Missouri § 375.1220 - Claim disputes — duty of liquidator — estimates allowed, when — commutation and release.

§ 375.1220. Claim disputes — duty of liquidator — estimates allowed, when — commutation and release.

1.  The liquidator shall review all claims duly filed in the liquidation and shall make such further investigation as the liquidator shall deem necessary.  The liquidator may compound, compromise or in any other manner negotiate the amount for which claims will be allowed, under the supervision of the court, except where the liquidator is required by law to accept claims as settled by any person or organization.  Unresolved disputes shall be determined pursuant to section 375.1214.  No claim under a policy of insurance shall be allowed for any amount in excess of the applicable policy limits or without regard to policy deductibles.

2.  If the fixing or liquidation of any claim or claims would unduly delay the administration of the liquidation or if the administrative expense of processing and adjudication of a claim or group of claims of a similar type would be unduly excessive when compared with the moneys which are estimated to be available for distribution with respect to such claim or group of claims, the determination and allowance of such claim or claims may be made by an estimate.  Any such estimate shall be based upon an actuarial evaluation made with reasonable actuarial certainty or upon another accepted method of valuing claims with reasonable certainty.

3.  The estimation of contingent liabilities permitted by subsection 2 of this section or any other section of this chapter may be used for the purpose of fixing a creditor's claim in the estate, and for determining the percentage of partial or final dividend payments to be paid to creditors with reported allowed claims.  However, nothing in subsection 2 of this section or any other section in this chapter shall be construed as authorizing the receiver, or any other entity, to compel payment from a reinsurer on the basis of estimated incurred but not reported losses and, except with respect to claims made pursuant to section 375.1212, outstanding reserves.  Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to impair any obligation arising pursuant to any insurance agreement.  Expert testimony concerning estimates of incurred but not reported losses may be received in evidence in any tribunal whether offered by the receiver or by the reinsurer, if such testimony is otherwise admissible pursuant to section 490.065.

4.  Notwithstanding the provisions of this section or any other section of this chapter to the contrary, the liquidator may negotiate a voluntary commutation and release of all obligations arising from reinsurance contracts or other agreements.

5.  The provisions of subsection 3 of this section shall not apply to and have no force and effect regarding any formal delinquency proceeding in which, prior to August 28, 1999, the court in which such proceeding was or is pending issued any order or decree construing or applying the provisions of this section.

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(L. 1991 H.B. 385, et al. § 92, A.L. 1992 H.B. 1574, A.L. 1999 S.B. 386 §§ 375.1220, D, A.L. 2001 H.B. 459, A.L. 2004 H.B. 1253 merged with S.B. 1235)

(1996)  Statute is procedural and may be applied retroactively.  Angoff v. Holland-America Insurance Company Trust, 937 S.W.2d 213 (Mo.App. W.D.).

---- end of effective  28 Aug 2004 ----

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