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New reinsurance-related and arbitration developments from Carlton Fields

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Accounting for Reinsurance

PROSECUTORS TO DISMISS INDICTMENT AGAINST GEN RE AND AIG EXECUTIVES

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On August 2, 2011, we reported on a decision by the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit to vacate the criminal convictions of Gen Re and AIG executives stemming from an allegedly fraudulent finite reinsurance transaction designed to improve AIG’s financial statements. On June 22, 2012, the defendants entered into agreements with prosecutors to defer prosecution and dismiss the indictments after passage of one year, subject to the defendants’ respective payment of fines ranging from $250,000 to $100,000, and compliance with other conditions. The agreements identified “relevant considerations” to their execution, namely, (a) the Second Circuit’s vacatur decision, (b) the 12 months time that has now elapsed since the defendants’ conduct, (c) the significant resources required to conduct a retrial, (d) the defendants’ payment of fines, (e) SEC penalties, and (f) defendants’ admission that certain “aspects” of the reinsurance transaction were fraudulent. United States v. Ferguson, Case No. 3:06CR137 (USDC D. Conn. June 22, 2012).

This post written by Michael Wolgin.

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MULTI-STATE COMPACT FOR SURPLUS LINES TAX COLLECTION (NIMA) IS SHEDDING MEMBERS

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Several states have recently withdrawn from the Nonadmitted Insurance Multi-State Agreement (“NIMA”), the interstate compact sponsored by the NAIC to collect and allocate surplus lines tax revenues consistent with Dodd Frank’s Nonadmitted and Reinsurance Reform Act of 2010 (“NRRA”). We have reported earlier on NIMA’s development and progress. States that have withdrawn include Alaska, Connecticut, Mississippi, Nebraska and Hawaii. Departing states have cited several reasons for withdrawing: the lack of a financial benefit from participating; the increased burden and cost in overseeing and auditing NIMA’s Clearinghouse; increased costs imposed on brokers and insureds from the Clearinghouse’s service fee; and conflict with state insurance laws on reporting requirements. Mississippi is among the states withdrawing notwithstanding that its insurance commissioner was a principal officer of NIMA. NIMA’s remaining members include only Florida, Louisiana, Nevada, Puerto Rico, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming.

This post written by Ben Seessel.

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APPELLATE DIVISION HOLDS THAT TRIABLE ISSUES EXIST IN NEW YORK AG’S CASE AGAINST FORMER AIG EXECUTIVES CONCERNING GEN RE FINITE REINSURANCE TRANSACTION

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After settling with AIG for $1 billion, the New York Attorney General remains in pursuit of two former AIG executives—former CEO Maurice “Hank” Greenberg and former CFO Howard Smith—in connection with their alleged roles in a finite reinsurance transaction between AIG and Gen Re and a transaction between AIG and Capco Reinsurance Company, an offshore shell company that AIG allegedly used to disguise unfavorable loss ratios from the investing public. The appellate court affirmed the denial of defendants’ motion for summary judgment on the AG’s claims, which are brought under New York’s Martin Act and Executive Law section 62(12). The appellate court held that the claims are not preempted by federal securities laws and that triable issues exist based on the record evidence. The court also reversed the trial court’s grant of summary judgment to the AG on liability with respect to the Capco transaction. State of New York v. Greenberg, No. 401720/05 (N.Y. App. Div. May 8, 2012).

This post written by Ben Seessel.

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NAIC REINSURANCE TASK FORCE PROCEEDS WITH IMPLEMENTATION OF REVISED CREDIT FOR REINSURANCE MODELS

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At the recent NAIC Spring Meeting, the E Committee’s Reinsurance Task Force exposed for comment drafts of two documents relating to the implementation of the recently revised credit for reinsurance Model Act and Model Regulation: (1) a memorandum discussing implementation issues; and (2) a discussion of changes to the accreditation criteria.

This post written by Rollie Goss.

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SPECIAL FOCUS: SOLVENCY INITIATIVES IN THE US AND THE EU

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The European Union’s Solvency II initiative has received considerable trade press exposure, but the NAIC’s Solvency Modernization Initiative has received less attention. Learn about the general outlines of these initiatives in our Special Focus article, Solvency Ho! An Update on U.S. and European Solvency Initiatives.

This post written by John Pitblado.

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