Current through Public Act 156 of the 2024 Legislative Session
Section 500.8114 - Commissioner as rehabilitator; appointment of special deputies; employment of counsel, clerks, and assistants; compensation; terms; expenses; powers of rehabilitator; criminal or tortious conduct; breach of contractual or fiduciary obligation; plan to effect changes; avoidance of fraudulent transfers(1) The commissioner as rehabilitator may appoint 1 or more special deputies, including but not limited to the Michigan life and health insurance guaranty association and the Michigan property and casualty guaranty association, who shall have all the powers and responsibilities of the rehabilitator granted under this section, and the commissioner may employ such counsel, clerks, and assistants as considered necessary. The compensation of the special deputy, counsel, clerks, and assistants and all expenses of taking possession of the insurer and of conducting the proceedings shall be fixed by the commissioner, with the approval of the court and shall be paid out of the funds or assets of the insurer. The persons appointed under this section shall serve at the pleasure of the commissioner. If the property of the insurer does not contain sufficient cash or liquid assets to defray the costs incurred, the commissioner may advance the incurred costs out of an appropriation for the maintenance of the insurance bureau. Amounts advanced for expenses of administration shall be repaid to the commissioner for the use of the insurance bureau out of the first available money of the insurer.(2) The rehabilitator may take such action as he or she considers necessary or appropriate to reform and revitalize the insurer including, but not limited to, the powers in section 8121(1)(f), (l), (m), (r), and (u). The rehabilitator has all the powers of the directors, officers, and managers, whose authority shall be suspended, except as they are redelegated by the rehabilitator. The rehabilitator has full power to direct and manage, to hire and discharge employees subject to any contract rights they may have, and to deal with the property and business of the insurer.(3) If it appears to the rehabilitator that there has been criminal or tortious conduct or breach of a contractual or fiduciary obligation detrimental to the insurer by an officer, manager, agent, broker, employee, or other person, he or she may pursue all appropriate legal remedies.(4) If the rehabilitator determines that reorganization, consolidation, conversion, reinsurance, merger, or other transformation of the insurer is appropriate, he or she shall prepare a plan to effect those changes. Upon application of the rehabilitator for approval of the plan, and after notice and hearings as the court may prescribe, the court may either approve or disapprove the plan proposed, or may modify it and approve it as modified. A plan approved under this section shall be, in the court's judgment, fair and equitable to all parties concerned. If the plan is approved, the rehabilitator shall implement the plan. For a life insurer, the plan proposed may include the imposition of liens upon the policies of the company, if all rights of shareholders are first relinquished. A plan for a life insurer may also propose imposition of a moratorium upon loan and cash surrender rights under policies, for such period and to such an extent as may be necessary.(5) The rehabilitator shall have the power under sections 8126 and 8127 to avoid fraudulent transfers.Add. 1989, Act 302, Imd. Eff. 1/3/1990 ;--Am. 1996, Act 117, Imd. Eff. 3/6/1996 .