Insurance Code section 1596

To satisfy the purposes of this article, any alien insurer admitted or seeking to be admitted is hereby authorized to make and execute a deed of trust by virtue of which any assets of an alien admitted insurer are held by a trustee as trusteed assets within the meaning of subdivision (c) of Section 1591. Such deed of trust shall:

(a)

Vest the legal title to the trusteed assets in the trustee and its successors lawfully appointed, in trust for the benefit and security of all the policyholders, or of all the policyholders and creditors, of such alien insurer within the United States;

(b)

Provide for the substitution of a new trustee in the event of a vacancy by death, resignation or from any other cause, subject to the approval of the commissioner;

(c)

Require that the trusteed assets shall at all times be maintained within the United States as a trust fund separate and distinct from all other assets, and that the trustee shall continuously maintain a record at all times sufficient to identify such fund;

(d)

Prescribe the conditions, satisfactory to the commissioner and not inconsistent with the purposes of this article, under which any or all income, earnings, dividends or interest accumulations of such fund may be paid over to the United States manager of such alien insurer;

(e)

Prohibit the withdrawal, other than as provided in accordance with subdivision (d), of any trusteed assets from such fund without the written approval of the commissioner, except as follows:
1.For the purpose of making general State deposits required by law in any State.
2.For the purpose of paying obligations due from such alien insurer to policyholders and creditors in the United States, and for the purpose of making special State deposits required by law in any State, if such payments and deposits do not impair the trusteed surplus in the United States of such alien insurer to an amount less than the minimum amount specified in Section 1594, and such fact is certified to the trustee by the insurer or its United States manager duly authorized for that purpose.
3.For the purpose of substituting other assets permitted by law and at least equal in value to those to be withdrawn, upon the specific written direction of the United States manager or an assistant United States manager or other representative in the United States of such alien insurer when duly empowered and acting pursuant to either general or specific written authority previously given or delegated by the board of directors thereof, except as provided in the paragraph numbered 5 of this subdivision.
4.For the purpose of transferring such assets to an official conservator, rehabilitator, or liquidator pursuant to an order of a court of competent jurisdiction.
5.In the case of an alien life insurer organized under the laws of the Dominion of Canada or of any province thereof, the provisions of this section applicable to the United States manager or an assistant United States manager or other representative in the United States of such alien insurer shall be deemed to refer to the president, vice president, secretary or treasurer of such insurer at its principal place of business in said Dominion or province thereof, when duly authorized for such purpose.

Source: Section 1596, https://leginfo.­legislature.­ca.­gov/faces/codes_displaySection.­xhtml?lawCode=INS§ionNum=1596.­ (accessed Apr. 24, 2025).

Last Updated

Apr. 24, 2025

§ 1596’s source at ca​.gov