SUBCHAPTER A. INDEPENDENT AUDIT OF FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
- Sec. 401.010. REQUIREMENTS FOR FINANCIAL STATEMENTS IN AUDITED FINANCIAL REPORT. (a) An accountant must audit the financial reports provided by an insurer or health maintenance organization for purposes of an audit under this subchapter. The accountant who audits the reports must conduct the audit in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards or with standards adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, as applicable, and must consider the standards specified in the Financial Condition Examiner's Handbook adopted by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners or other analogous nationally recognized standards adopted by commissioner rule.
- (b) The financial statements included in the audited financial report must be prepared in a form and using language and groupings substantially the same as those of the relevant sections of the insurer's or health maintenance organization's annual statement filed with the commissioner. Beginning in the second year in which an insurer or health maintenance organization is required to file an audited financial report, the financial statements must also be comparative, presenting the amounts as of December 31 of the reported year and the amounts as of December 31 of the preceding year.
Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 727 (H.B.
2017), Sec. 1, eff. April 1, 2007.
Amended by:
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 730 (H.B.
2636), Sec. 3B.001(a), eff. September 1, 2007.
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 921 (H.B.
3167), Sec. 9.001(a), eff. September 1, 2007.
- Sec. 401.011. QUALIFICATIONS OF ACCOUNTANT; ACCEPTANCE OF AUDITED FINANCIAL REPORT. (a) Except as provided by Subsections (c) and (d), the commissioner shall accept an audited financial report from an independent certified public accountant or accounting firm that:
- (1) is a member in good standing of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and is in good standing with all states in which the accountant or firm is licensed to practice, as applicable; and
- (2) conforms to the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants Code of Professional Conduct and to the rules of professional conduct and other rules of the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy or a similar code.
- (b) If the insurer or health maintenance organization is domiciled in Canada, the commissioner shall accept an audited financial report from an accountant chartered in Canada. If the insurer or health maintenance organization is domiciled in Great Britain, the commissioner shall accept an audited financial report from an accountant chartered in Great Britain.
- (c) A partner or other person responsible for rendering a report for an insurer or health maintenance organization for seven consecutive years may not, during the two-year period after that seventh year, render a report for the insurer or health maintenance organization or for a subsidiary or affiliate of the insurer or health maintenance organization that is engaged in the business of insurance. The commissioner may determine that the limitation provided by this subsection does not apply to an accountant for a particular insurer or health maintenance organization if the insurer or health maintenance organization demonstrates to the satisfaction of the commissioner that the limitation's application to the insurer or health maintenance organization would be unfair because of unusual circumstances. In making the determination, the commissioner may consider:
- (1) the number of partners or individuals the accountant employs, the expertise of the partners or individuals the accountant employs, or the number of the accountant's insurance clients;
- (2) the premium volume of the insurer or health maintenance organization; and
- (3) the number of jurisdictions in which the insurer or health maintenance organization engages in business.
- (d) The commissioner may not accept an audited financial report prepared wholly or partly by an individual or firm who the commissioner finds:
- (1) has been convicted of fraud, bribery, a violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (18 U.S.C. Section 1961 et seq.), or a state or federal criminal offense involving dishonest conduct;
- (2) has violated the insurance laws of this state with respect to a report filed under this subchapter;
- (3) has demonstrated a pattern or practice of failing to detect or disclose material information in reports filed under this subchapter; or
- (4) has directly or indirectly entered into an agreement of indemnity or release of liability regarding an audit of an insurer.
Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 727 (H.B.
2017), Sec. 1, eff. April 1, 2007.
Amended by:
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 730 (H.B.
2636), Sec. 3B.002(a), eff. September 1, 2007.
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 921 (H.B.
3167), Sec. 9.002(a), eff. September 1, 2007.
SUBCHAPTER B. EXAMINATION OF CARRIERS
SUBCHAPTER C. EXAMINERS AND ACTUARIES
SUBCHAPTER D. EXAMINATION EXPENSES
- Sec. 401.151. EXPENSES OF EXAMINATION OF DOMESTIC INSURER. (a) A domestic insurer examined on behalf of this state by the department or under the department's authority shall pay the expenses of the examination in an amount the commissioner certifies as just and reasonable.
- (b) The department shall collect an assessment at the time of the examination to cover all expenses attributable directly to that examination, including:
- (1) the salaries and expenses of department employees; and
- (2) expenses described by Section 803.007.
- (c) The department shall also impose an annual assessment on domestic insurers in an amount sufficient to meet all other expenses and disbursements necessary to comply with the laws of this state relating to the examination of insurers.
- (d) In determining the amount of the assessment under Subsection (c), the department:
- (1) shall consider:
- (A) the insurer's total annual premium receipts or admitted assets, or both, that are not attributable to 90 percent of pension plan contracts as defined by Section 818(a), Internal Revenue Code of 1986; or
- (B) the total amount of the insurer's insurance in force; and
- (2) may not consider insurance premiums for insurance contracted for by a state or federal governmental entity to provide welfare benefits to designated welfare recipients or contracted for in accordance with or in furtherance of Title 2, Human Resources Code, or the federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. Section 301 et seq.).
- (e) The amount of all examination and evaluation fees paid to the state by an insurer in each taxable year shall be allowed as a credit on the amount of premium taxes due.
- (f) Expired.
Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 727 (H.B.
2017), Sec. 1, eff. April 1, 2007.
Amended by:
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 932 (H.B.
3315), Sec. 17, eff. June 15, 2007.
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 659 (S.B.
1291), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2011.
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., 1st C.S., Ch. 4 (S.B.
1), Sec. 2.04, eff. September 28, 2011.
- Sec. 401.154. TAX CREDIT AUTHORIZED. (a) An insurer is entitled to a credit on the amount of premium taxes to be paid by the insurer for all examination fees paid under Section 401.153. The insurer may take the credit for the taxable year during which the examination fees are paid and may take the credit to the same extent the insurer may take a credit for examination fees paid when a salaried department examiner conducts the examination.
- (b) Expired.
Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 727 (H.B.
2017), Sec. 1, eff. April 1, 2007.
Amended by:
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 932 (H.B.
3315), Sec. 18, eff. June 15, 2007.
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., 1st C.S., Ch. 4 (S.B.
1), Sec. 2.05, eff. September 28, 2011.
- Sec. 401.156. DEPOSIT AND USE OF ASSESSMENT AND FEE. (a) The department shall deposit any assessments or fees collected under this subchapter relating to the examination of insurers and other regulated entities by the financial examinations division or actuarial division, as those terms are defined by Section 401.251, to the credit of an account with the Texas Treasury Safekeeping Trust Company to be used exclusively to pay examination costs, as defined by Section 401.251, to reimburse administrative support costs for the Texas Department of Insurance operating account, and to reimburse premium tax credits for examination costs and examination overhead assessments.
- (b) Money deposited under Subsection (a) accumulates and may be disbursed to the department in a manner consistent with that subsection and Subchapter F.
- (c) Revenue that is not related to the examination of insurers or other regulated entities by the financial examinations division or actuarial division shall be deposited to the credit of the Texas Department of Insurance operating account.
- (d) To the extent that another provision of law conflicts with this section or a provision of this section, this section or the provision of this section controls.
- (e) The department may transfer funds between the account described by Subsection (a) and the Texas Department of Insurance operating account as necessary to ensure that funds are deposited to the correct account and used for the correct purposes. This subsection does not authorize a disbursement or transfer of funds in a manner that is inconsistent with the purposes of Subchapter F and this section.
Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 727 (H.B.
2017), Sec. 1, eff. April 1, 2007.
Amended by:
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 659 (S.B.
1291), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2011.
Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 489 (S.B.
1665), Sec. 1, eff. June 14, 2013.
Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1286 (H.B.
2163), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2013.
Reenacted and amended by Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1236 (S.B.
1296), Sec. 11.001, eff. September 1, 2015.
SUBCHAPTER E. CONFIDENTIALITY OF CERTAIN INFORMATION
SUBCHAPTER F. SELF-DIRECTED BUDGET FOR CERTAIN DIVISIONS