Contract
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STATE BOARD OF ADMINISTRATION OF FLORIDA 1801 XXXXXXXXX XXXXXXXXX, XXXXX 000 XXXXXXXXXXX, XXXXXXX 00000 (000) 000-0000 POST OFFICE BOX 13300 32317-3300 Coverage Effective: June 1, 2024 |
XXX XXXXXXXX XXXXX XXXXXXXX XXXXXX XXXXX XXXXX XXXXXX INTERIM-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR & |
EXHIBIT 10.8
This Contract is between:
Homeowners Choice Property and Casualty Insurance Company
("Company")
NAIC # 12944
and
THE STATE BOARD OF ADMINISTRATION OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA ("SBA")
WHICH ADMINISTERS THE FLORIDA HURRICANE CATASTROPHE FUND ("FHCF")
PREAMBLE
Section 215.555, Florida Statutes, creates the FHCF and directs the SBA to administer the FHCF. This Contract, consisting of the principal document entitled Reimbursement Contract, addressing the mandatory FHCF coverage, and Appendix A, is subject to Section 215.555, Florida Statutes, and to any administrative rule adopted pursuant thereto, and is not intended to be in conflict therewith.
In consideration of the promises set forth in this Contract, the parties agree as follows:
ARTICLE I - SCOPE OF AGREEMENT
As a condition precedent to the SBA's obligations under this Contract, the Company shall report to the SBA in a specified format the business it writes which is described in this Contract as Covered Policies. The terms of this Contract 1shall determine the rights and obligations of the parties. This Contract provides reimbursement to the Company under certain circumstances, as described herein, and does not provide or extend insurance or reinsurance coverage to any person, firm, corporation or other entity. The SBA shall reimburse the Company for its Ultimate Net Loss on Covered Policies, which were in force and in effect at the time of the Covered Event causing the Loss, in excess of the Company's Retention as a result of each Covered Event commencing during the Contract Year, to the extent funds are available, all as hereinafter defined.
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ARTICLE II - PARTIES TO THE CONTRACT
This Contract is solely between the Company, an Authorized Insurer or any entity writing Covered Policies under Section 627.351, Florida Statutes, in the State of Florida, and the SBA. In no instance shall any insured of the Company, any claimant against an insured of the Company, or any other third party have any rights under this Contract, except as provided in Article XVI. The SBA will disburse funds only to the Company, except as provided for in Article XVI. The Company shall not, without the prior approval of the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, sell, assign, or transfer to any third party, in return for a fee or other consideration any sums the FHCF pays under this Contract or the right to receive such sums.
ARTICLE III - TERM; EXECUTION
This Contract applies to Losses from Covered Events which commence during the period from
12:00:01 a.m., Eastern Time, June 1, 2024, to 12:00 midnight, Eastern Time, May 31, 2025 (the "Contract Year"). The SBA shall not be liable for Losses from Covered Events which commence after the effective time and date of expiration or termination. Should this Contract expire or terminate while a Covered Event is in progress, the SBA shall be responsible for such Covered Event in progress in the same manner and to the same extent it would have been responsible had the Contract expired the day following the conclusion of the Covered Event in progress.
(a) Statutory Requirement
This Contract has been adopted as part of Rule 19-8.010, Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.), in
fulfillment of the statutory requirement that the SBA enter into a Contract with each Company writing Covered Policies in Florida. Under Section 215.555(4)(a), Florida Statutes, the SBA must enter into such a Contract with each such Company, and each such Company must enter into the Contract as a condition of doing business in Florida. Under Section 215.555(16)(c), Florida Statutes, Companies writing Covered Policies must execute the Contract by March 1 of the immediately preceding Contract Year.
(b) Duty to Provide a Fully and Timely Executed Copy of this Contract to the FHCF
Administrator
The Company must provide a fully executed copy of this Contract in electronic form to the
Administrator no later than the March 1 statutory deadline for execution, or, in the case of a New Participant, no later than 30 days after the New Participant began writing Covered Policies.
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Except with respect to New Participants, this Contract is deemed to have been executed by the Company as of the March 1 statutory deadline, notwithstanding the fact that the Coverage Level election in Article XXI(1)(b) may be invalid, and notwithstanding the fact that the person purporting to execute the Contract on the part of the Company may have lacked the requisite authority. With respect to New Participants, this Contract is deemed to have been executed by the New Participant as of the date on which the New Participant began writing Covered Policies; coverage shall be determined as provided in paragraphs (c) and (d). Execution of this Contract by or on behalf of an entity that does not write Covered Policies is void. If the Company failed to timely submit an executed copy of this Contract, or if the executed Contract includes an invalid Coverage Level election under Article XXI, the Company's Coverage Level shall be deemed as follows:
ARTICLE IV - LIABILITY OF THE FHCF
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ARTICLE V - DEFINITIONS
As used in this Contract, the following words and phrases are defined to mean:
This term means the sum of the Balance of the Fund as of December 31 of a Contract Year, plus any reinsurance purchased by the FHCF, plus the amount the SBA is able to raise through the issuance of revenue bonds under Section 215.555(6), Florida Statutes.
This term means an amount determined according to principles of actuarial science to be adequate, but not excessive, in the aggregate, to pay current and future obligations and expenses of the fund, including additional amounts if needed to pay debt service on revenue bonds and to provide required debt service coverage in excess of the amounts required to pay actual debt service on revenue bonds, and determined according to principles of actuarial science to reflect each insurer's relative exposure to hurricane losses.
ALE Losses covered by the FHCF are not to exceed 40 percent of the insured value of a Residential Structure or its contents based on how the coverage is provided in the policy. Fair rental value, loss of rents, or business interruption losses are not covered by the FHCF.
This term means the entity with which the SBA contracts to perform administrative tasks associated with the operations of the FHCF. The current Administrator is Paragon Strategic Solutions Inc.
This term is defined in Section 624.09(1), Florida Statutes.
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This term means the amount of assets available to pay claims resulting from Covered Events which occurred during the Contract Year, not including any pre-event or post-event bonds, reinsurance, or proceeds from other financing mechanisms.
This term means the amount of funds which are able to be raised by the issuance of revenue bonds or through other financing mechanisms, less bond issuance expenses and reserves.
This term means Citizens Property Insurance Corporation as created under Section 627.351(6), Florida Statutes. For the purposes of the FHCF, Citizens incorporates two accounts, (a) the coastal account and (b) the personal lines and commercial lines accounts. Each account is treated by the FHCF as if it were a separate participating insurer with its own reportable exposures, Reimbursement Premium, Retention, and Ultimate Net Loss.
This term means the estimation, payment, and complete discharge of all future obligations for Losses, regardless of future loss development. The final Commutation shall constitute a complete and final release of all obligations of the SBA with respect to Losses. Commutation may be per Covered Event or by Contract Year as determined by the FHCF.
This term means any one storm declared to be a hurricane by the National Hurricane Center which causes insured losses in Florida. A Covered Event begins when a hurricane causes damage in Florida while it is a hurricane and continues throughout any subsequent downgrades in storm status by the National Hurricane Center regardless of whether the hurricane makes landfall. Any storm, including a tropical storm, which does not become a hurricane is not a Covered Event.
This term means the level of reimbursement (90 percent, 75 percent, or 45 percent), as elected by the Company under Article XXI or deemed under Article III(3), which is used in determining reimbursement under Article IV.
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if such collateral protection insurance policy can be accurately reported as required in Section 215.555(5), Florida Statutes.
This term means a specific policy that provides coverage to a policyholder for some portion of the
policyholder's deductible under a policy issued by another insurer.
This term means the sum of the projected Balance of the Fund as of December 31 of a Contract Year, plus any reinsurance purchased by the FHCF, plus the most recent estimate of the Borrowing Capacity of the FHCF, determined pursuant to Section 215.555(4)(c), Florida Statutes.
This term means, for the purposes of this Contract, a policy that provides insurance protection for large commercial property risks and that provides a layer of coverage above a primary layer (which is insured by a different insurer) that acts much the same as a very large deductible.
For purposes of the Coverage Level election in Section 215.555(4)(b), Florida Statutes, Insurer Group means the group designation assigned by the NAIC for regulatory purposes. A Company is a member of a group as designated by the NAIC until such Company is assigned another group designation or is no longer a member of a group.
This term means the maximum amount that a Company may recover under this Contract, calculated by multiplying the Company's Reimbursement Premium by the Payout Multiple.
This term means an incurred loss under a Covered Policy from a Covered Event, including Additional Living Expenses not to exceed 40 percent of the insured value of a Residential Structure or its contents and amounts paid as fees on behalf of or inuring to the benefit of a policyholder. The term Loss does not include allocated or unallocated loss adjustment expenses or any item for which this Contract does not provide reimbursement pursuant to the exclusions in Article VI.
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(19) Loss Adjustment Expense Allowance
(20) New Participant
This term means a Company that begins writing Covered Policies on or after the beginning of the
Contract Year. A Company that removes Covered Policies from Citizens or an Unsound Insurer pursuant to an assumption agreement effective on or after June 1 and had written no other Covered Policies before June 1 is also considered a New Participant.
(21) Payout Multiple
This term means the multiple as calculated in accordance with Section 215.555(4)(c), Florida Statutes, which is derived by dividing the actual single season Claims-Paying Capacity of the FHCF by the total aggregate industry Reimbursement Premium for the FHCF for the Contract Year billed as of December 31 of the Contract Year. The final Payout Multiple is determined once Reimbursement Premiums have been billed as of December 31 and the amount of bond proceeds has been determined.
(22) Premium Formula
This term means the Formula developed pursuant to Section 215.555(5)(b), Florida Statutes, and
approved by the SBA Trustees for the purpose of determining the Actuarially Indicated Reimbursement Premium to be paid to the FHCF.
(23) Projected Payout Multiple
The Projected Payout Multiple is used to calculate a Company's projected payout pursuant to Section 215.555(4)(d)2., Florida Statutes. The Projected Payout Multiple is derived by dividing the estimated single season Claims-Paying Capacity of the FHCF by the estimated total aggregate industry Reimbursement Premium for the FHCF for the Contract Year. The Company's Reimbursement Premium as paid to the SBA for the Contract Year is multiplied by the Projected Payout Multiple to estimate the Company's coverage from the FHCF for the Contract Year.
(24) Reimbursement Premium or Premium
These terms mean the amount to be paid by the Company, as determined by multiplying each $1,000 of insured value reported by the Company in accordance with Section 215.555(5)(b), Florida Statutes, by the rate as derived from the Premium Formula, as described in Rule 19-8.028, F.A.C.
(25) Residential Structure
In general, this term means a unit or building used exclusively or predominantly for dwelling or
habitational occupancies, including the primary structure and appurtenant structures insured under the same Covered Policy and any other structures covered under endorsements associated with the Covered Policy covering the Residential Structure.
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(26) Retention
This term means the amount of Losses from a Covered Event which must be incurred by the Company before it is eligible for reimbursement from the FHCF.
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(c) The Company's full Retention is established in accordance with the provisions of Section 215.555(2)(e), Florida Statutes, and shall be determined by multiplying the Retention Multiple by the Company's Reimbursement Premium for the Contract Year.
(27) Retention Multiple
(a) The Retention Multiple is applied to the Company's Reimbursement Premium to determine the
Company's Retention. The Retention Multiple for the 2024/2025 Contract Year shall be equal to $4.5 billion, adjusted based upon the reported exposure for the 2022/2023 Contract Year to reflect the percentage growth in exposure to the FHCF since 2004, divided by the estimated total industry Reimbursement Premium at the 90 percent Coverage Level for the Contract Year as determined by the SBA.
(b) The Retention Multiple shall be adjusted to reflect the Coverage Level elected by the Company under this Contract as follows:
(28) Ultimate Net Loss
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(29) Unsound Insurer
This term means an insurer determined by the Office of Insurance Regulation to be in unsound
condition as defined in Section 624.80(2), Florida Statutes, or an insurer placed in receivership under Chapter 631, Florida Statutes.
ARTICLE VI - EXCLUSIONS
This Contract does not provide reimbursement for:
(1) Any losses not defined as being within the scope of a Covered Policy, including any loss other than a loss under the first-party property section of a policy pertaining strictly to the structure, its contents, appurtenant structures, or ALE coverage.
(2) Any policy which excludes wind or hurricane coverage.
(3) Any Excess Policy or Deductible Buy-Back Policy that requires individual ratemaking, as determined by the FHCF.
(4) (a) Any policy for Residential Structures that provides a layer of coverage underneath an Excess Policy issued by a different insurer;
(5) Any liability of the Company attributable to losses for fair rental value, loss of rent or rental income, or business interruption.
(6) Any collateral protection policy that does not meet the definition of Covered Policy as defined in Article V(12)(b).
(7) Any reinsurance assumed by the Company.
(8) Hotels, motels, timeshares, shelters, camps, retreats, or other similar structures. This exclusion does not apply to any policy identified as covering a residential condominium association or to any policy on which the insured is a residential condominium association, unless it is classified and rated as a hotel, motel, timeshare, shelter, camp, retreat or other similar structure.
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(a) An endorsement predominantly covering Specialized Fine Arts Risks and not covering any Residential Structure if it meets the description in subparagraph 1 and if the conditions in subparagraph 2 are met.
1. For purposes of this exemption, a Specialized Fine Arts Risk endorsement is an endorsement that:
2. The insurer offers specialized loss prevention services or other collector services designed to prevent or minimize loss, or to value or inventory the Specialized Fine Arts for insurance purposes, such as:
(b) An endorsement generally used by the Company to cover personal property which could include property of a collectible nature, including fine arts, as further described in this paragraph, either on a scheduled basis or written under a blanket limit, and not covering anything other than personal property. All such endorsements are subject to the exclusion provided in this paragraph when the endorsement limit equals or exceeds $500,000. Generally, such collectible property has unusually high values due to its investible, artistic, or unique intrinsic nature. The class of property covered under such an endorsement represents an unusually high exposure value and such endorsement is intended to provide coverage for a class or classes of property that is not typical for the contents coverage under residential property insurance policies. In many cases property may be located at various locations either in or outside the state of Florida or the location of the property may change from time to time. The investment nature of such property distinguishes this type of exposure from the typical contents associated with a Covered Policy.
(29) Any losses under liability coverages.
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ARTICLE VII - MANAGEMENT OF CLAIMS AND LOSSES
The Company shall investigate and settle or defend all claims and Losses. All payments of claims or Losses by the Company within the terms and limits of the appropriate coverage parts of Covered Policies shall be binding on the SBA, subject to the terms of this Contract, including the provisions in Article XIV relating to inspection of records and examinations.
ARTICLE VIII - REIMBURSEMENT ADJUSTMENTS
Section 215.555(4)(d) and (e), Florida Statutes, provides the SBA with the right to seek the return of excess reimbursements which have been paid to the Company along with interest thereon. Excess reimbursements are those payments made to the Company by the SBA that are in excess of the Company's coverage under the Contract Year. Excess reimbursements may result from adjustments to the Projected Payout Multiple or the Payout Multiple, incorrect exposure (Data Call) submissions or resubmissions, incorrect calculation of Reimbursement Premium or Retention, incorrect Proof of Loss Reports, incorrect calculation of reinsurance recoveries, or subsequent readjustment of policyholder claims, including subrogation and salvage, or any combination of the foregoing. The Company will be sent an invoice showing the due date for adjustments along with the interest due thereon through the due date. The applicable interest rate for interest charges will be the average rate earned by the SBA for the FHCF for the first four months of the Contract Year. For balances paid after the invoice due date, interest will accrue at this rate plus 5 percent.
ARTICLE IX - REIMBURSEMENT PREMIUM
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(3) Since the calculation of the Actuarially Indicated Premium assumes that the Companies will pay their Reimbursement Premiums timely, interest charges will accrue under the following circumstances. A Company may choose to estimate its own Reimbursement Premium installments. However, if the Company's estimation is less than the provisional Reimbursement Premium billed, an interest charge will accrue on the difference between the estimated Reimbursement Premium and the final Reimbursement Premium. If a Company estimates its first installment, the Administrator shall bill that estimated Reimbursement Premium as the second installment as well, which will be considered as an estimate by the Company. No interest will accrue regarding any provisional Reimbursement Premium if paid as billed by the FHCF's Administrator, except in the case of an estimated second installment as set forth in this Article. Also, if a Company makes an estimation that is higher than the provisional Reimbursement Premium billed but is less than the final Reimbursement Premium, interest will not accrue. If the Reimbursement Premium payment is not received from a Company when it is due, an interest charge will accrue on a daily basis until the payment is received. Interest will also accrue on Reimbursement Premiums resulting from submissions or resubmissions finalized after December 1 of the Contract Year. An interest credit will be applied for any Reimbursement Premium which is overpaid as either an estimate or as a provisional Reimbursement Premium. Interest shall not be credited past December 1 of the Contract Year. The applicable interest rate for interest credits and charges will be the average rate earned by the SBA for the FHCF for the first four months of the Contract Year. For balances paid after the invoice due date, interest will accrue at this rate plus 5 percent.
ARTICLE X - REPORTS AND REMITTANCES
(1) Exposures
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(2) Reimbursement Premium
(a) If the Company writes Covered Policies before June 1 of the Contract Year, the Company shall pay the FHCF its Reimbursement Premium in installments due on or before August 1, October 1, and December 1 of the Contract Year in amounts to be determined by the FHCF. However, if the Company's Reimbursement Premium for the prior Contract Year was less than $5,000, the Company's full provisional Reimbursement Premium, in an amount equal to the Reimbursement Premium paid in the prior year, shall be due in full on or before August 1 of the Contract Year. The Company will be invoiced for amounts due, if any, beyond the provisional Reimbursement Premium payment, on or before December 1 of the Contract Year.
(b) If oversight of the Company has been transferred through any legal action to a court appointed receiver (referred to as "receivership"):
specified in subparagraph 1. by the applicable due date may result in the 45 percent Coverage Level being deemed by the SBA for the complete Contract Year regardless of the level selected for the Company through the execution of this Contract and regardless of whether a Covered Event occurred or triggered coverage. As such, the annual provisional Reimbursement Premium owed by the Company will be adjusted to reflect the 45 percent Coverage Level for the Contract Year.
(c) A New Participant that first begins writing Covered Policies on or after June 1 but prior to December 1 of the Contract Year shall pay the FHCF a provisional Reimbursement Premium of $1,000 no later than 30 days from the date the New Participant began writing Covered Policies. The Administrator shall calculate the Company's actual Reimbursement Premium for the period based on its actual exposure as of November 30 of the Contract Year, as reported on or before February 1 of the Contract Year.
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To recognize that New Participants have limited exposure during this period, the actual Reimbursement Premium as determined by processing the Company's exposure data shall then be divided in half, the provisional Reimbursement Premium shall be credited, and the resulting amount shall be the total Reimbursement Premium due for the Company for the remainder of the Contract Year. However, if that amount is less than $1,000, then the Company shall pay $1,000. The Reimbursement Premium payment is due no later than April 1 of the Contract Year. The Company's Retention and coverage will be determined based on the total Reimbursement Premium due as calculated above.
(f) Except as required by Section 215.555(7)(c), Florida Statutes, or as described in the following sentence, Reimbursement Premiums, together with earnings thereon, received in a given Contract Year will be used only to pay for Losses attributable to Covered Events occurring in that Contract Year or for Losses attributable to Covered Events in subsequent Contract Years and will not be used to pay for past Losses or for debt service on post-event revenue bonds issued pursuant to Section 215.555(6)(a)1., Florida Statutes. Reimbursement Premiums and earnings thereon may be used for payments relating to such revenue bonds in the event emergency assessments are insufficient. If Reimbursement Premiums or earnings thereon are used for debt service on post-event revenue bonds, then the amount of the Reimbursement Premiums or earnings thereon so used shall be returned, without interest, to the Fund when emergency assessments or other legally available funds remain available after making payment relating to the post-event revenue bonds and any other purposes for which emergency assessments were levied.
(3) Losses
(a) In General
Losses resulting from a Covered Event commencing during the Contract Year shall be reported by the Company and reimbursed by the FHCF as provided herein and in accordance with the Statute, this Contract, and any rules adopted pursuant to the Statute. For a Company participating in a quota share primary insurance agreement(s) with Citizens Property Insurance Corporation Coastal Account, Citizens and the Company shall report only their respective portion of Losses under the quota share primary insurance agreement(s).
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Pursuant to Section 215.555(4)(c), Florida Statutes, the SBA is obligated to pay for Losses not to exceed the Actual Claims-Paying Capacity of the FHCF, up to the limit in accordance with Section 215.555(4)(c)1., Florida Statutes, for any one Contract Year.
(b) Loss Reports
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3. The SBA, except as noted below, will determine and pay, within 30 days or as soon as practicable after receiving Proof of Loss Reports, the reimbursement amount due based on Losses paid by the Company to date and adjustments to this amount based on subsequent quarterly information. The adjustments to reimbursement amounts shall require the SBA to pay, or the Company to return, amounts reflecting the most recent determination of Losses.
4. All Proof of Loss Reports qualifying for reimbursement will be compared with the FHCF's exposure data to establish the facial reasonableness of the reports. The SBA may also review the results of current and prior Contract Year exposure and claims examinations to determine the reasonableness of the reported Losses. Except as noted in subparagraph 5., Companies meeting these tests for reasonableness will be scheduled for reimbursement. Companies not meeting these tests for reasonableness will be handled on a case-by-case basis and will be contacted to provide specific information regarding their individual book of business. The discovery of errors in a Company's reported exposure under the Data Call may require a resubmission of the current Contract Year Data Call before the Company's request for reimbursement or advance will be fully processed by the Administrator since the Data Call impacts the Company's Reimbursement Premium, Retention, and coverage for the Contract Year.
(c) Loss Reimbursement Calculations
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However, the Company's reimbursements from the FHCF for all Covered Events occurring during the Contract Year shall not exceed, in aggregate, the Projected Payout Multiple or Payout Multiple, as applicable, times the individual Company's Reimbursement Premium for the Contract Year.
2. Reserve established. The SBA will establish a reserve for the outstanding reimbursable Losses for the previous Contract Year, based on the length of time the Losses have been outstanding, the amount of Losses already paid, the percentage of incurred Losses still unpaid, and any other factors specific to the loss development of the Covered Events involved.
(4) Advances
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1. Advances to Companies to prevent insolvency, as defined under Article XVI.
a. Section 215.555(4)(e)1., Florida Statutes, provides that the SBA shall advance to the Company amounts necessary to maintain the solvency of the Company, up to 50 percent of the SBA's estimate of the reimbursement due to the Company.
b. In addition to the requirements outlined in subparagraph (4)(a), the requirements for an advance to a Company to prevent insolvency are that the Company demonstrates it is likely to qualify for reimbursement and that the immediate receipt of moneys from the SBA is likely to prevent the Company from becoming insolvent, and the Company provides the following information:
c. The SBA's final decision regarding an application for an advance to prevent insolvency shall be based on whether or not, considering the totality of the circumstances, including the SBA's obligations to provide reimbursement for all Covered Events occurring during the Contract Year, granting an advance is essential to allowing the entity to continue to pay additional claims for a Covered Event in a timely manner.
2. Advances to entities created pursuant to Section 627.351(6), Florida Statutes.
a. Section 215.555(4)(e)2., Florida Statutes, provides that the SBA may advance to an
entity created pursuant to Section 627.351(6), Florida Statutes, up to 90 percent of the lesser of the SBA's estimate of the reimbursement due or the entity's share of the actual aggregate Reimbursement Premium for that Contract Year, multiplied by the current available liquid assets of the FHCF.
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b. In addition to the requirements outlined in paragraph (4)(a), the requirements for an
advance to entities created pursuant to Section 627.351(6), Florida Statutes, are that the entity must demonstrate to the SBA that the advance is essential to allow the entity to pay claims for a Covered Event.
3. Advances to limited apportionment companies.
Section 215.555(4)(e)3., Florida Statutes, provides that the SBA may advance the amount of estimated reimbursement payable to limited apportionment companies.
(e) In determining whether or not to grant an advance and the amount of an advance, the SBA:
and sufficiently liquid to fulfill its obligations to other Companies prior to granting an advance;
Florida Statutes;
occurred;
advanced;
Statutes, to submit a copy of written estimates of expenses in support of the amount of advance requested.
(f) Any amount advanced by the SBA shall be used by the Company only to pay claims of its
policyholders for the Covered Event which has precipitated the immediate need to continue to pay additional claims as they become due.
(5) Inadequate Data Submissions
If exposure data or other information required to be reported by the Company under the terms of this Contract are not received by the FHCF in the format specified by the FHCF or is inadequate to the extent that the FHCF requires resubmission of data, the Company will be required to pay the FHCF a resubmission fee of $1,000 for resubmissions that are not a result of an examination by the SBA. If a resubmission is necessary as a result of an examination report issued by the SBA, the first resubmission fee will be $2,000. If the Company's examination-required resubmission is
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inadequate and the SBA requires an additional resubmission(s), the resubmission fee for each subsequent resubmission shall be $2,000. A resubmission of exposure data may delay the processing of the Company's request for reimbursement or an advance.
(6) Confidential Information/Trade Secret Information
Pursuant to the provisions of Section 215.557, Florida Statutes, the reports of insured values under Covered Policies by ZIP Code submitted to the SBA pursuant to Section 215.555, Florida Statutes, are confidential and exempt from the provisions of Section 119.07(1), Florida Statutes, and Section 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution. If the Company submits other information to the FHCF intending to seek trade secret protection, as defined in Section 812.081, Florida Statutes, such information must be clearly marked "Trade Secret" and comply with all provisions of Florida law to protect such disclosure.
ARTICLE XI - COMMUTATION
(1) Timeframe for Commutation Process
(2) Final FHCF Proof of Loss Report(s)
1. All paid Xxxxxx, outstanding Losses, and incurred but not reported Losses, which are not finally settled and which may be reimbursable Losses under this Contract.
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2. Requested supporting documentation (at a minimum, an adjuster's summary report or equivalent details) and a copy of a written opinion on the present value of the outstanding Losses and incurred but not reported Losses by the Company's certifying actuary.
(c) Increases in reported paid, outstanding, or incurred but not reported Losses on original or corrected Proof of Loss Report filings received later than 60 months after the end of the Contract Year shall not be eligible for reimbursement or Commutation.
(3) The Loss Valuation Process
Subject to the timeframes outlined in sub-paragraph (1), if the Company has submitted a Proof of Loss Report indicating that it exceeds or expects to exceed its Retention, the Company and the SBA, or their respective representatives, shall attempt to agree upon the present value of all outstanding Losses, both reported and incurred but not reported, resulting from Covered Events during the Contract Year.
1. One actuary shall be chosen by each party, and the third actuary shall be chosen by those two actuaries. If either party does not appoint an actuary within 30 days after the initiation of the process, the other party may appoint two actuaries. If the two actuaries fail to agree on the selection of an independent third actuary within 30 days of their appointment, each of them shall name two, of whom the other shall decline one and the decision shall be
made by drawing lots.
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ARTICLE XII - TAXES
In consideration of the terms under which this Contract is issued, the Company agrees to make no deduction in respect of the Reimbursement Premium herein when making premium tax returns to the appropriate authorities. Should any taxes be levied on the Company in respect of the Reimbursement Premium herein, the Company agrees to make no claim upon the SBA for reimbursement in respect of such taxes.
ARTICLE XIII - ERRORS AND OMISSIONS
Any inadvertent delay, omission, or error on the part of the SBA shall not be held to relieve the Company from any liability which would attach to it hereunder if such delay, omission, or error had not been made.
ARTICLE XIV - INSPECTION OF RECORDS
The Company shall allow the SBA to inspect, examine, and verify, at reasonable times, all records of the Company relating to the Covered Policies under this Contract, including Company files concerning claims, Losses, or legal proceedings regarding subrogation or claims recoveries which involve this Contract, including premium, loss records and reports involving exposure data or Losses under Covered Policies. This right by the SBA to inspect, examine, and verify shall survive the completion and closure of an exposure examination or claims examination file and the termination of the Contract. The Company shall have no right to re-open an exposure or claims examination once closed and the findings have been accepted by the Company; any re-opening shall be at the sole discretion of the SBA. If the State Board of Administration Finance Corporation has issued revenue bonds and relied upon the exposure and Loss data submitted and certified by the Company as accurate to determine the amount of bonding needed, the SBA may choose not to require, or accept, a resubmission if the resubmission will result in additional reimbursements to the Company. The SBA may require any discovered errors, inadvertent omissions, and typographical errors associated with the data reporting of insured values, discovered prior to the closing of the file and acceptance of the examination findings by the Company, to be corrected to reflect the proper values. The Company shall retain its records in accordance with the requirements for records retention regarding exposure reports and claims reports outlined herein, and in any administrative rules adopted pursuant to Section 215.555, Florida Statutes. Companies writing covered collateral protection policies, as defined in definition (12)(b) of Article V, must be able to provide documentation that the policy covers personal residences, protects both the borrower's and lender's interest, and that the coverage is in an amount at least equal to the coverage for the dwelling in place under the lapsed homeowner's policy, the coverage amount that the homeowner has been notified of by the collateral protection insurer, or the coverage amount that the homeowner requests from the collateral protection insurer.
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The purpose of the examinations conducted by the SBA is to evaluate the accuracy of the FHCF
exposure or Loss data reported by the Company. However, due to the limited nature of the examination, it cannot be relied upon as an assurance that a Company's data is reported accurately or in its entirety. The Company should not rely on the FHCF to identify every type of reporting error in its data. In addition, the reporting requirements are subject to change each Contract Year so it is the Company's responsibility to be familiar with the applicable Contract Year requirements and to incorporate any changes into its data for that Contract Year. It is also the Company's responsibility to ensure that its data is reported accurately and to comply with Florida Statutes and any applicable rules when reporting exposure data. The examination report is not intended to provide a legal determination of the Company's compliance.
The Company shall retain complete and accurate records, in policy level detail, of all exposure data submitted to the SBA in any Contract Year until the SBA has completed its examination of the Company's exposure submissions. The Company shall also retain complete and accurate records of any completed exposure examination for any Contract Year in which the Company incurred Losses until the completion of the claims examination and Commutation for that Contract Year. The records to be retained are outlined in the Data Call adopted for the Contract Year under Rule 19-8.029, F.A.C. A complete list of records to be retained for the exposure examination is set forth in Form FHCF-EAP1, adopted for the Contract Year under Rule 19-8.029, F.A.C.
The Company shall retain complete and accurate records of all reported Losses and/or advances
submitted to the SBA until the SBA has completed its examination of the Company's reimbursable Losses and Commutation for the Contract Year (if applicable) has been concluded. The records to be retained are set forth as part of the Proof of Loss Report, Form FHCF-L1B and Form FHCF-LAP1, both adopted for the Contract Year under Rule 19-8.029, F.A.C.
(a) The FHCF will send an examination notice letter to the Company providing the commencement date of the examination, the site of the examination, any accommodation requirements of the examiner, and the reports and data which must be assembled by the Company and forwarded to the FHCF. The Company shall be prepared to choose one location in which to be examined, unless otherwise specified by the SBA.
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Contract Year in question, then the FHCF will send the Company a letter outlining the process for resubmission and including a deadline to resubmit. Once the resubmission is received, the FHCF's Administrator calculates a revised Reimbursement Premium for the Contract Year which has been examined. The SBA shall then review the resubmission with respect to the examiner's findings and accept the resubmission or contact the Company with any questions regarding the resubmission. Once the SBA has accepted the resubmission as a sufficient response to the examiner's findings, the exam is closed.
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2. If the recommendation of the examiner is to give the Company the option to either
resubmit the exposure data or to pay the estimated Reimbursement Premium difference, then the FHCF will send the Company a letter outlining the process for resubmission or for paying the estimated Reimbursement Premium difference and including a deadline for the resubmission or the payment to be received by the FHCF's Administrator. If the Company chooses to resubmit, the same procedures outlined in Article XIV(4) apply.
(5) Costs of the Examinations
The costs of the examinations shall be borne by the SBA. The SBA shall be reimbursed by the Company for any reasonable and customary additional examination expenses incurred as a result of a Company's failure to provide requested information. All requested information must be complete and accurate.
ARTICLE XV - OFFSETS
The SBA reserves the right to offset amounts payable to the SBA from the Company, including amounts payable under the Reimbursement Contract for any Contract Year and also including the Company's full Reimbursement Premium for the current Contract Year (regardless of installment due dates), against any (1) Reimbursement Premium refunds under any Contract Year, (2) reimbursement or advance amounts, or (3) amounts agreed to in a Commutation agreement, which are due and payable to the Company from the SBA as a result of the liability of the SBA.
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ARTICLE XVI - INSOLVENCY OF THE COMPANY
For the purpose of this Contract, a Company is insolvent when an order of liquidation with a finding of insolvency has been entered by a court of competent jurisdiction. No reimbursements will be made until the FHCF has completed and closed its examination of the insolvent Company's Losses. Only those Losses supported by the examination will be reimbursed. Pursuant to Section 215.555(4)(g), Florida Statutes, the FHCF is required to pay reimbursement moneys due an insolvent insurer to the Florida Insurance Guaranty Association (FIGA) for the benefit of Florida policyholders. In light of the need for an immediate infusion of funds to enable policyholders of insolvent companies to be paid for their claims, the SBA may enter into agreements with FIGA allowing exposure and claims examinations to take place immediately without the usual notice and response time limitations and allowing the FHCF to make reimbursements (net of any amounts payable to the SBA from the Company or FIGA) to FIGA before the examinations are completed. Such agreements must ensure the availability of the necessary records and adequate security must be provided so that if the FHCF determines that it overpaid FIGA on behalf of the Company, that the funds will be repaid to the FHCF by FIGA within a reasonable time.
ARTICLE XVII - TERMINATION
The FHCF and the obligations of both parties under this Contract can be terminated only as may be provided by law or applicable rules.
ARTICLE XVIII - VIOLATIONS
(1) Statutory Provisions
Statutes, or of rules adopted under that section, constitutes a violation of the Florida Insurance Code. This Contract has been adopted as part of Rule 19-8.010, Florida Administrative Code, under the authority of that section of Florida Statutes.
(2) Noncompliance
(a) As used in this Article, the term "noncompliance" means the failure of the Company to meet
any applicable requirement of Section 215.555, Florida Statutes, or of any rule adopted under the authority of that section of Florida Statutes, including, but not limited to, any failure to meet a deadline for an FHCF payment, Data Call submissions or resubmissions, Loss reporting or Commutation documentation, or a deadline related to SBA examination requirements. The Company remains in a state of noncompliance as long as the Company fails to meet the applicable requirement(s).
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(b) If the Company is in a state of noncompliance, the SBA reserves the right to withhold any payments or advances due to the Company until the SBA determines that the Company is no longer in a state of noncompliance.
ARTICLE XIX - APPLICABLE LAW
This Contract shall be governed by and construed according to the laws of the State of Florida in respect of any matter relating to or arising out of this Contract.
ARTICLE XX - DUE DATES
If any due date provided in this Contract is a Saturday, Sunday or a legal State of Florida or federal holiday, then the actual due date will be the day immediately following the applicable due date which is not a Saturday, Sunday or a legal State of Florida or federal holiday.
ARTICLE XXI - REIMBURSEMENT CONTRACT ELECTIONS
(1) Coverage Level
For purposes of determining reimbursement (if any) due the Company under this Contract and in accordance with the Statute, the Company has the option to elect a 45 percent or 75 percent or 90 percent Coverage Level under this Contract. If the Company is a member of an NAIC group, all members must elect the same Coverage Level, and the individual executing this Contract on behalf of the Company, by placing his or her initials in the box under (a) below, affirms that the Company has elected the same Coverage Level as all members of its NAIC group. If the Company is an entity created pursuant to Section 627.351, Florida Statutes, the Company must elect the 90 percent Coverage Level. The Company shall not be permitted to change its Coverage Level after the March 1 statutory deadline for execution of the Contract. The Company shall be permitted to change its Coverage Level upon timely execution of the Contract for the next Contract Year, but may not reduce its Coverage Level if revenue bonds issued under Section 215.555(6), Florida Statutes, are outstanding.
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The Coverage Level elected by the Company for the prior Contract Year effective June 1, 2023 was as
follows: Homeowners Choice Property and Casualty Insurance Company
90%
(a) NAIC Group Affirmation: Indicate if the Company is part of an NAIC Group (enter Yes or No):
Yes |
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(b) Coverage Level Election: The Company hereby elects the following Coverage Level for the Contract Year from 12:00:01 a.m., Eastern Time, June 1, 2024, to 12:00 a.m., Eastern Time, May 31, 2025, (the individual executing this Contract on behalf of the Company shall place his or her initials in the box to the left of the percentage elected for the Company): 90%
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45% OR |
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75% OR |
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90% |
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|
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|
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(2) Additional Living Expense (ALE) Written as Time Element Coverage
If your Company writes Covered Policies that provide ALE coverage on a time element basis (i.e.,
coverage is based on a specific period of time as opposed to a stated dollar limit), you must initial the `Yes — Time Element ALE' box below. If your Company does not write time element ALE coverage, initial `No — Time Element ALE' box below.
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|
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Yes - Time Element ALE |
OR |
No - Time Element ALE |
ARTICLE XXII - COMPANY COVERAGE OF UNSOUND INSURERS
If a Company seeks to provide coverage for Covered Policies of an Unsound Insurer, pursuant to Section 215.555(5)(e), Florida Statutes, the Company may, subject to the provisions mutually agreed to below, obtain coverage for such policies under its Reimbursement Contract with the FHCF or accept an assignment of the Unsound Insurer's Reimbursement Contract with the FHCF. Prior to the date the Company takes a transfer of policies from an Unsound Insurer, the Company shall select one of the options below using Appendix A and submit to the SBA as instructed.
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(1) Providing Coverage for an Unsound Insurer's Policies Under Company's FHCF Reimbursement Contract
1. The Company shall accurately report the exposure and loss data related to Covered Policies assumed from the Unsound Insurer.
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(2) Acceptance of an Assignment of an Unsound Insurer's FHCF Reimbursement Contract
(a) Responsibilities relating to assigned Reimbursement Contracts:
(b) The Company will not be reimbursed by the SBA for any Losses occurring prior to the date it first provides coverage for such transferred policies. Reimbursements for those Losses shall be made to the Unsound Insurer, the court-appointed receiver, or the applicable guaranty association, as provided by statute.
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ARTICLE XXIII - SIGNATURES
Approved by:
Paragon Strategic Solutions Inc., on Behalf of the State Board of Administration of the State of Florida and as Administrator of the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund.
By: /s/ Xxxxxx X. Xxxxxxxxx 2/28/2024
Signature Date
Authority to sign on behalf of the Company:
The person signing this Contract on behalf of the Company hereby represents that he or she is an officer of the Company, acting within his or her authority to enter into this Contract on behalf of the Company, with the requisite authority to bind the Company and make the representations on behalf of the Company as set forth in this Contract.
Homeowners Choice Property and Casualty Insurance Company
Xxxxx Xxxxxxx President
By: /s/ Xxxxx Xxxxxxx 2/27/2024
Signature Date
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