Every title insurer shall, in addition to other reserves establish and maintain a reserve to be known as the “reserve for unpaid losses and loss adjustment expense”, which shall be used for the payment of losses incurred as a result of liability arising under policies of title insurance and the payment of adjustment expenses necessary for the settlement of or defense against claims of any such liability. Said reserve shall be in an amount equal to the sum of (1) the estimated amounts necessary to pay unpaid losses, plus (2) the estimated amounts of loss adjustment expense necessary to settle or defend against every claim presented pursuant to notice from or on behalf of every insured that may result in a loss to or cause expense to be incurred by a title insurer for the proper disposition of the claim. Every title insurer shall calculate such reserve by making a careful estimate in each year of the amounts anticipated to be reasonably necessary for both such purposes. The sum of the items so estimated shall be the total amount of the reserve for unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses of such title insurer. The amounts so estimated may be revised from time to time as circumstances warrant and reduced by the amount of payments made, but shall be redetermined at least once each year. The amounts set aside in such reserve in any year shall be deducted in determining the net profits for such period of any title insurer.

(Added by Stats. 1965, Ch. 272.)