645.47 Notice to creditors and others.

(1) Notice required.

(a) General requirements. The liquidator shall give notice of the liquidation order as soon as possible by first class mail and either by telegram or telephone to the insurance commissioner of each jurisdiction in which the insurer is licensed to do business, by first class mail and by telephone to the department of workforce development of this state if the insurer is or has been an insurer of worker's compensation, by first class mail to all insurance agents having a duty under s. 645.48, by first class mail to the director of state courts under s. 601.53 (1) if the insurer does a surety business and by first class mail at the last-known address to all persons known or reasonably expected from the insurer's records to have claims against the insurer, including all policyholders. The liquidator also shall publish a class 3 notice, under ch. 985, in a newspaper of general circulation in the county in which the liquidation is pending or in Dane County, the last publication to be not less than 3 months before the earliest deadline specified in the notice under sub. (2).

(b) Special requirements. Notice to agents shall inform them of their duties under s. 645.48 and inform them of what information they must communicate to insureds. Notice to policyholders shall include notice of impairment and termination of coverage under s. 645.43. When it is applicable, notice to policyholders shall include all of the following:

1. Notice of withdrawal of the insurer from the defense of any case in which the insured is interested.

2. Notice of the right to file a claim under s. 645.64 (2).

3. Information about the existence of a security fund under ch. 646.

(c) Reports and further notice. Within 15 days of the date of entry of the order, the liquidator shall report to the court what notice has been given. The court may order such additional notice as it deems appropriate.

(2) Notice respecting claims filing. Notice to potential claimants under sub. (1) shall require claimants to file with the liquidator their claims together with proper proofs thereof under s. 645.62, on or before a date the liquidator specifies in the notice, which shall be no less than 6 months nor more than one year after entry of the order, except that the liquidator need not require persons claiming unearned premium and persons claiming cash surrender values or other investment values in life insurance and annuities to file a claim. The liquidator may specify different dates for the filing of different kinds of claims.

(3) Notice conclusive. If notice is given in accordance with this section, the distribution of the assets of the insurer under this chapter shall be conclusive with respect to all claimants, whether or not they received notice.

History: 1971 c. 164 s. 85; 1975 c. 147 s. 54; 1975 c. 199; 1975 c. 375 s. 44; 1979 c. 93, 109; 1987 a. 325; 1991 a. 144; 1995 a. 27 s. 9130 (4); 1995 a. 225; 1997 a. 3.