58-28-5. Transacting business without a license prohibited; exceptions.

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, it is unlawful for any company to enter into a contract of insurance as an insurer or to transact insurance business in this State as set forth in G.S. 58-28-13 without a license issued by the Commissioner. This section does not apply to the following acts or transactions:

(1) The procuring of a policy of insurance upon a risk within this State where the applicant is unable to procure coverage in the open market with admitted companies and is otherwise in compliance with Article 21 of this Chapter.

(2) Contracts of reinsurance; but not including assumption reinsurance transactions, whereby the reinsuring company succeeds to all of the liabilities of and supplants the ceding company on the insurance contracts that are the subject of the transaction, unless prior approval has been obtained from the Commissioner.

(3) Transactions in this State involving a policy lawfully solicited, written and delivered outside of this State covering only subjects of insurance not resident, located or expressly to be performed in this State at the time of issuance, and which transactions are subsequent to the issuance of such policy.

(4) Transactions in this State involving group life insurance, group annuities, or group, blanket, or franchise accident and health insurance where the master policy for the insurance was lawfully issued and delivered in a state in which the company was authorized to transact business.

(5) Transactions in this State involving all policies of insurance issued before July 1, 1967.

(6) The procuring of contracts of insurance issued to a nuclear insured. As used in this subdivision, "nuclear insured" means a public utility procuring insurance against radioactive contamination and other risks of direct physical loss at a nuclear electric generating plant.

(7) Insurance independently procured, as specified in subsection (b) of this section.

(8) Insurance on vessels or craft, their cargoes, marine builders' risks, marine protection and indemnity, or other risks commonly insured under marine insurance policies, as distinguished from inland marine insurance policies.

(9) Transactions in this State involving commercial aircraft insurance, meaning insurance against (i) loss of or damage resulting from any cause to commercial aircraft and its equipment, (ii) legal liability of the insured for loss or damage to another person's property resulting from the ownership, maintenance, or use of commercial aircraft, and (iii) loss, damage, or expense incident to a liability claim.

(10) An activity in this State by or on the sole behalf of a captive insurer licensed and subject to regulation in another jurisdiction other than this State that insures solely the risks of the company's parent and affiliated companies or the risks of a controlled unaffiliated business.

(b) Any person in this State may directly procure or directly renew insurance with an eligible surplus lines insurer, as defined in G.S. 58-21-10(3), without the involvement of an agent, broker, or surplus lines licensee, on a risk located or to be performed, in whole or in part, in this State. The person shall, within 30 days after the date the insurance is procured or renewed, file a written report with the Commissioner on forms prescribed by the Commissioner. The report must contain the name and address of the insured; name and address of the insurer; the subject of insurance; a general description of the coverage; the amount of premium currently charged; and any additional information requested by the Commissioner. The report must also contain an affidavit of the insured that states that the full amount or kind of insurance cannot be obtained from insurers that are licensed to do business in this State; and that the insured has made a diligent search among the insurers that are licensed to transact and are actually writing the particular kind and class of insurance in this State. Gross premiums charged for the insurance, less any return premiums, are subject to a tax at the rate of five percent (5%). At the time of filing the report required by this subsection, the insured shall pay the tax to the Commissioner. The Commissioner has the powers specified in G.S. 58-21-90 with respect to the tax levied by this subsection.

(c) This section does not apply to any surviving nonprofit corporation that results from a merger between the nonprofit corporation established by the North Carolina State Bar Council pursuant to Chapter 707 of the 1975 Session Laws of North Carolina and another domestic nonprofit corporation; provided, however, that any such surviving corporation shall register with the North Carolina State Bar Council under G.S. 84-23.1.