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§33-3-1. License required.
(a) No person may act as an insurer and no insurer may transact insurance in West Virginia except as authorized by a valid cense issued by the commissioner, except as to the transactions as are expressly otherwise provided for in this chapter.

(b) No license is required for an insurer, formerly holding a valid license, to enable it to investigate and settle losses under its policies lawfully written in West Virginia while the license was in effect and as authorized by the commissioner, to collect premiums, pay applicable servicing commissions to agents of record and otherwise service such policies, or to liquidate the assets and liabilities of the insurer as may have resulted from its former authorized operations in West Virginia: Provided, That nothing in this section allows an insurer to issue new policies or renew policies of insurance or collect premiums on those policies unless the insurer is authorized by a valid license issued by the commissioner, except as to the transactions that are otherwise allowed in this chapter.

(c) An insurer not transacting new insurance business in West Virginia but collecting premiums on and servicing of policies in force as to residents of or risks located in West Virginia, and where the policies were originally issued on nonresidents of or risks located outside of this state, is transacting insurance in West Virginia for the purpose of premium and annuity tax requirements but is not required to have a license therefor.

(d) A domestic insurer or a foreign insurer from offices or by personnel or facilities located in this state may not solicit insurance applications or otherwise transact insurance in another state or country unless it holds a subsisting license granted to it by the commissioner authorizing it to transact the same kind or kinds of insurance in this state.

(e) Any officer, director, agent, representative or employee of any insurer who willfully authorizes, negotiates, makes or issues any insurance contract in violation of this section is subject to the provisions set forth in article forty-four of this chapter.

§33-3-2. Qualifications for license.
(a) To qualify for a license to transact insurance in West Virginia an insurer must be otherwise in compliance with the provisions of this chapter and with its charter, and must be an incorporated stock insurer, or an incorporated mutual insurer or a reciprocal insurer.

(b) No foreign insurer may be authorized to transact insurance in this state if it is domiciled in a state that does not have reserve requirements that are equal to or greater than those required by article seven of this chapter, as applicable to the kind or kinds of insurance transacted by the insurer, wherever transacted in the United States of America, or which transacts business anywhere in the United States of America on the assessment plan, the stipulated premium plan or any similar plan.

(c) No insurer may be authorized to transact a kind of insurance in this state unless duly authorized or qualified to transact such insurance in the state or country of its domicile.

(d) No insurer may be authorized to transact in this state any kind of insurance which is not defined in section ten, article one of this chapter.

(e) No authority to transact insurance may be granted or continued to any insurer that is in arrears to the state for fees, licenses, taxes, assessments, fines or penalties accrued on insurance previously transacted in this state.

§33-3-3. Prerequisites to issuance of charter for domestic insurer.
The secretary of state of this state shall not issue a certificate of incorporation to any insurer until the commissioner shall have examined the charter of such insurer and approved same in writing upon being satisfied that such insurer is in a position to comply with the provisions of this chapter and that the incorporation and licensing of such insurer is in the public interest, and unless such charter shall provide that such insurer shall maintain its principal place of business in this state.

§33-3-4. Charter, documents and information to be filed.
Every insurer applying for an initial license shall file with the commissioner accompanying its application:

(a) A certified copy of its charter with all amendments;

(b) A certified copy of its bylaws with all amendments;

(c) A copy of its annual statement as of December thirty- first last preceding;

(d) A copy of report of last examination, if any, made of the insurer, certified by the insurance supervisory official of the state of domicile of a foreign insurer or the state of entry into the United States of an alien insurer;

(e) If a foreign or alien insurer, a certificate of the public official having supervision of insurance in the state or country of domicile of such insurer showing that it is authorized to transact the kinds of insurance proposed to be transacted in West Virginia;

(f) If an alien insurer, a copy of the appointment and authority of its United States manager;

(g) Certificate of deposit where deposits are required by this chapter;

(h) Such other information and documents as the commissioner deems necessary for the protection of policyholders or to assure compliance with this chapter.

§33-3-5.

Repealed.

Acts, 1993 Reg. Sess., Ch. 67.

§33-3-5a.

Repealed.

Acts, 1993 Reg. Sess., Ch. 67.

§33-3-5b. Capital and surplus requirements.

(a) No insurer shall hereafter be licensed to transact the business of insurance in the state of West Virginia unless it has fully paid in capital stock, if a stock insurer, or surplus, if a mutual insurer, of at least one million dollars. In addition, each such insurer shall have and maintain additional surplus funds of at least one million dollars: Provided, That insurers duly licensed to transact insurance in West Virginia prior to the effective date of this section whose capital and surplus requirements are increased by virtue of this section shall have until the first day of January, one thousand nine hundred ninety-three, to meet such increased requirements. Such capital and surplus shall be unencumbered.

(b) The commissioner may for the protection of the policyholders and the general public of this state require an insurer to maintain funds in excess of the amounts required by subsection (a) of this section, due to the amount, kind or combination of kinds of insurance transacted by the insurer. Any additional amounts required shall be based upon all the kinds of insurance transacted by the insurer in all areas in which it operates or proposes to operate, whether or not only a portion of the kinds of insurance are to be transacted in this state. Failure of an insurer to maintain funds as ordered by the commissioner is grounds for suspension, revocation, refusal or nonrenewal of the insurer's license.

(c) An order issued pursuant to the provisions of this section is subject to review pursuant to applicable state administrative proceedings under article two of this chapter.

§33-3-6. Property and casualty, financial guaranty and mortgage guaranty insurers - Deposit requirements.
The commissioner shall not issue a license to any insurer unless it has deposited and maintained in trust with the state treasurer, for the protection of its policyholders or its policyholders and creditors, cash or government securities eligible for the investment of capital funds of domestic insurers (of the type described in paragraph (A) or (B), subdivision (1), subsection (a), section eleven, article eight of this chapter or paragraph (A), (B) or (C), subdivision (3) of said subsection) under this chapter in the amount of one hundred thousand dollars; except:

(a) As to foreign insurers in lieu of the deposit or part of a deposit with the state treasurer, the commissioner may accept the current certificate of the state insurance supervisory official of any other state that a like deposit by the insurer is being maintained in public custody or in a depository approved by the supervisory official in that state in trust for the purpose of protection of all policyholders or policyholders and creditors of the insurer in the United States.

(b) As to alien insurers in lieu of the deposit or part of a deposit with the state treasurer, the commissioner may accept evidence satisfactory to him or her that the insurer maintains within the United States in public depositories, or in trust institutions within the United States approved by the commissioner, assets available for discharge of its United States insurance obligations which are in an amount not less than the outstanding liabilities of the insurer arising out of its insurance transactions in the United States, together with an amount equal to the deposit required under this section for other insurers requesting license to transact like kinds of insurance.

§33-3-7. Issuance of license to transact insurance; kinds of insurance authorized to be transacted.
(a) Upon receiving the application and supporting documents required by section four of this article, if the commissioner is satisfied that an insurer has complied with the terms of its charter and the provisions of this chapter and other laws of this state and that such insurer is solvent and will transact insurance in a legal, proper and just manner, he or she may issue to such insurer a license authorizing it to transact insurance in this state. Such license may authorize an insurer which otherwise qualifies therefor to transact life and/or accident and sickness insurance or an insurer other than a life insurer to transact any of the kinds of insurance other than life for which it otherwise qualifies. However, as to any life insurer which, immediately prior to the effective date of this chapter, lawfully held a license granting to it the right to transact in West Virginia additional kinds of insurance other than life and accident and sickness, the commissioner may continue to license said insurer to transact the same kinds of insurance as those specified in such prior license so long as such insurer is otherwise in compliance with this chapter.

(b) A foreign insurer that obtains a license pursuant to the provisions of this section may transact the business of insurance in this state without obtaining the certificate of authority from the secretary of state otherwise required by the provisions of section 1501, article fifteen, chapter thirty-one-d of this code.

§33-3-8. Expiration of license; renewal.
All licenses of insurers shall expire at midnight on the May thirty-first next following the date of issuance. The commissioner shall renew annually the licenses of all insurers who qualify and make application therefor upon a form prescribed by the commissioner.

§33-3-9. Refusal to license.

The commissioner may refuse to license an insurer when he determines that an insurer has not complied with the laws of this state or that it is not in the best interest of the people of this state that such insurer be licensed or that such insurer would transact business in this state in an improper, illegal or unjust manner. In such event the commissioner shall enter an order refusing such license, and the applicant therefor may demand a hearing in the manner provided in article two of this chapter.

§33-3-10. Mandatory refusal, revocation or suspension.
The commissioner after notice and hearing shall refuse to renew or shall revoke or suspend the license of any insurer:

(a) If such action is required by any provision of this chapter;

(b) If the insurer no longer meets the requirements for the license originally granted, because of deficiency of assets or otherwise.

§33-3-11. Discretionary refusal, revocation or suspension; penalty in lieu thereof; reissuance.
(a) The commissioner may after notice and hearing refuse to renew, or may revoke or suspend the license of an insurer, in addition to other grounds therefor in this chapter, if the insurer:

(1) Violates any provision of this chapter other than those as to which refusal, suspension or revocation is mandatory;

(2) Fails to comply with any lawful rule, regulation or order of the commissioner;

(3) Is transacting insurance in an illegal, improper or unjust manner;

(4) Is found by the commissioner to be in an unsound condition or in such condition as to render its further transaction of insurance in West Virginia hazardous to its policyholders or to the people of West Virginia;

(5) Compels insureds under its policies to accept less than the amount due them or to bring suit against it to secure full payment when it has no substantial defense;

(6) Refuses to be examined or to produce its accounts, records and files for examination by the commissioner when required;

(7) Fails to pay any final judgment rendered against it in West Virginia within thirty days after the judgment became final or time for appeal expired, whichever is later;

(8) Fails to pay when due to the state of West Virginia any taxes, fees, charges or penalties required by this chapter.

(b) In lieu of refusing to renew, revoking or suspending the license of an insurer in any case except where such action is mandatory, the commissioner may, by order, require the insurer to pay to the state of West Virginia a penalty in a sum not exceeding ten thousand dollars, and upon the failure of the insurer to pay such penalty within thirty days after notice thereof, the commissioner may revoke or suspend the license of such insurer.

(c) When any license has been revoked or suspended or renewal thereof refused, the commissioner may reissue, terminate the suspension or renew such license when he is satisfied that the conditions causing such revocation, suspension or refusal to renew have ceased to exist and are unlikely to recur.

§33-3-12. Deceptive, misleading or conflicting names of insurers.
No insurer shall be licensed to transact insurance in West Virginia which has or uses a name so similar to that of any insurer already so licensed as to cause uncertainty or confusion or which tends to deceive or mislead as to the type of organization of the insurer; except that in case of conflict of names between two insurers the commissioner may permit or require the newly licensed insurer to use in West Virginia such supplementation or modification of its name as is reasonably necessary to avoid such conflict.

§33-3-13. Fees and charges.
(a) Except where it is otherwise specially provided, the commissioner shall demand and receive the following fees from all insurers: For annual fee for each license, two hundred dollars; for receiving and filing annual reports, one hundred dollars; for valuation of policies of life insurers organized under the laws of this state, one and one-half cents for each one thousand dollars of insurance; for valuation of policies of life insurers organized under the laws of any other state licensed to transact insurance in this state the rate for each one thousand dollars of insurance valued as is imposed by the other state upon any similar insurer organized under the laws of this state licensed to transact insurance in the other state; for filing certified copy of articles of incorporation, fifty dollars; for filing copy of its charter, fifty dollars; for filing statements preliminary to admission, one hundred dollars; for filing any additional paper required by law or furnishing copies thereof, one dollar; for every certificate of valuation, copy of report or certificate of condition of company to be filed in any other state, fifteen dollars; for each licensed agent, twenty-five dollars. The commissioner may by regulation set reasonable charges for printed forms for the annual statements required by law. He may sell at cost publications purchased by, or printed on behalf of the commissioner.

(b) Such fees and charges collected by the commissioner under the provisions of this section or elsewhere in this chapter and designated for use by the commissioner for the operation of the department of insurance or for the purposes of this section, shall be paid into a special revenue account, hereby created in the state treasury, to be expended and used by the commissioner, upon his requisition and after appropriation by the Legislature, for the operation of the department of insurance. Notwithstanding any provisions in this code to the contrary, the commissioner may expend, in accordance with the provisions of section two-a, article twelve of this chapter, from the special revenue account established pursuant to this section, amounts necessary to establish and maintain a system of continuing education for agents as provided in section two-a, article twelve of this chapter.

§33-3-14. Annual financial statement and premium tax return; remittance by insurer of premium tax, less certain deductions; special revenue fund created.
(a) Every insurer transacting insurance in West Virginia shall file with the commissioner, on or before the first day of March, each year, a financial statement made under oath of its president or secretary and on a form prescribed by the commissioner. The insurer shall also, on or before the first day of March of each year subject to the provisions of section fourteen-c of this article, under the oath of its president or secretary, make a premium tax return for the previous calendar year on a form prescribed by the commissioner showing the gross amount of direct premiums, whether designated as a premium or by some other name, collected and received by it during the previous calendar year on policies covering risks resident, located or to be performed in this state and compute the amount of premium tax chargeable to it in accordance with the provisions of this article, deducting the amount of quarterly payments as required to be made pursuant to the provisions of section fourteen-c of this article, if any, less any adjustments to the gross amount of the direct premiums made during the calendar year, if any, and transmit with the return to the commissioner a remittance in full for the tax due. The tax is the sum equal to two percent of the taxable premium and also includes any additional tax due under section fourteen-a of this article. All taxes, except those received on write your own federal flood insurance premium taxes, received by the commissioner shall be paid into the insurance tax fund created in subsection (b) of this section: Provided, That no later than the thirtieth day of June of each year, one million six hundred sixty-seven thousand dollars of the portion of taxes received by the commissioner from insurance policies for medical liability insurance as defined in section three, article twenty-f of this chapter and from any insurer on its medical malpractice line shall be temporarily dedicated to replenishing moneys appropriated from the tobacco settlement account pursuant to subsection (c), section two, article eleven-a, chapter four of this code. Upon determination by the commissioner that these moneys have been fully replenished to the tobacco settlement account, the commissioner shall resume depositing taxes received from medical malpractice premiums as provided in subsection (b) of this section.

(b) There is created in the state treasury a special revenue fund, administered by the treasurer, designated the "insurance tax fund". This fund is not part of the general revenue fund of the state. It consists of all amounts deposited in the fund pursuant to subsection (a) of this section, sections fifteen and seventeen of this article, except those received on write your own federal flood insurance premium taxes, any appropriations to the fund, all interest earned from investment of the fund and any gifts, grants or contributions received by the fund.

(c) After the transfers authorized in this section, the treasurer shall, no later than the last business day of each month, transfer amounts the treasurer determines are not necessary for making refunds under this article to the credit of the general revenue fund.

(d) There is created in the state treasury a special revenue fund, administered by the treasurer, designated the "flood insurance tax fund". This fund is not part of the general revenue fund of the state. All taxes collected pursuant to subsection (a) of this section from federal flood insurance policy premium taxes shall be deposited into the flood insurance tax fund. The flood insurance tax fund shall contain collections, any appropriations to the fund and any gifts, grants and contributions received.

(e) The treasurer is restricted to, and shall distribute from, the flood insurance tax fund for activities which promote and enhance flood plain management issues and for subgrants to local units of government and other eligible entities after full consideration of the recommendations of the office of emergency services.

§33-3-14a. Additional premium tax.
For the purpose of providing additional revenue for the state general revenue fund, there is hereby levied and imposed, in addition to the taxes imposed by section fourteen of this article, an additional premium tax equal to one percent of taxable premiums. Except as otherwise provided in this section, all provisions of this article relating to the levy, imposition and collection of the regular premium tax shall be applicable to the levy, imposition and collection of the additional tax. All moneys received from the additional tax imposed by this section, less deductions allowed by this article for refunds and for costs of administration, shall be received by the commissioner and shall be paid by him or her into the state treasury for the benefit of the state fund: Provided, That each year, the first eight hundred thirty-three thousand dollars of the portion of taxes received by the commissioner from insurance policies for medical liability insurance as defined in section three, article twenty-f of this chapter and from any insurer on its medical malpractice line, shall be temporarily dedicated to replenishing moneys appropriated from the tobacco settlement account pursuant to subsection (c), section two, article eleven-a of chapter four of this code. Upon determination by the commissioner that these moneys have been fully replenished to the tobacco settlement account, the commissioner shall resume depositing taxes received from medical malpractice premiums as provided herein.

§33-3-14b. Credits against premium tax for investment in West Virginia securities.
(a) If the annual statement of any insurer covering a calendar year shows it to have investments at the close of the year in West Virginia securities, of at least twenty-five percent of its admitted assets, it is entitled to a credit against the premium tax levied by sections fourteen and fourteen-a of this article in an amount equal to one hundred percent of the tax for the calendar year: Provided, That the insurer proves to the satisfaction of the commissioner that it employs less than twenty full-time employees, has gross direct premiums of less than ten million dollars and derives a minimum of fifty percent of its gross direct premiums from insurance provided to under-served areas of West Virginia.

(b) As used in this section:

(1) "Full-time employees" means all elected officers, all full-time employees, all part-time employees each counted as one-half full-time employee equivalents and all full and part-time equivalent employees of affiliated companies within an insurance holding company system providing any type of service by contract or by any other arrangement;

(2) "Underserved areas" means those counties of the state for which the insurer demonstrates to the satisfaction of the commissioner that consumers in that county have an inadequate choice of insurance providers;

(3) "West Virginia securities" means real estate situate in this state; bonds or interest-bearing notes or obligations of this state; and bonds or interest-bearing notes or obligations of any county, district, school district or independent school district, municipality or any other political subdivision of this state; revenue bonds issued by any West Virginia state agency, board, department or commission authorized to issue such bonds by the laws of this state; and cash balances in regularly established accounts in West Virginia state banks and reflected as an asset in such annual statement; provided that the amount of such cash shall be calculated based on fifty percent of the average quarterly balance of such accounts and provided further that such cash may make up no more than forty percent of the insurer's investments in West Virginia securities.

§33-3-14c. Computation and payment of tax.
The taxes levied hereunder shall be due and payable in quarterly installments on or before the twenty-fifth day of the month succeeding the end of the quarter in which they accrue, except for the fourth quarter, for which taxes shall be due and payable on or before the first day of March of the succeeding year. The insurer subject to making the payments shall, by the due date, prepare an estimate of the tax based on the estimated amount of taxable premium during the preceding quarter, and mail the estimate together with a remittance of the amount of tax to the office of the commissioner.

§33-3-14d. Additional fire and casualty insurance premium tax; allocation of proceeds; effective date.
(a) (1) For the purpose of providing additional revenue for municipal policemen's and firemen's pension and relief funds and the Teachers Retirement System Reserve Fund and for volunteer and part-volunteer fire companies and departments, there is hereby levied and imposed an additional premium tax equal to one percent of taxable premiums for fire insurance and casualty insurance policies. For purposes of this section, casualty insurance does not include insurance on the life of a debtor pursuant to or in connection with a specific loan or other credit transaction or insurance on a debtor to provide indemnity for payments becoming due on a specific loan or other credit transaction while the debtor is disabled as defined in the policy.
(2) All moneys collected from this additional tax shall be received by the commissioner and paid by him or her into a special account in the State Treasury, designated the Municipal Pensions and Protection Fund: Provided, That on or after January 1, 2010, the commissioner shall pay ten percent of the amount collected to the Teachers Retirement System Reserve Fund created in section eighteen, article seven-a, chapter eighteen of this code, twenty-five percent of the amount collected to the Fire Protection Fund created in section thirty-three of this article for allocation by the Treasurer to volunteer and part-volunteer fire companies and departments and sixty-five percent of the amount collected to the Municipal Pensions and Protection Fund: Provided, however, That upon notification by the Municipal Pensions Oversight Board pursuant to the provisions of section eighteen-b, article twenty-two, chapter eight of this code, on or after January 1, 2010, or as soon thereafter as the Municipal Pensions Oversight Board is prepared to receive the funds, sixty-five percent of the amount collected by the commissioner shall be deposited in the Municipal Pensions Security Fund created in section eighteen-b, article twenty-two, chapter eight of this code. The net proceeds of this tax after appropriation thereof by the Legislature is distributed in accordance with the provisions of this section, except for distribution from proceeds pursuant to subsection (d), section eighteen-a, article twenty-two, chapter eight of this code.
(b) (1) Before the first day of August of each year, the treasurer of each municipality in which a municipal policemen's or firemen's pension and relief fund is established shall report to the State Treasurer the average monthly number of members who worked at least one hundred hours per month and the average monthly number of retired members of municipal policemen's or firemen's pension and relief fund or the Municipal Police Officers and Firefighters Retirement System during the preceding fiscal year: Provided, That beginning in the year 2010 and continuing thereafter, the report shall be made to the oversight board created in section eighteen-a, article twenty-two, chapter eight of this code. These reports received by the oversight board shall be provided annually to the State Treasurer by September 1.
(2) Before the first day of September of each calendar year, the State Treasurer, or the Municipal Pensions Oversight Board, once in operation, shall allocate and authorize for distribution the revenues in the Municipal Pensions and Protection Fund which were collected during the preceding calendar year for the purposes set forth in this section. Before the first day of September of each calendar year and after the Municipal Pensions Oversight Board has notified the Treasurer and commissioner pursuant to section eighteen-b, article twenty-two, chapter eight of this code, the Municipal Pensions Oversight Board shall allocate and authorize for distribution the revenues in the Municipal Pensions Security Fund which were collected during the preceding calendar year for the purposes set forth in this section. In any year the actuarial report required by section twenty, article twenty-two, chapter eight of this code indicates no actuarial deficiency in the municipal policemen's or firemen's pension and relief fund, no revenues may be allocated from the Municipal Pensions and Protection Fund or the Municipal Pensions Security Fund to that fund. The revenues from the Municipal Pensions and Protection Fund shall then be allocated to all other pension and relief funds which have an actuarial deficiency.
(3) The moneys, and the interest earned thereon, in the Municipal Pensions and Protection Fund allocated to volunteer and part-volunteer fire companies and departments shall be allocated and distributed quarterly to the volunteer fire companies and departments. Before each distribution date, the State Fire Marshal shall report to the State Treasurer the names and addresses of all volunteer and part-volunteer fire companies and departments within the state which meet the eligibility requirements established in section eight-a, article fifteen, chapter eight of this code.
(c)(1) Each municipal pension and relief fund shall have allocated and authorized for distribution a pro rata share of the revenues allocated to municipal policemen's and firemen's pension and relief funds based on the corresponding municipality's average monthly number of police officers and firefighters who worked at least one hundred hours per month during the preceding fiscal year. On and after July 1, 1997, from the growth in any moneys collected pursuant to the tax imposed by this section and interest thereon there shall be allocated and authorized for distribution to each municipal pension and relief fund, a pro rata share of the revenues allocated to municipal policemen's and firemen's pension and relief funds based on the corresponding municipality's average number of police officers and firefighters who worked at least one hundred hours per month and average monthly number of retired police officers and firefighters. For the purposes of this subsection, the growth in moneys collected from the tax collected pursuant to this section is determined by subtracting the amount of the tax collected during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1996, from the tax collected during the fiscal year for which the allocation is being made and interest thereon. All moneys received by municipal pension and relief funds under this section may be expended only for those purposes described in sections sixteen through twenty-eight, inclusive, article twenty-two, chapter eight of this code.
(2) Each volunteer fire company or department shall receive an equal share of the revenues allocated for volunteer and part-volunteer fire companies and departments.
(3) In addition to the share allocated and distributed in accordance with subdivision (1) of this subsection, each municipal fire department composed of full-time paid members and volunteers and part-volunteer fire companies and departments shall receive a share equal to the share distributed to volunteer fire companies under subdivision (2) of this subsection reduced by an amount equal to the share multiplied by the ratio of the number of full-time paid fire department members who are also members of a municipal firemen's pension and relief fund or the Municipal Police Officers and Firefighters Retirement System to the total number of members of the fire department.
(d) The allocation and distribution of revenues provided for in this section are subject to the provisions of section twenty, article twenty-two, and sections eight-a and eight-b, article fifteen, chapter eight of this code.
§33-3-15. Annuity tax.
(a) Every life insurer transacting insurance in West Virginia shall make a return to the commissioner annually on a form prescribed by the commissioner, on or before the first day of March, under the oath of its president or secretary, of the gross amount of annuity considerations collected and received by it during the previous calendar year on its annuity business transacted in this state and stating the amount of tax due under this section, together with payment in full for the tax due. The tax is the sum equal to one per centum of the gross amount of the annuity considerations, less annuity considerations returned and less termination allowances on group annuity contracts. All the taxes received by the commissioner shall be paid into the insurance tax fund created in subsection (b), section fourteen of this article. In the case of funds accepted by a life insurer under an agreement which provides for an accumulation of money to purchase annuities at future dates, annuity considerations may be either considered by the life insurer to be collected and received upon receipt or upon actual application to the purchase of annuities. Any earnings credited to money accumulated while under the latter alternative will also be considered annuity considerations. For purposes of this election, the alternative which the life insurer elected to file its tax return for the two thousand one tax year or which it elects when it enters the state, whichever is later, shall be considered the life insurer's election between these alternatives. A life insurer filing a year two thousand one tax return shall provide written notice to the commissioner of its election within ninety days of the effective date of this enactment. Otherwise, a life insurer shall provide written notice to the commissioner of its election within ninety days after it enters the state. Thereafter, a life insurer may not change its election without the consent of the insurance commissioner. The insurance commissioner may develop forms to assure compliance with this subsection.

(b) The amendment to this section enacted during the regular session of the Legislature in the year one thousand nine hundred ninety-eight is effective on the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred ninety-eight.

§33-3-16. Retaliation.
(a) When by or pursuant to the laws of any other state or foreign country any premium or income or other taxes, or any fees, fines, penalties, licenses, deposit requirements or other material obligations, prohibitions or restrictions are imposed upon West Virginia insurers doing business, or that seek to do business in such other state or country, or upon the agents of such insurers, which in the aggregate are in excess of such taxes, fees, fines, penalties, licenses, deposit requirements or other obligations, prohibitions or restrictions directly imposed in the aggregate upon similar insurers of such other state or foreign country or upon the agents of such insurers under the statutes of this state, so long as such laws continue in force or are so applied, the same obligations, prohibitions and restrictions of whatever kind shall be imposed in the same manner upon similar insurers of such other state or foreign country doing business in West Virginia. Any tax, license or other obligation imposed by any city, county or other political subdivision of a state or foreign country on West Virginia insurers or their agents shall be deemed to be imposed by such state or foreign country within the meaning of this section. The provisions of this section shall not apply to ad valorem taxes on real or personal property or to personal income taxes.

(b) If an insurer domiciled in West Virginia is refused authority to transact in another state insurance upon a plan and in a manner which is permitted for domestic insurers of such other state, notwithstanding that the West Virginia insurer be fully qualified for such authority in accordance with the applicable laws of such other state, and if such refusal be not accompanied by a written statement of the grounds therefor, then and thereafter, and for so long as such refusal shall continue, the commissioner may refuse to grant an initial license (but not a renewal of an existing license) to any insurer domiciled in such other state which may seek to transact in West Virginia a like kind or kinds of insurance.

§33-3-17. Minimum tax payable.
(a) The minimum amount of tax payable by any insurer licensed in the state of West Virginia when considering the aggregate payments due from all of the taxes imposed by this article is two hundred dollars for any calendar year. This minimum tax is payable annually on or before the first day of March and shall be calculated on a form prescribed by the commissioner. Except as otherwise provided in this section, all provisions of this article relating to the levy, imposition and collection of the regular premium tax are applicable to the levy, imposition and collection of this minimum tax. All moneys received by the commissioner from this minimum tax shall be paid into the insurance tax fund created in subsection (b), section fourteen of this article.

(b) The amendment to this section enacted during the regular session of the Legislature in the year one thousand nine hundred ninety-eight is effective on the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred ninety-eight.

§33-3-18.
Repealed.

Acts, 2001 Reg. Sess., Ch. 158. §33-3-19.
Repealed.

Acts, 2001 Reg. Sess., Ch. 158. §33-3-20.
Repealed.

Acts, 2001 Reg. Sess., Ch. 158. §33-3-21.
Repealed.

Acts, 2001 Reg. Sess., Ch. 158. §33-3-22.
Repealed.

Acts, 2001 Reg. Sess., Ch. 158. §33-3-23.
Repealed.

Acts, 2001 Reg. Sess., Ch. 158. §33-3-24.
Repealed.

Acts, 2001 Reg. Sess., Ch. 158. §33-3-25.
Repealed.

Acts, 2001 Reg. Sess., Ch. 158. §33-3-26.
Repealed.

Acts, 2001 Reg. Sess., Ch. 158. §33-3-27.
Repealed.

Acts, 2001 Reg. Sess., Ch. 158. §33-3-28.
Repealed.

Acts, 2001 Reg. Sess., Ch. 158. §33-3-29.
Repealed.

Acts, 2001 Reg. Sess., Ch. 158. §33-3-30.
Repealed.

Acts, 2001 Reg. Sess., Ch. 158. §33-3-31.
Repealed.

Acts, 2001 Reg. Sess., Ch. 158. §33-3-32.
Repealed.

Acts, 2001 Reg. Sess., Ch. 158. §33-3-33. Surcharge on fire and casualty insurance policies to benefit volunteer and part-volunteer fire departments; Public Employees Insurance Agency and municipal pension plans; special fund created; allocation of proceeds; effective date.
(a)(1) For the purpose of providing additional revenue for volunteer fire departments, part-volunteer fire departments and certain retired teachers and the teachers retirement reserve fund, there is hereby authorized and imposed on and after the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred ninety-two, on the policyholder of any fire insurance policy or casualty insurance policy issued by any insurer, authorized or unauthorized, or by any risk retention group, a policy surcharge equal to one percent of the taxable premium for each such policy. After the thirtieth day of June, two thousand five, the surcharge shall be imposed as specified in subdivisions (2) and (3) of this subsection.

(2) After the thirtieth day of June, two thousand five, through the thirty-first day of December, two thousand five, for the purpose of providing additional revenue for volunteer fire departments, part-volunteer fire departments and to provide additional revenue to the Public Employees Insurance Agency and municipal pension plans, there is hereby authorized and imposed on and after the first day of July, two thousand five, on the policyholder of any fire insurance policy or casualty insurance policy issued by any insurer, authorized or unauthorized, or by any risk retention group, a policy surcharge equal to one percent of the taxable premium for each such policy.

(3) After the thirty-first day of December, two thousand five, for the purpose of providing additional revenue for volunteer fire departments and part-volunteer fire departments, there is hereby authorized and imposed on the policyholder of any fire insurance policy or casualty insurance policy issued by any insurer, authorized or unauthorized, or by any risk retention group, a policy surcharge equal to fifty-five one hundredths of one percent of the taxable premium for each such policy.

(4) For purposes of this section, casualty insurance may not include insurance on the life of a debtor pursuant to or in connection with a specific loan or other credit transaction or insurance on a debtor to provide indemnity for payments becoming due on a specific loan or other credit transaction while the debtor is disabled as defined in the policy. The policy surcharge may not be subject to premium taxes, agent commissions or any other assessment against premiums.

(b) The policy surcharge shall be collected and remitted to the Commissioner by the insurer, or in the case of surplus lines coverage, by the surplus lines licensee, or if the policy is issued by a risk retention group, by the risk retention group. The amount required to be collected under this section shall be remitted to the Commissioner on a quarterly basis on or before the twenty-fifth day of the month succeeding the end of the quarter in which they are collected, except for the fourth quarter for which the surcharge shall be remitted on or before the first day of March of the succeeding year.

(c) Any person failing or refusing to collect and remit to the Commissioner any policy surcharge and whose surcharge payments are not postmarked by the due dates for quarterly filing is liable for a civil penalty of up to one hundred dollars for each day of delinquency, to be assessed by the Commissioner. The Commissioner may suspend the insurer, broker or risk retention group until all surcharge payments and penalties are remitted in full to the Commissioner.

(d)(1) All money from the policy surcharge shall be collected by the Commissioner who shall disburse the money received from the surcharge into a special account in the State Treasury, designated the Fire Protection Fund. The net proceeds of this portion of the tax and the interest thereon, after appropriation by the Legislature, shall be distributed quarterly on the first day of the months of January, April, July and October to each volunteer fire company or department on an equal share basis by the State Treasurer. After the thirtieth day of June, two thousand five, the money received from the surcharge shall be distributed as specified in subdivisions (2) and (3) of this subsection.

(2)(A) After the thirtieth day of June, two thousand five, through the thirty-first day of December, two thousand five, all money from the policy surcharge shall be collected by the Commissioner who shall disburse one half of the money received from the surcharge into the Fire Protection Fund for distribution as provided in subdivision (1) of this subsection.

(B) The remaining portion of moneys collected shall be transferred into the fund in the State Treasury of the Public Employees Insurance Agency into which are deposited the proportionate shares made by agencies of this state of the Public Employees Insurance Agency costs of those agencies, until the first day of November, two thousand five. After the thirty-first day of October, two thousand five, through the thirty-first day of December, two thousand five, the remain portion shall be transferred to the special account in the State Treasury, known as the Municipal Pensions and Protection Fund.

(3) After the thirty-first day of December, two thousand five, all money from the policy surcharge shall be collected by the Commissioner who shall disburse all of the money received from the surcharge into the Fire Protection Fund for distribution as provided in subdivision (1) of this subsection.

(4) Before each distribution date to volunteer fire companies or departments, the State Fire Marshal shall report to the State Treasurer the names and addresses of all volunteer and part-volunteer fire companies and departments within the state which meet the eligibility requirements established in section eight-a, article fifteen, chapter eight of this code.

(e) The allocation, distribution and use of revenues provided in the Fire Protection Fund are subject to the provisions of sections eight-a and eight-b, article fifteen, chapter eight of this code.

Note: WV Code updated with legislation passed through the 2012 1st Special Session