Title 27
Insurance

Chapter 25
Rhode Island Fraternal Code

§ 27-25-30. Injunction — Liquidation — Receivership of domestic society.

(a) When the commissioner of insurance upon investigation finds that a domestic society:

(1) Has exceeded its powers;

(2) Has failed to comply with any provision of this chapter;

(3) Is not fulfilling its contracts in good faith;

(4) Has a membership of less than four hundred (400) after an existence of one year or more; or

(5) Is conducting business fraudulently or in a manner hazardous to its members, creditors, the public, or the business; the commissioner shall notify the society of the deficiency or deficiencies and state in writing the reasons for his or her dissatisfaction. The commissioner shall at once issue a written notice to the society requiring that the existing deficiency or deficiencies be corrected. After the notice, the society shall have a thirty-day (30) period in which to comply with the commissioner’s request for correction, and, if the society fails to comply, the commissioner shall notify the society of the findings of noncompliance and require the society to show cause on a named date why it should not be enjoined from carrying on any business until the violation(s) complained of shall have been corrected, or why an action in quo warranto should not be commenced against the society.

(b) If on that date the society does not present good and sufficient reasons why it should not be enjoined or why the action should not be commenced, the commissioner of insurance may present the facts relating to the action to the attorney general who shall, if he or she deems the circumstances warrant, commence an action to enjoin the society from transacting business or in quo warranto.

(c) The court shall upon commencement of the action notify the officers of the society of a hearing. If after a full hearing it appears that the society should be enjoined or liquidated or a receiver appointed, the court shall enter the necessary order. No enjoined society shall have the authority to do business until:

(1) The commissioner of insurance finds that the violation(s) complained of has been corrected;

(2) The costs of the action shall have been paid by the society if the court finds that the society was in default as charged;

(3) The court has dissolved its injunction; and

(4) The commissioner of insurance has reinstated the certificate of authority.

(d) If the court orders the society liquidated, it shall be enjoined from carrying on any further business, where the receiver of the society shall proceed at once to take possession of the books, papers, money, and other assets of the society and, under the direction of the court, proceed to close the affairs of the society and to distribute its funds to those entitled to the funds.

(e) No action under this section shall be recognized in any court of this state unless brought by the attorney general upon request of the commissioner of insurance. Whenever a receiver is to be appointed for a domestic society, the court shall appoint the commissioner of insurance as the receiver.

(f) The provisions of this section relating to hearing by the commissioner of insurance, action by the attorney general at the request of the commissioner of insurance, hearing by the court, injunction, and receivership shall be applicable to a society that shall voluntarily determine to discontinue business.