the orders of the court. The liquidator shall be vested by operation of law with the title to all of the property, contracts and rights of action and all of the books and records of the insurer ordered liquidated, wherever located, as of the date of the filing of the petition for liquidation. He may recover and reduce the same to possession except that ancillary receivers in reciprocal states shall have, as to assets located in their respective states, the rights and powers which are prescribed in RSA 402-C:55, III for ancillary receivers appointed in this state as to assets located in this state. The filing or recording of the order with any register of deeds in this state imparts the same notice as a deed, bill of sale or other evidence of title duly filed or recorded with that register of deeds.
II.
Fixing of Rights. Upon issuance of the order, the rights and liabilities of any such insurer and of its creditors, policyholders, shareholders, members and all other persons interested in its estate are fixed as of the date of filing of the petition for liquidation, except as provided in RSA 402-C:22 and 39.
III.
Alien Insurer. An order to liquidate the business of an alien insurer domiciled in this state shall be in the same terms and have the same legal effect as an order to liquidate a domestic insurer, except that the assets and the business in the United States shall be the only assets and business included under the order.
IV.
Declaration of Insolvency. At the time of petitioning for an order of liquidation, or at any time thereafter, the commissioner may petition the court to declare the insurer insolvent, and after such notice and hearing as it deems proper, the court may make the declaration.
V. Any order issued under this section shall require financial reports to the court by the liquidator. Financial reports shall include, at a minimum, the assets and liabilities of the insurer and all funds received or disbursed by the liquidator during the current period. Financial reports shall be filed within one year of the liquidation order and at least annually thereafter.
VI. (a) On or before January 6, 1992, or, if later, within 5 days after the initiation of an appeal of an order of liquidation, which order has not been stayed, the commissioner shall present for the court's approval a plan for the continued performance of the defendant company's policy claims obligations, including the duty to defend insureds under liability insurance policies, during the pendency of an appeal. Such plan shall provide for the continued performance and payment of policy claims obligations in the normal course of events, notwithstanding the grounds alleged in support of the order of liquidation including the ground of insolvency. If the defendant company's financial condition is, in the judgment of the commissioner, unable to support the full performance of all policy claims obligations during the appeal pendency period, the plan may prefer the claims of certain policyholders and claimants over creditors and interested parties as well as other policyholders and claimants, as the commissioner finds to be fair and equitable considering the relative circumstances of such policyholders and claimants. The court shall examine the plan submitted by the commissioner and if it finds the plan to be in the best interests of the parties, the court shall approve the plan. No action shall lie against the commissioner or any of his deputies, agents, clerks, assistants or attorneys by any party based on preference in an appeal pendency plan approved by the court.
(b) The appeal pendency plan shall not supersede or affect the obligations of any insurance guaranty association.
(c) Any such plans shall provide for equitable adjustments to be made by the liquidator to any distributions of assets to guaranty associations, in the event that the liquidator pays claims from assets of the estate, which would otherwise be the obligations of any particular guaranty association but for the appeal of the order of liquidation, such that all guaranty associations equally benefit on a pro rata basis from the assets of the estate. Further, in the event an order of liquidation is set aside upon any appeal, the company shall not be released from delinquency proceedings unless and until all funds advanced by any guaranty association, including reasonable administrative expenses in connection with the proceedings relating to obligations of the company, shall be repaid in full, together with interest at the judgment rate of interest or unless an arrangement for repayment thereof has been made with the consent of all applicable guaranty associations.