Montana Code Annotated 2023

TITLE 33. INSURANCE AND INSURANCE COMPANIES

CHAPTER 12. INSURER INVESTMENTS

Part 2. Life and Health Insurers

Rated Credit Instruments

33-12-203. Rated credit instruments. (1) Subject to the limitations of subsection (7), an insurer may acquire rated credit instruments in accordance with this section.

(2) Subject to the limitations of 33-12-202(2), an insurer may acquire rated credit instruments issued, assumed, guaranteed, or insured by:

(a) the United States; or

(b) a government-sponsored enterprise of the United States, if the instruments of the government-sponsored enterprise are assumed, guaranteed, or insured by the United States or are otherwise backed or supported by the full faith and credit of the United States.

(3) (a) Subject to the limitations of 33-12-202(2), an insurer may acquire rated credit instruments issued, assumed, guaranteed, or insured by:

(i) Canada; or

(ii) a government-sponsored enterprise of Canada, if the instruments of the government-sponsored enterprise are assumed, guaranteed, or insured by Canada or are otherwise backed or supported by the full faith and credit of Canada.

(b) An insurer may not acquire an instrument under this subsection (3) if, as a result of and after giving effect to the investment, the aggregate amount of investments then held by the insurer under this subsection (3) would exceed 40% of its admitted assets.

(4) (a) Subject to the limitations of 33-12-202(2), an insurer may acquire rated credit instruments, excluding asset-backed securities:

(i) issued by a government money market mutual fund, a class one money market mutual fund, or a class one bond mutual fund;

(ii) issued, assumed, guaranteed, or insured by a government-sponsored enterprise of the United States other than those eligible under subsection (2);

(iii) issued, assumed, guaranteed, or insured by a state, if the instruments are general obligations of the state; or

(iv) issued by a multilateral development bank.

(b) However, an insurer may not acquire an instrument of any one fund, enterprise, entity, or state under this subsection (4) if, as a result of and after giving effect to the investment, the aggregate amount of investments then held in any one fund, enterprise, entity, or state under this subsection (4) would exceed 10% of its admitted assets.

(5) Subject to the limitations of 33-12-202, an insurer may acquire preferred stocks that are not foreign investments and that meet the requirements of rated credit instruments if, as a result of and after giving effect to the investment:

(a) the aggregate amount of preferred stocks then held by the insurer under this subsection (5) does not exceed 20% of its admitted assets; and

(b) the aggregate amount of preferred stocks then held by the insurer under this subsection (5) that are not sinking fund stocks or rated P-1 or P-2 by the SVO does not exceed 10% of its admitted assets.

(6) Subject to the limitations of 33-12-202, in addition to those investments eligible under subsections (2) through (5) of this section, an insurer may acquire rated credit instruments that are not foreign investments.

(7) An insurer may not acquire special rated credit instruments under this section if, as a result of and after giving effect to the investment, the aggregate amount of special rated credit instruments then held by the insurer would exceed 5% of its admitted assets.

(8) The provisions of subsections (2) through (4) are not subject to the limitation provided in 33-12-202(1).

History: En. Sec. 15, Ch. 304, L. 1999; amd. Sec. 38, Ch. 227, L. 2001.