Virginia Law

Article 9. Licensing of Managing General Agents.

As used in this article:

"Actuary" means a person who is a member in good standing of the American Academy of Actuaries.

"Business entity" means a partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, corporation, or other legal entity that is entitled to hold property in its own name and which is not a sole proprietorship.

"Insurer" means any person, duly licensed in the Commonwealth pursuant to Chapters 10 (§ 38.2-1000 et seq.), 11 (§ 38.2-1100 et seq.), 12 (§ 38.2-1200 et seq.), 25 (§ 38.2-2500 et seq.), 26 (§ 38.2-2600 et seq.), 38 (§ 38.2-3800 et seq.) through 46 (§ 38.2-4600 et seq.), or 51 (§ 38.2-5100 et seq.) of this title.

"Managing general agent" means any person who manages all or part of the insurance business of an insurer, including the management of a separate division, department or underwriting office; and who acts as an agent for such insurer whether known as a managing general agent, manager or other similar term, who, with or without the authority, either separately or together with affiliates, produces, directly or indirectly, and underwrites an amount of gross direct written premium equal to or exceeding five percent of the surplus to policyholders of the insurer as reported in the last annual statement of the insurer in any one quarter or year together with one or more of the following: (i) adjusts or pays claims in excess of an amount determined by the Commission or (ii) negotiates reinsurance on behalf of the insurer.

Notwithstanding the above, the following persons shall not be considered as managing general agents for the purposes of this article:

1. An employee of the insurer;

2. A United States manager of the United States branch of an alien insurer;

3. An underwriting manager who, pursuant to contract, manages all or part of the insurance operations of the insurer, is under common control with the insurer, subject to Article 5 (§ 38.2-1322 et seq.) of this chapter or Article 2 (§ 38.2-4230 et seq.) of Chapter 42 of this title, and whose compensation is not based on the volume of premiums written; or

4. The attorney-in-fact authorized by and acting for the subscribers of a reciprocal insurer.

"Qualified United States financial institution" means an institution that:

1. Is organized or, in the case of a United States office of a foreign banking organization, licensed, under the laws of the United States or any state thereof;

2. Is regulated, supervised and examined by United States federal or state authorities having regulatory authority over banks and trust companies; and

3. Has been determined by either the Commission, or the Securities Valuation Office of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, to meet such standards of financial condition and standing as are considered necessary and appropriate to regulate the quality of financial institutions whose letters of credit will be acceptable to the Commission.

"Underwrite" means the authority to accept or reject risk on behalf of the insurer.

2001, c. 706.

A. No domestic insurer shall permit a person to act, and no person shall act, in the capacity of a managing general agent for an insurer domiciled in this Commonwealth unless such person is licensed in this Commonwealth to act as a managing general agent.

B. No foreign or alien insurer shall permit a person to act, and no person shall act, in the capacity of a managing general agent representing such an insurer unless such person is licensed (i) in this Commonwealth to act as a managing general agent or (ii) in another state under laws that are substantially similar to the provisions of this article.

C. The Commission may license as a managing general agent any individual or business entity that has complied with the requirements of this article and any regulations concerning licensure that may be promulgated by the Commission. The Commission may refuse to issue a license, subject to the right of the applicant to demand a hearing on the application, if the Commission believes the applicant, any person named on the application, or any member, principal, officer or director of the applicant is not trustworthy to act as a managing general agent, or that any of the foregoing has given cause for revocation or suspension of such license, or has failed to comply with any prerequisite for issuance of such license.

D. Any person seeking a license pursuant to subsection A or clause (i) of subsection B of this section shall apply for such license in a form acceptable to the Commission, and shall pay to the Commission a nonrefundable application fee in an amount prescribed by the Commission. Such fee shall be not less than $500 and not more than $1,000. Every licensed managing general agent shall pay to the Commission a nonrefundable biennial renewal fee in an amount prescribed by the Commission. Such fee shall be not less than $500 and not more than $1,000. Between May 1 and June 1 of the renewal year, each licensed managing general agent shall submit to the Commission a renewal application form and fee in the manner and form prescribed by the Commission. All fees shall be collected by the Commission, paid into the state treasury, and placed to the credit of the fund for maintenance of the Bureau of Insurance as provided in subsection B of § 38.2-400. Each license and renewed license shall expire on June 30 of the appropriate year.

E. The Commission may require that the managing general agent be bonded in a manner acceptable to the Commission for the protection of the insurer, and shall require, as a prerequisite to licensure or license renewal, a certification or attestation from the applicant that such bond is in effect.

F. The Commission may require a managing general agent to maintain an errors and omissions policy that is acceptable to the Commission, and shall require, as a prerequisite to licensure or license renewal, a certification or attestation from the applicant that such policy is in effect.

G. Except where prohibited by state or federal law, by submitting an application for license, the applicant shall be deemed to have appointed the clerk of the Commission as the agent for service of process on the applicant in any action or proceeding arising in this Commonwealth out of or in connection with the exercise of the license. Such appointment of the clerk of the Commission as agent for service of process shall be irrevocable during the period within which a cause of action against the applicant may arise out of transactions with respect to subjects of insurance in this Commonwealth. Service of process on the clerk of the Commission shall conform to the provisions of Chapter 8 (§ 38.2-800 et seq.) of this title.

H. A person seeking licensure shall provide evidence, in a form acceptable to the Commission, of its appointments or contracts as a managing general agent. The Commission may refuse to renew the license of a person that has not been appointed by, or otherwise authorized to act for, an insurer as a managing general agent.

2001, c. 706.

No insurer shall retain or act through a managing general agent unless there is in force a written contract between said insurer and its managing general agent that sets forth the responsibilities of each party and where both parties share responsibility for a particular function, specifies the division of such responsibilities, and that contains the following minimum provisions:

1. The insurer may terminate the contract for cause upon written notice to the managing general agent. The insurer may suspend the underwriting authority of the managing general agent during the pendency of any dispute regarding the cause for termination.

2. The managing general agent will render accounts to the insurer detailing all transactions and remit all funds due under the contract to the insurer on not less than a monthly basis.

3. All funds collected for the account of an insurer will be held by the managing general agent in a fiduciary capacity in a bank that is a qualified United States financial institution. This account shall be used for all payments on behalf of the insurer. The managing general agent may retain no more than three months' estimated claims payments and allocated loss adjustment expenses. The managing general agent shall maintain a separate bank account for each insurer it represents.

4. Separate records of business written by the managing general agent will be maintained. The insurer shall have reasonable access to and the right to copy all accounts and records related to its business in a form usable by the insurer, and the Commission shall have access to all books, bank accounts and records of the managing general agent in a form usable by the Commission. Such records shall be retained in order to accomplish the purpose of subdivision 9 of this section but in no case for a period of less than five years.

5. The contract may not be assigned in whole or part by the managing general agent.

6. Appropriate underwriting guidelines including:

a. The maximum annual premium volume;

b. The basis of the rates to be charged;

c. The types of risks that may be written;

d. Maximum limits of liability;

e. Applicable exclusions;

f. Territorial limitations;

g. Policy cancellation provisions; and

h. The maximum policy period.

The insurer shall have the right to cancel or nonrenew any policy of insurance subject to the applicable laws and regulations.

7. If the contract permits the managing general agent to settle claims on behalf of the insurer:

a. All claims must be reported to the insurer in a timely manner.

b. A copy of the claim file will be sent to the insurer at its request or as soon as it becomes known that the claim:

(1) Has the potential to exceed one percent of the insurer's surplus to policyholders as of December 31 of the last completed calendar year, an amount set by the company, or any other amount deemed appropriate by the Commission, whichever is less;

(2) Involves a coverage dispute;

(3) May exceed the managing general agent's claims settlement authority;

(4) Is open for more than six months; or

(5) Is closed by payment of an amount exceeding one percent of the insurer's surplus to policyholders as of December 31 of the last completed calendar year, an amount set by the company, or any other amount deemed appropriate by the Commission, whichever is less.

c. All claim files will be the joint property of the insurer and the managing general agent. However, upon entry of an order of liquidation or the appointment of a receiver for the liquidation of an insurer, such files shall become the sole property of the insurer or its estate; the managing general agent shall have reasonable access to and the right to copy the files on a timely basis.

d. Any settlement authority granted to the managing general agent may be terminated for cause upon the insurer's written notice to the managing general agent or upon the termination of the contract. The insurer may suspend the settlement authority during the pendency of any dispute regarding the cause for termination.

8. Where electronic claims files are in existence, the contract must address the timely transmission of the data.

9. If the contract provides for a sharing of interim profits by the managing general agent, and the managing general agent has the authority to determine the amount of the interim profits by establishing loss reserves or controlling claim payments, or in any other manner, interim profits will not be paid to the managing general agent until the profits have been verified pursuant to subsection B of § 38.2-1361 (i) one year after they are earned for property insurance business and health insurance business and (ii) five years after they are earned on casualty insurance business.

10. The managing general agent shall not:

a. Bind reinsurance contracts or similar risk sharing arrangements, except that a managing general agent who acts on behalf of a ceding insurer may bind facultative reinsurance contracts by placing individual risks pursuant to obligatory facultative agreements provided that the contract between the insurer and the managing general agent contains reinsurance underwriting guidelines including, for both reinsurance assumed and ceded, a list of reinsurers with which such automatic agreements are in effect, the coverages and amounts or percentages that may be reinsured and commission schedules;

b. Commit the insurer to participate in insurance or reinsurance syndicates;

c. Appoint any agent unless (i) the agent is lawfully licensed to transact the type of insurance for which he is appointed and (ii) the insurer has notified the Commission of the managing general agent's authorization to appoint agents on its behalf;

d. Without prior approval of the insurer, pay or commit the insurer to pay a claim over a specified amount, net of reinsurance, which amount shall not exceed one percent of the insurer's surplus to policyholders as of December 31 of the last completed calendar year;

e. Collect any payment from a reinsurer or commit the insurer to any claim settlement with a reinsurer, without prior approval of the insurer. If prior approval is given, a report must be promptly forwarded to the insurer;

f. Permit any agent appointed by the managing general agent to serve on the insurer's board of directors;

g. Jointly employ an individual who is employed with the insurer; or

h. Utilize or engage a submanaging general agent.

2001, c. 706.

A. The insurer shall annually obtain a copy of the current financial statement, which shall be certified by an independent public accountant and in a form acceptable to the Commission, of each managing general agent with which it transacts business.

B. If the managing general agent establishes loss reserves, the insurer shall annually obtain the opinion of an actuary attesting to the adequacy of loss reserves established for losses incurred and outstanding on business produced by the managing general agent. This is in addition to any other required loss reserve certification.

C. The insurer shall conduct, at least semiannually, an on-site review of the underwriting and claims processing operations of the managing general agent.

D. Binding authority for participation in insurance syndicates or reinsurance syndicates shall rest with an officer of the insurer, who shall not be affiliated with the managing general agent.

E. At least annually and more frequently if requested by the Commission, the insurer shall report to the Commission, in a form acceptable to the Commission, concerning its transactions with a managing general agent. The report shall identify the managing general agent through which the insurer has transacted business, and for each managing general agent shall report the nature of the contract, the types of authority granted, the types of business written, the amount of premium written, and any other information the Commission may request.

F. An insurer shall review its books and records each quarter to determine if any agent as defined by § 38.2-1800 has become a managing general agent as defined in § 38.2-1358. If the insurer determines that an agent has become a managing general agent pursuant to the above, the insurer shall promptly notify the agent and the Commission of such determination, and the insurer and agent must fully comply with the provisions of this article within thirty calendar days.

G. An insurer shall not appoint to its board of directors an officer, director, employee, agent or controlling shareholder of its managing general agent. This subsection shall not apply to relationships governed by Article 5 (§ 38.2-1322 et seq.) of this chapter or Article 2 (§ 38.2-4230 et seq.) of Chapter 42 of this title.

H. The insurer shall not delegate to any person, other than one of its officers, the authority to enter into or bind any reinsurance agreement by which the insurer agrees to cede any risk to a reinsurer, except that an insurer may delegate the specific authority to bind facultative reinsurance contracts by placing individual risks pursuant to the provisions of subdivision 1 of § 38.2-1353 or subdivision 10 of § 38.2-1360. The officer shall be a regular salaried employee of the insurer and shall not be affiliated with the managing general agent. The insurer is not prohibited by the provisions of this subsection from delegating to its managing general agent the authority to enter into or bind an agreement to assume a risk provided the managing general agent is licensed to act as a reinsurance intermediary manager under the provisions of Article 8 (§ 38.2-1347 et seq.) of this chapter and the authority to both cede and assume a given risk is not simultaneously vested in the same intermediary.

2001, c. 706.

The acts of a managing general agent are considered to be the acts of the insurer on whose behalf it is acting. A managing general agent may be examined pursuant to Article 4 (§ 38.2-1317 et seq.) of this chapter as if it were the insurer. In addition, the managing general agent shall be subject to examination pursuant to § 38.2-1809 if it or any of its officers, directors, agents, or employees is licensed as a producer under Chapter 18 (§ 38.2-1800 et seq.) of this title.

2001, c. 706.

A. If the Commission finds, after providing an opportunity to be heard, that any person under its jurisdiction has violated any provision of this article, the Commission may, in addition to any other remedies authorized by this title, order the managing general agent to reimburse the insurer, the rehabilitator or liquidator, or the receiver of the insurer for any losses incurred by the insurer caused by a violation of this article committed by the managing general agent.

B. The Commission may, in addition to or in lieu of a penalty imposed under § 38.2-218, place on probation, suspend, revoke or refuse to issue or renew any person's license as a managing general agent for any one or more of the following causes:

1. Providing materially incorrect, misleading, incomplete or untrue information in the license application or any other document filed with the Commission;

2. Violating any insurance laws or violating any regulation, subpoena, or order of the Commission or of another state's insurance regulatory authority;

3. Obtaining or attempting to obtain a license through misrepresentation or fraud;

4. Improperly withholding, misappropriating, or converting any moneys or properties received in the course of doing business;

5. Engaging in the practice of rebating;

6. Engaging in twisting or any form thereof, where "twisting" means inducing an insured to terminate an existing policy and purchase a new policy through misrepresentation;

7. Intentionally misrepresenting the terms of an actual or proposed insurance contract;

8. Having been convicted of a felony;

9. Having admitted or been found to have committed any insurance unfair trade practice or fraud;

10. Using fraudulent, coercive, or dishonest practices, or demonstrating incompetence, or untrustworthiness in the conduct of business in this Commonwealth or elsewhere, or demonstrating financial irresponsibility in the handling of applicant, policyholder, agency, or insurance company funds;

11. Having an insurance producer license, or its equivalent, denied, suspended or revoked in any other state, province, or territory;

12. Forging another's name to an application for insurance or reinsurance, or to any document related to an insurance transaction;

13. Knowingly accepting insurance business from an individual who is not licensed;

14. Failing to comply with an administrative or court order imposing a child support obligation;

15. Failing to pay state income tax or comply with any administrative or court order directing payment of state income tax; or

16. If the managing general agent is a business entity, having its corporate existence terminated, its certificate of organization, trust, limited liability company, or limited partnership canceled, or its certificate of authority or registration to transact business in the Commonwealth revoked or canceled, as the case may be.

C. If the Commission believes that any applicant for a managing general agent's license is not of good character or does not have a good reputation for honesty, it may refuse to issue the license, subject to the right of the applicant to demand a hearing on the application. The Commission shall not revoke or suspend an existing license until the licensee is given an opportunity to be heard before the Commission. If the Commission refuses to issue a new license or proposes to revoke or suspend an existing license, it shall give the applicant or licensee at least 10 calendar days' notice in writing of the time and place of the hearing, if a hearing is requested. The notice shall contain a statement of the objections to the issuance of the license, or the reason for its proposed revocation or suspension as the case may be. The notice may be given to the applicant or licensee by registered or certified mail, sent to the last known address of record pursuant to § 38.2-1364, or the last known business address if the address of record is incorrect, or in any other lawful manner the Commission prescribes. The Commission may summon witnesses to testify with respect to the applicant or licensee, and the applicant or licensee may introduce evidence in his or its behalf. No applicant to whom a license is refused after a hearing, nor any licensee whose license is revoked, shall again apply for a license until after the expiration of a period of five years from the date of the Commission's order, or such other period of time as the Commission prescribes in its order.

D. Nothing contained in this article is intended to or shall in any manner limit or restrict the rights of policyholders, claimants, and auditors.

E. If an order of rehabilitation or liquidation of the insurer has been entered pursuant to Chapter 15 (§ 38.2-1500 et seq.) of this title or the rehabilitation and liquidation statutes of a reciprocal state, and the receiver appointed under that order determines that the managing general agent or any other person has not materially complied with the provisions of this article, or any rule, regulation or order promulgated thereunder, and the insurer suffered any loss or damage therefrom, the receiver may maintain a civil action for recovery of damages or other appropriate sanctions for the benefit of the insurer.

2001, c. 706; 2006, c. 762.

A. Each licensed managing general agent shall report within thirty calendar days to the Commission and to any contracted insurer any change in business or residence address or name.

B. In addition to the requirements of §§ 59.1-69 and 59.1-70, any individual or business entity licensed as a managing general agent in this Commonwealth and operating under an assumed or fictitious name shall notify the Commission, at the earlier of the time the application for a managing general agent license is filed or within thirty calendar days from the date the assumed or fictitious name is adopted, setting forth the name under which the managing general agent intends to operate in Virginia. The Commission shall also be notified within thirty calendar days from the date of cessation of the use of such assumed or fictitious name.

C. Each licensed managing general agent convicted of a felony shall report within thirty calendar days to the Commission the facts and circumstances regarding the criminal conviction.

2001, c. 706.