The term “insurer” as used in this section shall not include domestic insurers as defined in Section 26.

The following transactions of an insurer described in subdivisions (a), (c), (d), and (f) of Section 826 shall be exempt from the provisions of this article:

(a) Any negotiations or agreements prior to general solicitation for the approval of the shareholders of said insurer and subject to such approval, of a change in the rights, preferences, privileges or restrictions of or on outstanding securities or a merger, consolidation or sale of corporate assets in consideration of the issuance of securities.

(b) Any change in the rights, preferences, privileges, or restrictions of or on outstanding securities of such insurer, unless the holders of at least 25 percent of the outstanding shares or units of any class of securities which will be directly or indirectly affected substantially and adversely by such change have addresses in this state according to the records of such insurer; or

(c) Any exchange incident to a merger, a consolidation, an acquisition of outstanding stock, or a sale of corporate assets in consideration of the issuance of securities of another insurer or corporation, unless at least 25 percent of the outstanding shares of any class, the holders of which are to receive securities in the exchange of the surviving, consolidated, or purchasing corporation or insurer, are held by persons who have addresses in this state according to the records of such corporation or insurer of which they are shareholders.

(d) For the purposes of subdivision (b) and subdivision (c) of this section, (1) any securities held to the knowledge of the issuer in the names of a broker as defined in Section 824 or nominees of such broker and (2) any securities controlled by any one person who is not a resident of the State of California who controls directly or indirectly 50 percent or more of the outstanding securities of that class, shall not be considered outstanding. The determination of whether 25 percent of the outstanding securities are held by persons having addresses in this state, for the purposes of subdivision (b) and subdivision (c) of this section, shall be made as of the record date for the determination of the security holders entitled to vote on or consent to the action, if approval of such holders is required, or if not as of the date of directors’ approval of such action.

(e) Any change (other than a stock split or reverse stock split) in the rights, preferences, privileges, or restrictions of or on outstanding shares, except the following if they materially and adversely affect any class of shareholders: (1) to add, change, or delete assessment provisions; (2) to change the rights to dividends thereon; (3) to change the redemption provisions; (4) to make them redeemable; (5) to change the amount payable on liquidation; (6) to change, add, or delete conversion rights; (7) to change, add, or delete voting rights; (8) to change preemptive rights; (9) to change, add, or delete sinking fund provisions; (10) to rearrange the relative priorities of outstanding shares; (11) to impose, change, or delete restrictions upon the transfer of shares in the articles of incorporation or bylaws; (12) to change the right of shareholders with respect to the calling of special meetings of shareholders; or (13) to change, add, or delete any rights, preferences, privileges, or restrictions of, or on, the outstanding shares or memberships of a mutual water company or other corporation organized primarily to provide services or facilities to its shareholders or members.

(f) Any stock split or reverse stock split, except the following: (1) any stock split or reverse stock split if the corporation has more than one class of shares outstanding and the split would have a material effect on the proportionate interests of the respective classes as to voting, dividends or distributions; (2) any stock split of a stock which is traded in the market and its market price as of the date of directors’ approval of the stock split adjusted to give effect to the split was less than two dollars ($2) per share; or (3) any reverse stock split if the corporation has the option of paying cash for any fractional shares created by such reverse split and as a result of such action the proportionate interests of the shareholders would be substantially altered. Any shares issued upon a stock split or reverse stock split exempted by this subdivision shall be subject to any conditions previously imposed by the commissioner applicable to the shares with respect to which they are issued.

(g) Any change in the rights of outstanding debt securities, except the following if they substantially and adversely affect any class of securities: (1) to change the rights to interest thereon; (2) to change their redemption provisions; (3) to make them redeemable; (4) to extend the maturity thereof or to change the amount payable thereon at maturity; (5) to change their voting rights; (6) to change their conversion rights; (7) to change sinking fund provisions; or (8) to make them subordinate to other indebtedness.

(Added by Stats. 1977, Ch. 1020.)