(2) There shall be two assessments, as follows:
(a) Class A assessments shall be made for the purpose of meeting administrative and legal costs and other general expenses whether or not related to a particular impaired or insolvent insurer.
(b) Class B assessments shall be made to the extent necessary to carry out the powers and duties of the association under ORS 734.810 with regard to an impaired or insolvent insurer.
(3)(a) The amount of any class A assessment shall be determined by the board and may be made on a pro rata or other basis. If pro rata, the board may provide that the class A assessment be credited against future class B assessments. An assessment on another basis may not exceed $300 per member insurer in any one calendar year. The amount of any class B assessment shall be allocated for assessment purposes among the accounts in the proportion that the premiums received by the impaired or insolvent insurer on the policies covered by each account, for the last calendar year preceding the assessment in which the impaired or insolvent insurer received premiums, bears to the premiums received by such insurer for such calendar year on all covered policies.
(b) Class B assessments for each account shall be in the proportion that the premiums received on business in this state by each assessed member insurer on policies covered by each account for the three most recent calendar years for which information is available preceding the year in which the insurer became impaired or insolvent, as the case may be, bears to such premiums received on business in this state for such calendar years by all assessed member insurers.
(c) Assessments for funds to meet the requirements of the association with respect to an impaired or insolvent insurer may not be made until necessary to implement the purposes of ORS 734.750 to 734.890. Classification of assessments under subsection (2) of this section and computation of assessments under this subsection shall be made with a reasonable degree of accuracy, recognizing that exact determinations may not always be possible.
(4) The association may abate or defer, in whole or in part, the assessment of a member insurer if, in the opinion of the board, payment of the assessment would endanger the ability of the member insurer to fulfill its contractual obligations. In the event an assessment against a member insurer is abated or deferred, in whole or in part, the amount by which such assessment is abated or deferred shall be assessed against the other member insurers.
(5) A member insurer may not be required to pay assessments in any one calendar year exceeding two percent of the insurer’s premiums in this state on the policies covered by the account. If a member insurer’s total assessment cannot be collected in any one year because of this limitation, the remaining amount due shall be collected from the insurer in future years.
(6) The board may, by an equitable method as established in the plan of operation, refund to member insurers, in proportion to the contribution of each insurer to that account, the amount by which the assets of the account exceed the amount the board finds is necessary to carry out during the coming year the obligations of the association with regard to that account, including assets accruing from assignment, subrogation, net realized gains and income from investments. A reasonable amount may be retained in any account to provide funds for the continuing expenses of the association and for future losses.
(7) It shall be proper for any member insurer, in determining its premium rates and policyowner dividends for any kind of insurance within the scope of ORS 734.750 to 734.890, to consider the amount reasonably necessary to meet its assessment obligations under ORS 734.750 to 734.890.
(8) The association shall issue to each insurer paying an assessment under ORS 734.750 to 734.890, other than a class A assessment, a certificate of contribution in a form prescribed by the Director of the Department of Consumer and Business Services for the amount so paid. All outstanding certificates shall be of equal dignity and priority without reference to amounts or dates of issue. A certificate of contribution may be shown by the insurer in its financial statement as an asset in such form and for such amount, if any, and period of time as the director may approve.
(9) The association may assess and collect interest on the amount of an assessment owed by a member insurer that fails to pay the assessment when due. The annual rate that may be charged under this subsection may not exceed the rate established by the director by rule. [1975 c.251 §10; 1991 c.811 §5; 2011 c.142 §6]