Section 500.7931 - Payment and discharge of covered claims; association as party in interest; rights of association; cause of action against insureds; recoverable damages or benefits as credit against covered claim; action to recover excess payment; claims made under worker's disability compensation act; continuation and duration of coverage for covered claims; cancellation of insurance policies; notice; definitions(1) The association may pay or discharge covered claims directly, through a servicing facility, or through a contract for reinsurance or transfer of liabilities with a member insurer, in accordance with the plan of operation.(2) The association shall be a party in interest in all proceedings involving a covered claim and shall have the same rights as the insolvent insurer would have had if not in receivership, including the right to appear, defend, and appeal a claim in a court of competent jurisdiction; to receive notice of, investigate, adjust, compromise, settle, and pay a covered claim; and to investigate, handle, and deny a noncovered claim. The association shall not have a cause of action against the insureds of the insolvent insurer for any sums it has paid out, except those causes of action that the insolvent insurer would have had if the sums had been paid by the insolvent insurer, or except as otherwise provided by this chapter.(3) If damages or benefits are recoverable by a claimant other than from any disability policy or life insurance policy owned or paid for by the claimant or by a claimant or insured under an insurance policy other than a policy of the insolvent insurer, or under a self-insured program of a self-insured entity, the damages or benefits recoverable shall be a credit against a covered claim payable under this chapter. The claimant, insured, or self-insured entity shall first exhaust all coverage provided by any policy or the self-insured retention of an excess insurance policy. If damages against an insured who is not a resident of this state are recoverable by a claimant who is a resident of this state, in whole or in part, from any insurance guaranty association or fund or its equivalent in the state where the insured is a resident, the damages recoverable shall be a credit against a covered claim payable under this chapter. To the extent that the association's obligation is reduced by this section, the liability of the person insured by the insolvent insurer's policy shall be reduced in the same amount. An insurer, self-insured entity, or any other person shall not maintain an action against an insured of the insolvent insurer to recover an amount that constitutes a credit against a covered claim under this section. An amount paid to a claimant in excess of the amount authorized by this section may be recovered by an action brought by the association. If the claims made arise under the worker's disability compensation act of 1969, 1969 PA 317, MCL 418.101 to 418.941, this subsection does not provide credits in excess of those specified in section 354 of the worker's disability compensation act of 1969, 1969 PA 317, MCL 418.354, and does not limit the liability of the guaranty association or the insured under a policy of the insolvent insurer for benefits provided under the worker's disability compensation act of 1969, 1969 PA 317, MCL 418.101 to 418.941.(4) The association shall continue coverage for covered claims under each insurance policy of the insolvent insurer that was in force on the date the receiver was appointed until the insurance policy has expired in accordance with its terms, has been replaced by the insured, or has been canceled by the association as provided in this chapter, but in no event for more than 30 days after the date the receiver was appointed.(5) The association may cancel insurance policies of the insolvent insurer by mailing or delivering to the insured at the last known address within this state a 10 days' written notice of cancellation, notwithstanding a statute or policy provision to the contrary.(6) As used in this section:(a) "Self-insured entity" means a person or employer that covers its liability through a qualified individual or group self-insurance program.(b) "Self-insured program" means any formal program created for the specific purpose of covering liabilities typically covered by insurance.Amended by 2006, Act 361, s 1, eff. 9/18/2006.Add. 1969, Act 277, Imd. Eff. 8/11/1969 ;--Am. 1980, Act 41, Imd. Eff. 3/17/1980.