(1) With respect to any action by or against an insurer, no statute of limitations or defense of laches shall run between the date the department files a petition for a delinquency proceeding against an insurer and the date the court enters an order granting or denying that petition. If the petition is denied, any action against the insurer that might have been commenced when the petition was filed may be commenced no later than 60 days after the order denying such relief or the remaining unexpired time under the applicable statute of limitations or defense of laches that was available on the day the petition was filed, whichever is longer.
(2) The running of any unexpired statute of limitations, as to any claims brought by the administrator, a receiver, or an official or agency exercising powers pursuant to this chapter seeking damages or other recoveries on behalf of an insurer, its policyholders, its creditors, or its estate, shall be tolled for a period of 4 years from the date the court enters an order placing the insurer in receivership. If the delinquency proceedings against the insurer terminate in fewer than 4 years, tolling shall cease at the time the proceedings are final, including all appeals.
(3) A cause of action does not accrue, and the limitations period for any such action does not run, during the time the insurer is controlled by parties acting contrary to the company’s interests or when facts giving rise to the claim are concealed fraudulently from regulatory authorities or from any members of company management. The provisions of chapter 95 shall be construed to be consistent with the provisions of this section. The receiver may institute any action or proceeding authorized under this part while any statute of limitation is tolled pursuant to this section. This tolling provision shall be in addition to any other applicable tolling provision.
(4) For actions not covered by subsection (2), if any unexpired time period is fixed by any agreement or in any proceeding for doing any act for the benefit of the estate, the receiver shall have 180 days, or for good cause shown more than 180 days as allowed by the court, from the date the court enters the order granting the department’s petition for a delinquency proceeding.
History.—s. 8, ch. 2002-25.