A. Except as provided in subsection C of this section, any insurer that incorporates or is authorized initially to transact the business of insurance in Oklahoma after October 1, 1980, shall not be issued a certificate of authority by the Insurance Commissioner unless it has deposited in trust with the Commissioner cash or securities eligible for the investment of capital funds of domestic insurers under this Code in an amount not less than Three Hundred Thousand Dollars ($300,000.00). The Commissioner may require a greater amount to be deposited in trust if the Insurance Commissioner finds that a greater amount is warranted for the protection of the policyholders of the insurer pursuant to rules promulgated by the Commissioner. Any amount over Three Hundred Thousand Dollars ($300,000.00) must be documented and reasons stated by the Commissioner in writing for the excess deposit amount. The Commissioner will annually review those insurers with deposits above Three Hundred Thousand Dollars ($300,000.00) to determine whether such additional deposits remain justified.

B. The Commissioner shall not issue a certificate of authority to any insurer that incorporated or was initially authorized to transact the business of insurance in Oklahoma prior to October 1, 1980, unless it has deposited in trust with the Commissioner cash or securities eligible for the investment of capital funds of domestic insurers under this Code in an amount not less than the surplus in regard to policyholders, or net admitted assets (if a Lloyd's association) required pursuant to this Code to be maintained for authority to transact the kinds of insurance to be transacted, except that in the case of life and/or accident and health insurers the deposit shall be in the amount of One Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000.00).

C. 1. As to domestic title insurers, the deposit shall be as required by Article 50 (Title Insurers).

2. As to foreign insurers, in lieu of such deposit or part thereof in this state, the Commissioner may accept the current certificate in proper form of the public official having supervision over insurers in any other state to the effect that a like deposit or part thereof by such insurer is being maintained in public custody in such state in trust for the purpose, among other reasonable purposes, of protection of all the insurer's policyholders or of all its policyholders and creditors.

3. As to alien insurers, other than title insurers, in lieu of such deposit or part thereof in this state, the Commissioner may accept the certificate of the official having supervision over insurance of another state in the United States, given under his or her hand and seal, that the insurer maintains within the United States by way of deposits with public depositaries, or in trust institutions within the United States approved by such official, assets available for discharge of its United States insurance obligations, which assets shall be in amount not less than the outstanding liabilities of the insurer arising out of its insurance transactions in the United States, together with the largest deposit required by this Code to be made in this state by any type of domestic insurer transacting like kinds of insurance.

D. Any securities deposited by insurers shall be issued to the Commissioner and the insurer and shall not be released by any company holding such security without the signatures of the Commissioner and the authorized insurer's personnel. Failure of any company holding such security to comply with this subsection may result, after hearing by the proper licensing authority, in a fine of not more than Twenty-five Thousand Dollars ($25,000.00) per occurrence.

Added by Laws 1957, p. 233, § 613, operative July 1, 1957. Amended by Laws 1961, p. 267, § 1, emerg. eff. June 28, 1961; Laws 1980, c. 185, § 4, eff. Oct. 1, 1980; Laws 1986, c. 251, § 5, eff. Nov. 1, 1986; Laws 2000, c. 353, § 2, eff. Nov. 1, 2000; Laws 2014, c. 275, § 5, eff. Nov. 1, 2014.