General 5% diversification -- medium-grade and lower-grade investments -- Canadian investments

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33-12-202. General 5% diversification -- medium-grade and lower-grade investments -- Canadian investments. (1) (a) Except as otherwise specified in this chapter, an insurer may not acquire, directly or indirectly through an investment subsidiary, an investment under this chapter if, as a result of and after giving effect to the investment, the insurer would hold more than 5% of its admitted assets in investments of all kinds issued, assumed, accepted, insured, or guaranteed by a single person.

(b) The 5% limitation does not apply to the aggregate amounts insured by a single financial guaranty insurer with the highest generic rating issued by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization.

(c) Asset-backed securities are subject to the limitations of subsection (1)(a). However, an insurer may not acquire an asset-backed security if, as a result of and after giving effect to the investment, the aggregate amount of asset-backed securities secured by or evidencing an interest in a single asset or single pool of assets held by a trust or other business entity then held by the insurer would exceed 5% of its admitted assets.

(2) (a) An insurer may not acquire, directly or indirectly through an investment subsidiary, an investment under 33-12-203, 33-12-206, or 33-12-209 or counterparty exposure under 33-12-210(4) if, as a result of and after giving effect to the investment:

(i) the aggregate amount of medium-grade and lower-grade investments then held by the insurer would exceed 20% of its admitted assets;

(ii) the aggregate amount of lower-grade investments then held by the insurer would exceed 10% of its admitted assets;

(iii) the aggregate amount of investments rated 5 or 6 by the SVO then held by the insurer would exceed 3% of its admitted assets;

(iv) the aggregate amount of investments rated 6 by the SVO then held by the insurer would exceed 1% of its admitted assets; or

(v) the aggregate amount of medium-grade and lower-grade investments then held by the insurer that receive as cash income less than the equivalent yield for treasury issues with a comparative average life would exceed 1% of its admitted assets.

(b) An insurer may not acquire, directly or indirectly through an investment subsidiary, an investment under 33-12-203, 33-12-206, or 33-12-209 or counterparty exposure under 33-12-210(4) if, as a result of and after giving effect to the investment:

(i) the aggregate amount of medium-grade and lower-grade investments issued, assumed, guaranteed, accepted, or insured by any one person or, as to asset-backed securities secured by or evidencing an interest in a single asset or pool of assets, then held by the insurer would exceed 1% of its admitted assets; or

(ii) the aggregate amount of lower-grade investments issued, assumed, guaranteed, accepted, or insured by any one person or, as to asset-backed securities secured by or evidencing an interest in a single asset or pool of assets, then held by the insurer would exceed 0.5% of its admitted assets.

(c) If an insurer attains or exceeds the limit of any one rating category referred to in this subsection (2), the insurer is precluded from acquiring investments in other rating categories subject to the specific and multicategory limits applicable to those investments.

(3) (a) An insurer may not acquire, directly or indirectly through an investment subsidiary, a Canadian investment authorized by this chapter if, as a result of and after giving effect to the investment, the aggregate amount of these investments then held by the insurer would exceed 40% of its admitted assets or if the aggregate amount of Canadian investments not acquired under 33-12-203(3) then held by the insurer would exceed 25% of its admitted assets.

(b) However, as to an insurer that is authorized to do business in Canada or that has outstanding insurance, annuity, or reinsurance contracts on lives or risks resident or located in Canada and denominated in Canadian currency, the limitations of subsection (3)(a) must be increased by the greater of:

(i) the amount the insurer is required by Canadian law to invest in Canada or to be denominated in Canadian currency; or

(ii) 115% of the amount of the insurer's reserves and other obligations under contracts on lives or risks resident or located in Canada.

History: En. Sec. 14, Ch. 304, L. 1999; amd. Sec. 37, Ch. 227, L. 2001.


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