(a) Upon any liquidation of a domestic mutual insurer, its assets remaining after discharge of its indebtedness, policy obligations, repayment of contributed or borrowed surplus, if any, and expenses of administration shall be distributed to currently existing persons who had been members of the insurer for at least 1 year and who were its members at any time within 36 months next preceding the date such liquidation was authorized or ordered or the date of last termination of the insurer's certificate of authority, whichever date is the earlier, except that if the Commissioner has reason to believe that those in charge of the management of the insurer have caused or encouraged the reduction of the number of members of the insurer in anticipation of liquidation and for the purpose of reducing thereby the number of persons who may be entitled to share in distribution of the insurer's assets, the Commissioner may enlarge the 36-month qualification period as the Commissioner may deem to be reasonable.
(b) The insurer shall make a reasonable classification of its policies so held by such members, and a formula based upon such classification for determining the equitable distributive share of each such member. Such classification and formula shall be subject to the approval of the Commissioner.