(a) Whenever any third party asserts a cause of action against an insured of an insurer in liquidation, the third party may file a claim with the liquidator on or before the last day for filing claims.

Terms Used In Connecticut General Statutes 38a-940

  • Assets: (1) The property comprising the estate of a deceased person, or (2) the property in a trust account.
  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • Insured: means a person to whom or for whose benefit an insurer makes a promise in an insurance policy. See Connecticut General Statutes 38a-1
  • Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
  • Policy: means any document, including attached endorsements and riders, purporting to be an enforceable contract, which memorializes in writing some or all of the terms of an insurance contract. See Connecticut General Statutes 38a-1

(b) Whether or not the third party files a claim, the insured may file a claim on the insured’s own behalf in the liquidation. To the extent the insured files a claim, it shall be deemed sufficient to cover all related third party claims. If the insured fails to file a claim by the date for filing claims specified in the order of liquidation or within sixty days after mailing of the notice required by § 38a-924, whichever is later, the insured shall be deemed an unexcused late filer.

(c) The liquidator shall make recommendations to the court pursuant to § 38a-944 for the allowance of an insured’s claim pursuant to subsection (b) of this section after consideration of the probable outcome of any pending action against the insured on which the claim is based, the probable damages recoverable in the action and the probable costs and expenses of defense. After allowance by the court, the liquidator shall withhold any dividends payable on the claim, pending the outcome of litigation and negotiation with the insured. Whenever it seems appropriate, the liquidator shall reconsider the claim on the basis of additional information and amend his recommendations to the court. The insured shall be afforded the same notice and opportunity to be heard on all changes in the recommendation as in its initial determination. The court may amend its allowance as it finds appropriate. As claims against the insured are settled or barred, the insured shall be paid from the amount withheld the same percentage dividend as was paid on other claims of like priority, based on the lesser of (1) the amount actually recovered from the insured by action or paid by agreement plus the reasonable costs and expenses of defense, or (2) the amount allowed on the claims by the court. After all claims are settled or barred, any sum remaining from the amount withheld shall revert to the undistributed assets of the insurer. Delay in final payment under this subsection shall not be a reason for unreasonable delay of final distribution and discharge of the liquidator.

(d) If several claims founded upon one policy are filed, whether by third parties or as claims by the insured under this section, and the aggregate allowed amount of the claims to which the same limit of liability in the policy is applicable exceeds that limit, each claim as allowed shall be reduced in the same proportion so that the total equals the policy limit. Claims by the insured shall be evaluated as in subsection (c) of this section. If any insured’s claim is subsequently reduced under subsection (c) of this section, the amount thus freed shall be apportioned ratably among the claims which have been reduced under this subsection.

(e) No claim may be presented under this section if it is or may be covered by any guaranty association.

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