Sec. 4. As used in this chapter, unless otherwise provided:

(1) The term “account” means any one (1) of the three (3) accounts created by section 5 of this chapter.

Terms Used In Indiana Code 27-6-8-4

  • Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
  • association: means the Indiana Insurance Guaranty Association created by section 5 of this chapter. See Indiana Code 27-6-8-4
  • Attorney: includes a counselor or other person authorized to appear and represent a party in an action or special proceeding. See Indiana Code 1-1-4-5
  • commissioner: means the commissioner of insurance of this state. See Indiana Code 27-6-8-4
  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • insolvent insurer: means (a) a member insurer holding a valid certificate of authority to transact insurance in this state either at the time the policy was issued or when the insured event occurred and (b) against whom a final order of liquidation, with a finding of insolvency, to which there is no further right of appeal, has been entered by a court of competent jurisdiction in the company's state of domicile. See Indiana Code 27-6-8-4
  • Judgment: means all final orders, decrees, and determinations in an action and all orders upon which executions may issue. See Indiana Code 1-1-4-5
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • member insurer: means any person who is licensed or holds a certificate of authority under IC 27-1-6-18 or IC 27-1-17-1 to transact in Indiana any kind of insurance for which coverage is provided under section 3 of this chapter, including the exchange of reciprocal or inter-insurance contracts. See Indiana Code 27-6-8-4
  • Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
  • Partnership: A voluntary contract between two or more persons to pool some or all of their assets into a business, with the agreement that there will be a proportional sharing of profits and losses.
  • person: means an individual, an aggregation of individuals, a corporation, a partnership, or another entity. See Indiana Code 27-6-8-4
  • Property: includes personal and real property. See Indiana Code 1-1-4-5
  • Year: means a calendar year, unless otherwise expressed. See Indiana Code 1-1-4-5
(2) The term “association” means the Indiana Insurance Guaranty Association created by section 5 of this chapter.

(3) The term “commissioner” means the commissioner of insurance of this state.

(4) The term “covered claim” means an unpaid claim which arises out of and is within the coverage and not in excess of the applicable limits of an insurance policy to which this chapter applies issued by an insurer, if the insurer becomes an insolvent insurer after the effective date (January 1, 1972) of this chapter and (a) the claimant or insured is a resident of this state at the time of the insured event or (b) the property from which the claim arises is permanently located in this state. “Covered claim” shall be limited as provided in section 7 of this chapter, and shall not include the following:

(A) Any amount due any reinsurer, insurer, insurance pool, or underwriting association, as subrogation recoveries or otherwise. However, a claim for any such amount, asserted against a person insured under a policy issued by an insurer which has become an insolvent insurer, which if it were not a claim by or for the benefit of a reinsurer, insurer, insurance pool or underwriting association, would be a “covered claim” may be filed directly with the receiver or liquidator of the insolvent insurer, but in no event may any such claim be asserted in any legal action against the insured of such insolvent insurer.

(B) Any supplementary obligation including but not limited to adjustment fees and expenses, attorney fees and expenses, court costs, interest and bond premiums, whether arising as a policy benefit or otherwise, prior to the appointment of a liquidator.

(C) Any unpaid claim that is filed with the association after the final date set by the court for the filing of claims against the liquidator or receiver of an insolvent insurer. For the purpose of filing a claim under this clause, notice of a claim to the liquidator of the insolvent insurer is considered to be notice to the association or the agent of the association and a list of claims must be periodically submitted to the association (or another state’s association that is similar to the association) by the liquidator.

(D) A claim that is excluded under section 11.5 of this chapter due to the high net worth of an insured.

(E) Any claim by a person who directly or indirectly controls, is controlled, or is under common control with an insolvent insurer on December 31 of the year before the order of liquidation.

All covered claims filed in the liquidation proceedings shall be referred immediately to the association by the liquidator for processing as provided in this chapter.

(5) The term “high net worth insured” means the following:

(A) For purposes of section 11.5(a) of this chapter, an insured that has a net worth (including the aggregate net worth of the insured and all subsidiaries and affiliates of the insured, calculated on a consolidated basis) that exceeds twenty-five million dollars ($25,000,000) on December 31 of the year immediately preceding the year in which the insurer becomes an insolvent insurer.

(B) For purposes of section 11.5(b) of this chapter, an insured that has a net worth (including the aggregate net worth of the insured and all subsidiaries and affiliates of the insured, calculated on a consolidated basis) that exceeds fifty million dollars ($50,000,000) on December 31 of the year immediately preceding the year in which the insurer becomes an insolvent insurer.

(6) The term “insolvent insurer” means (a) a member insurer holding a valid certificate of authority to transact insurance in this state either at the time the policy was issued or when the insured event occurred and (b) against whom a final order of liquidation, with a finding of insolvency, to which there is no further right of appeal, has been entered by a court of competent jurisdiction in the company’s state of domicile. “Insolvent insurer” shall not be construed to mean an insurer with respect to which an order, decree, judgment or finding of insolvency whether preliminary or temporary in nature or order to rehabilitation or conservation has been issued by any court of competent jurisdiction prior to January 1, 1972 or which is adjudicated to have been insolvent prior to that date.

(7) The term “member insurer” means any person who is licensed or holds a certificate of authority under IC 27-1-6-18 or IC 27-1-17-1 to transact in Indiana any kind of insurance for which coverage is provided under section 3 of this chapter, including the exchange of reciprocal or inter-insurance contracts. The term includes any insurer whose license or certificate of authority to transact such insurance in Indiana may have been suspended, revoked, not renewed, or voluntarily surrendered. A “member insurer” does not include farm mutual insurance companies organized and operating pursuant to IC 27-5.1 other than a company to which IC 27-5.1-2-6 applies.

(8) The term “net direct written premiums” means direct gross premiums written in this state on insurance policies to which this chapter applies, less return premiums thereon and dividends paid or credited to policyholders on such direct business. “Net direct premiums written” does not include premiums on contracts between insurers or reinsurers.

(9) The term “person” means an individual, an aggregation of individuals, a corporation, a partnership, or another entity.

Formerly: Acts 1971, P.L.390, SEC.1; Acts 1973, P.L.279, SEC.1. As amended by Acts 1977, P.L.281, SEC.5; P.L.163-1988, SEC.2; P.L.8-1993, SEC.422; P.L.255-1995, SEC.7; P.L.129-2003, SEC.12; P.L.52-2013, SEC.2.