(a) This subchapter III shall be known as the “Standard Valuation Law” (the “Act”).
(b) For purposes of the Act, the following definitions shall apply on or after the operative date of the valuation manual:
(1) “Accident and health insurance” means contracts that incorporate morbidity risk and provide protection against economic loss resulting from accident, sickness, or medical conditions and as may be specified in the valuation manual.
(2) “Appointed actuary” means a qualified actuary who is appointed in accordance with the valuation manual to prepare the actuarial opinion required in § 1113(b) of this title.
(3) “Company” means an entity, which (A) has written, issued, or reinsured life insurance contracts, accident and health insurance contracts or deposit-type contracts in this State and has at least 1 such policy in force or on claim or (B) has written, issued or reinsured life insurance contracts, accident and health insurance contracts, or deposit-type contracts in any state and is required to hold a certificate of authority to write life insurance, accident and health insurance or deposit-type contracts in this State.
(4) “Deposit-type contract” means contracts that do not incorporate mortality or morbidity risks and as may be specified in the valuation manual.
(5) “Life insurance” means contracts that incorporate mortality risk, including annuity and pure endowment contracts, and as may be specified in the valuation manual.
(6) “NAIC” means the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.
(7) “Policyholder behavior” means any action a policyholder, contract holder or any other person with the right to elect options, such as a certificate holder, may take under a policy or contract subject to this Act including, but not limited to, lapse, withdrawal, transfer, deposit, premium payment, loan, annuitization, or benefit elections prescribed by the policy or contract but excluding events of mortality or morbidity that result in benefits prescribed in their essential aspects by the terms of the policy or contract.
(8) “Principle-based valuation” means a reserve valuation that uses one or more methods or one or more assumptions determined by the insurer and is required to comply with § 1122 of this title as specified in the valuation manual.
(9) “Qualified actuary” means an individual who is qualified to sign the applicable statement of actuarial opinion in accordance with the American Academy of Actuaries qualification standards for actuaries signing such statements and who meets the requirements specified in the valuation manual.
(10) “Tail risk” means a risk that occurs either where the frequency of low probability events is higher than expected under a normal probability distribution or where there are observed events of very significant size or magnitude.
(11) “Valuation manual” means the manual of valuation instructions adopted by the NAIC as specified in this Act or as subsequently amended.