(a) Initial operating capital shall be contributed by insurance companies admitted to write residential property insurance in the state. Each insurer that elects to participate in the authority shall contribute as its share of operating capital an amount equal to one billion dollars ($1,000,000,000) multiplied by the percentage representing that insurer’s residential earthquake insurance market share as of January 1, 1994, as determined by the board. A minimum of seven hundred million dollars ($700,000,000) in commitments shall be required before the authority may become operational.

(b) Until the authority becomes operational, contributions of initial operating capital shall be held by the commissioner in trust for the contributing insurers in the California Earthquake Authority Fund.

(c) Because insurers will retain the risk of earthquake losses on individual earthquake policies until they are renewed into the authority, participating insurers may elect to contribute operating capital in 12 installments payable on the first day of each successive calendar month after the insurer elects to participate. Each insurer shall compute its monthly installment based on the portion of the insurer’s earthquake coverage that will be renewed into the authority during the next month. The final installment shall be equal to the excess of the participating insurer‘s required contribution over the sum of the previous 11 installments. Those insurers that elect to participate in the authority after the beginning operating date of the authority shall make initial capital contributions calculated using their residential earthquake insurance market share as of January 1, 1994, or the date of their election to participate in the authority, whichever contribution amount is greater.

(d) An insurer or insurer group that represents 1.25 percent or less of the residential property insurance market, as measured by premium volume, or that has a surplus of less than one billion dollars ($1,000,000,000), may elect to become a participating insurer with the full rights and responsibilities of participating insurers of the authority, pursuant to the provisions of this section.

(e) The insurer or insurer groups defined in subdivision (d) may elect to contribute their operating capital, as required by subdivision (a) of Section 10089.15, in 60 equal monthly installments, payable on the first day of each successive calendar month after the insurer elects to participate. In the event that earthquake losses result in the authority’s payment of claims while the authority’s available funds are inadequate to meet claims liabilities, and insurers participating under this section have operating capital contributions outstanding, the operating capital contributions necessary to meet any unfunded claims liabilities will become due and payable within 30 days of a request for such accelerated payment by the board, not to exceed the maximum contribution owed by each insurer.

(f) No insurer may elect to contribute operating capital pursuant to subdivision (e) unless the aggregate premium or aggregate surplus of all affiliated insurers in its group meets the eligibility standards established by subdivision (d).

(Amended (as added by Stats. 1995, Ch. 944) by Stats. 1996, Ch. 968, Sec. 4. Effective September 27, 1996.)