Chapter 5 Flashcards
Name the 6 segments of the financial service industry
- depository institutions
- insurance companies
- finance companies
- pension funds
- mutual funds
- securitie firms
define functional regulation, in terms of the financial service industry.
its the principle that a single regulatory body should oversee similar financial activities, regardless of which type of financial institution engages in the activity.
what was the purpose of designing the Dood-Frank wall street reform and consumer protection act,
was designed to promote the financial stability of the united States by improving accountability and transparency in the financial system and to protect consumers from abusive financial service practices.
what is the consumer financial protection bureau
an independent bureau within the federal reserve system.
- establishes clear rules of the road for financial service firms.
- enforces consumer fincnail protection laws
- takes consumer complains
- promotes financial education for consumers
- researching consumer behavior
- monitor financial markets
What is the responsibility of the financial stability oversight council (FSOC)
monitoring the safety and stability of the nations’ financial systems, identifying systemic risks, and coordinating regulatory responses to any threats to the system.
the FSOC has the authority to identify systemically important financial institutions (SIFIs). What are these?
institutions whose failure could potentially pose a risk to the financial system. They are subject to more stringent regulatory standards
when is a company considered affiliates?
when they are under the common control of a holding company
what is a holding company system?
a corporate ownership structure in which on company (holding) owns and controls another company, known as a subsidiary.
Name 4 requirements of state law for insurance holding companies
- proposed holding transactions must be approved by the insurance department of the insurer’s domiciliary state.
- amount that an insurer may invest in subsidiaries is limited
- domestic insurers part of holding system are subject to registation and periodic reporting requirements
- transfactions between affiliated companies must be reported to the insurance departments of the insueres’ domiciliary state
Define a financial holding company (FHC)
a holding company that conducts activities that are financial in nature or incidental to financial activities.
Who regulates the process to become and FHC?
Federal Reserve system,
State insurance laws can be classified into two broad types of laws: solvency laws, and market conduct laws. Define solvency laws.
Regulate an insurers’ capitalization, policy design and policy reserves. They make sure companies stay solvent and can pay their debts
State insurance laws can be classified into two broad types of laws: solvency laws, and market conduct laws. Define market conduct laws
designed to assure companies conduct their business fairly and ethically. they regulate most of the nonfinancial operations of isnueres, holding companies, aderticings, producer licensing, u/w etc..
Name 3 additional services the NAIC provides to the states
- computerized data basis that enable the departments to simplify the licensing.
- examination tracking system, enables departments to schedule and coordinate on-site examinations
- financial database containig insurers’ annual statements
All united state, state’s insurance regulatory systems contain what similar features?
- licensing requirements
- reporting and filing requirements
- periodic examinations of licensed insurers
- Right to take action against licensed companies and producers who violate laws
All states require a certificate of authority prior to transacting business within a state. what is a certificate of authority?
a document issued by the state insurance department granting the insurer the right to conduct and insurance business in the state.
What is the purpose to having state licensing requirements?
- make sure that insurers are financially able to meet their obligations
- enable the states tho effectively oversee the operations of insurers.
Do insurance producers (people who market and sell insurance products) need to be licensed in each jurisdiction or just by the company they work with?
In each jurisdiction they plan on doing business in
How does an insurance company maintain its certificate of authority?
they must fill out a comprehensive financial report, known an an annual statement, with the state insurance department and the NAIC, and must pay any required renewal fee to the sate.
What are the two kinds of periodic examinations that state insurance departments conduct?
- financial condition examination
2. market conduct examination
What is a financial condition examination?
a formal investigation of an insurer that is carried out by one or more state insurance departments and is designed to identify and monitor any threats to the insurers’ solvency.
-every 3-5 years
What is a market conduct examination?
A formal investigation of an insurer’s non financial operations that is carried out by one or more state insurance departments and is designed to determine whether the insurer;s market conduct operations comply with applicable laws and regulations .
- some states do it periodically, others do it when there is a complaint.
- done on multistate basis
what happens when an insurer’s certificate of authority is suspended?
the insurer is required to discountinue operating for a certain period of time. A suspension may be imposed for a stated period of time or may continue until the insurer corrects the violation
what happens when an insurer’s certificate is revoked?
the certificate is cancelled and the insurer is not permitted to conduct business within the state until the insurer received a new certificate from the state of insurance departement
What happens when an insurer is placed in receivership?
the state insurance commissioner, acting for a state court, takes control of and administers the insurer’s assets and liabilities. The comissioner acts as the reciever- the person responsible for formulating a plan to conserve and control the insures’ assets and for making sure that the insurer’s obligations to customers are met to the extent possible.
An insurance receivership can have two possible outcomes: rehabilitation and liqduidation. Explain both
- rhabilitation- the insurer continues to exist as a corporation and the insurance department assess the financial disputation. if its possible to rehabilitate they will try with an investor.
- liquidation- if it can’t be rehabilitated, its liquidation- the receiver either transfers all the insurer’s business and assets to other insurers or sells the assets and terminates the insurer’s business. - after the business has been liquidated , it no longer exists
What is one primary area of insurance that are subject to federal regulation?
their sale of investment-type insurance products.
- they are regulated by federal laws that are enforced by the SEC.