Section 33-52-4. Rejection of transaction by policyholders; receipt of notice; transfers involving companies deemed to be in hazardous condition

   (a) Every policyholder shall have the right to reject the transfer and novation of his or her contract of insurance. Policyholders electing to reject the assumption transaction shall provide the transferring insurer with the pre-addressed, postage-paid response card or other written notice that the assumption is rejected no later than 60 days after the date on which the transferring insurer mails the notice required under subsection (a) of Code Section 33-52-3. If the ceding insurer does not receive written rejection within the 60 day period, it shall send a second notice in accordance with subsection (a) of Code Section 33-52-3. If the ceding insurer does not receive a rejection within 30 days after the date of mailing, the policyholder shall be deemed to have accepted the transfer.

(b) The transferring insurer will be deemed to have received the response card or other written notice on the date it is postmarked. A policyholder may also send its response card or other written notice by facsimile or other electronic transmission or by certified mail or statutory overnight delivery, express delivery, personal delivery, or courier service, in which case the response card or other written notice shall be deemed to have been received by the assuming insurer on the date of actual receipt by the transferring insurer.

(c) If the transferring company is deemed by the Commissioner to be in hazardous condition or is under a supervision order, rehabilitation, liquidation, conservation, or receivership and the transfer of policies is in the best interest of the policyholders as determined by the Commissioner, a transfer may be effected notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter. This may include adequate notification to the policyholder of the circumstances requiring the transfer as approved by the Commissioner.

Code 1981, § 33-52-4, enacted by Ga. L. 1992, p. 1385, § 1; Ga. L. 2000, p. 1589, § 3.