COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH

OVERSIGHT DIVISION



FISCAL NOTE



L.R. NO.: 3671-01

BILL NO.: SB 929

SUBJECT: Insurance - General; Credit and Bankruptcy

TYPE: Original

DATE: March 27, 2000




FISCAL SUMMARY



ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON STATE FUNDS
FUND AFFECTED FY 2001 FY 2002 FY 2003
None $0 $0 $0
Total Estimated

Net Effect on All

State Funds

$0 $0 $0



ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON FEDERAL FUNDS
FUND AFFECTED FY 2001 FY 2002 FY 2003
None
Total Estimated

Net Effect on All

Federal Funds

$0 $0 $0



ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON LOCAL FUNDS
FUND AFFECTED FY 2001 FY 2002 FY 2003
Local Government

Numbers within parentheses: ( ) indicate costs or losses.

This fiscal note contains 3 pages.



FISCAL ANALYSIS



ASSUMPTION



Officials from the Department of Insurance (INS) assume this proposal would not fiscally impact their agency. However, if receiverships may not use claims estimations to compel payment from reinsurers, the affect may be to defer the receipt of certain premium tax revenues. Losses from insolvent insurance companies are funded by the state guaranty associations. The guaranty associations must assess other, solvent insurers in order to fund the losses from insolvent insurance companies. Insurance companies are allowed a tax credit against their premium tax liability for assessments paid to the guaranty associations. INS officials assume a delay in the collection of reinsurance proceeds could cause more losses to be funded by the guaranty associations, which will then wait for the reimbursement, by the receiver from eventual collection of reinsurance. This delay would in turn cause a temporary increase in credits against premium tax, which would later be returned to the treasury when the reinsurance collections are credited to the guaranty association. The end result would be a deferral of state revenue.



Oversight assumes the removal of the sunset provision for claims estimations in receivership proceedings would result in no fiscal impact in the years involved with this fiscal note. However, the repeal of this sunset clause would cause a delay in the collection of reinsurance possibly causing an unknown fiscal impact on future years beyond FY2004.





FISCAL IMPACT - State Government FY 2001

(10 Mo.)

FY 2002 FY 2003
$0 $0 $0



FISCAL IMPACT - Local Government FY 2001

(10 Mo.)

FY 2002 FY 2003
$0 $0 $0





FISCAL IMPACT - Small Business



No direct fiscal impact to small businesses would be expected as a result of this proposal.







DESCRIPTION



This act removes the sunset clause on receivership legislation which allows the estimation of contingent liability claims in receivership proceedings for the purpose of fixing a creditor's claim in the estate. The sunset clause was established in Senate Bill 386 (1999).



This legislation is not federally mandated, would not duplicate any other program and would not require additional capital improvements or rental space.





SOURCE OF INFORMATION



Department of Insurance













Jeanne Jarrett, CPA

Director

March 27, 2000