Section 33-14-25. Procedure for surrender of charter

   (a) Any insurance corporation chartered by the Secretary of State may surrender its charter upon the company filing in the office of the Commissioner of Insurance an application in triplicate, signed with its corporate name and under its corporate seal, stating:

   (1) The name of the company and the location of its principal place of business in this state;

   (2) The date of its charter and all amendments thereto and the date or dates of renewal or renewals of its charter;

   (3) That it desires to surrender its charter and franchise to the state;

   (4) A certificate attested to by two officers of the company that the procedure required by Code Section 33-14-24 has been carried out; and

   (5) Any other information deemed necessary by the Commissioner of Insurance.

(b) Upon receipt thereof, the Commissioner shall take such action to investigate the proposed surrender to determine if the rights of policyholders, creditors, stockholders or members, and third party claimants under liability policies of the insurer have been paid or properly provided for in a fair and equitable manner. The Commissioner shall after making his or her determination issue under his or her hand and official seal a certificate approving or disapproving the application for surrender of the charter and shall transmit a copy of such certificate of approval to the Secretary of State. If the Commissioner does not approve the application, the Commissioner shall notify the insurer in writing of his or her reasons for not approving the application for surrender of the charter.

(c) The fee and publication requirements set out in subsections (a) through (c) of Code Section 33-14-5 shall be applicable to a surrender of charter under this Code section.

(d) Upon receipt of the certificate of the judge of the probate court as to the publication of the application and the certificate of approval of the surrender from the Commissioner, the Secretary of State shall issue under the seal of the state a certificate dissolving the insurer; and the Secretary of State shall record the application, the certificate of the judge of the probate court, the certificate of approval of the Commissioner, and the certificate dissolving the insurer.

Code 1933, § 56-1545, enacted by Ga. L. 1960, p. 289, § 1; Ga. L. 1982, p. 3, § 33; Ga. L. 2000, p. 1307, § 5.