(a) Every insurer authorized to do business in the State of Arkansas, whether foreign, domestic, or alien, including, but not limited to, farmers' mutual aid associations or companies, reciprocal insurers, stipulated premium insurers, mutual assessment life and disability companies, and foreign fraternal benefit societies, shall petition the Insurance Commissioner for prior approval of any agreement of assumption reinsurance which provides for the ceding of Arkansas risks to an insurer not authorized to do business in this state.
(b) After notice and hearing, the commissioner may approve the agreement for reinsurance if it is found:
(1) That the agreement is fair and equitable and does not lessen or diminish any benefit to a policyholder which would have been provided by the ceding entity;
(2) That the agreement promotes the public interest and does not create a monopoly;
(3) That the agreement is not harmful to the best interests of the policyholders;
(4) That the agreement will not impair the financial condition of either the ceding insurer or the assuming insurer;
(5) That the assuming insurer is in sound financial condition; and
(6) That the assumption certificates, after being filed with and approved by the commissioner, shall be given to Arkansas policyholders affected by the agreement, provided, that notice to credit life and credit disability policyholders may be given to the creditor beneficiary of the credit life or credit disability policy.
(c) The commissioner, in his or her sole discretion, may waive notice and hearing as to any agreement under subsection (b) of this section pursuant to written motion by any party to the agreement.
(d)
(1) Every insurer authorized to do business in the State of Arkansas, whether foreign, domestic, or alien, including, but not limited to, farmers' mutual aid associations or companies, reciprocal insurers, stipulated premium insurers, mutual assessment life and disability companies, and foreign fraternal benefit societies, shall file with the commissioner any agreement of assumption reinsurance which provides for the ceding of Arkansas risks to any insurer authorized to do business in this state. The agreement shall be deemed approved within thirty (30) days after the date filed.
(2) This subsection shall not apply to any agreement for assumption reinsurance which cedes Arkansas risks if the assuming insurer is authorized to do business in this state and the transaction is approved by the state insurance regulator of the domiciliary state of the ceding insurer.
(e) Any assumption certificates issued to Arkansas policyholders pursuant to assumption reinsurance agreements shall be filed with and approved by the commissioner prior to delivery to policyholders.
(f) Domestic stock and domestic mutual insurers shall be exempt from the requirements of subsections (a)-(d) of this section, but shall comply with the provisions of §§ 23-69-149 and 23-69-150, respectively.
(g) Domestic fraternal benefit societies shall be exempt from the requirements of subsections (a)-(d) of this section, but shall comply with the provisions of § 23-74-304.