31 U.S.C. § 313 Federal Insurance Office

• Library: United States Statutes
• Edition: 2023
• Currency: Current through P.L. 118-34 (published on www.congress.gov on 12/26/2023), except for [P. L. 118-31]
• Year: 2023
• Citation: 31 U.S.C. § 313

(a) ESTABLISHMENT.-There is established within the Department of the Treasury the Federal Insurance Office.

(b) LEADERSHIP.-The Office shall be headed by a Director, who shall be appointed by the Secretary of the Treasury. The position of Director shall be a career reserved position in the Senior Executive Service, as that position is defined under section 3132 of title 5, United States Code.

(c) FUNCTIONS.-

(1) AUTHORITY PURSUANT TO DIRECTION OF SECRETARY.-The Office, pursuant to the direction of the Secretary, shall have the authority-

(A) to monitor all aspects of the insurance industry, including identifying issues or gaps in the regulation of insurers that could contribute to a systemic crisis in the insurance industry or the United States financial system;

(B) to monitor the extent to which traditionally underserved communities and consumers, minorities (as such term is defined in section 1204(c) of the Financial Institutions Reform, Recovery, and Enforcement Act of 1989 ( 12 U.S.C. 1811 note)), and low- and moderate-income persons have access to affordable insurance products regarding all lines of insurance, except health insurance;

(C) to recommend to the Financial Stability Oversight Council that it designate an insurer, including the affiliates of such insurer, as an entity subject to regulation as a nonbank financial company supervised by the Board of Governors pursuant to title I of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act;

(D) to assist the Secretary in administering the Terrorism Insurance Program established in the Department of the Treasury under the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act of 2002 ( 15 U.S.C. 6701 note);

(E) to coordinate Federal efforts and develop Federal policy on prudential aspects of international insurance matters, including representing the United States, as appropriate, in the International Association of Insurance Supervisors (or a successor entity) and assisting the Secretary in negotiating covered agreements (as such term is defined in subsection (r));

(F) to determine, in accordance with subsection (f), whether State insurance measures are preempted by covered agreements;

(G) to consult with the States (including State insurance regulators) regarding insurance matters of national importance and prudential insurance matters of international importance; and

(H) to perform such other related duties and authorities as may be assigned to the Office by the Secretary.

(2) ADVISORY FUNCTIONS.-The Office shall advise the Secretary on major domestic and prudential international insurance policy issues.

(3) ADVISORY CAPACITY ON COUNCIL.-The Director shall serve in an advisory capacity on the Financial Stability Oversight Council established under the Financial Stability Act of 2010.

(d) SCOPE.-The authority of the Office shall extend to all lines of insurance except-

(1) health insurance, as determined by the Secretary in coordination with the Secretary of Health and Human Services based on section 2791 of the Public Health Service Act ( 42 U.S.C. 300gg-91 );

(2) long-term care insurance, except long-term care insurance that is included with life or annuity insurance components, as determined by the Secretary in coordination with the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and in the case of long-term care insurance that is included with such components, the Secretary shall coordinate with the Secretary of Health and Human Services in performing the functions of the Office; and

(3) crop insurance, as established by the Federal Crop Insurance Act ( 7 U.S.C. 1501 et seq.).

(e) GATHERING OF INFORMATION.-

(1) IN GENERAL.-In carrying out the functions required under subsection (c), the Office may-

(A) receive and collect data and information on and from the insurance industry and insurers;

(B) enter into information-sharing agreements;

(C) analyze and disseminate data and information; and

(D) issue reports regarding all lines of insurance except health insurance.

(2) COLLECTION OF INFORMATION FROM INSURERS AND AFFILIATES.-

(A) IN GENERAL.-Except as provided in paragraph (3), the Office may require an insurer, or any affiliate of an insurer, to submit such data or information as the Office may reasonably require in carrying out the functions described under subsection (c).

(B) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.-Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, for purposes of subparagraph (A), the term "insurer" means any entity that writes insurance or reinsures risks and issues contracts or policies in 1 or more States.

(3) EXCEPTION FOR SMALL INSURERS.-Paragraph (2) shall not apply with respect to any insurer or affiliate thereof that meets a minimum size threshold that the Office may establish, whether by order or rule.

(4) ADVANCE COORDINATION.-Before collecting any data or information under paragraph (2) from an insurer, or affiliate of an insurer, the Office shall coordinate with each relevant Federal agency and State insurance regulator (or other relevant Federal or State regulatory agency, if any, in the case of an affiliate of an insurer) and any publicly available sources to determine if the information to be collected is available from, and may be obtained in a timely manner by, such Federal agency or State insurance regulator, individually or collectively, other regulatory agency, or publicly available sources. If the Director determines that such data or information is available, and may be obtained in a timely manner, from such an agency, regulator, regulatory agency, or source, the Director shall obtain the data or information from such agency, regulator, regulatory agency, or source. If the Director determines that such data or information is not so available, the Director may collect such data or information from an insurer (or affiliate) only if the Director complies with the requirements of subchapter I of chapter 35 of title 44, United States Code (relating to Federal information policy; commonly known as the Paperwork Reduction Act), in collecting such data or information. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, each such relevant Federal agency and State insurance regulator or other Federal or State regulatory agency is authorized to provide to the Office such data or information.

(5) CONFIDENTIALITY.-

(A) RETENTION OF PRIVILEGE.-The submission of any nonpublicly available data and information to the Office under this subsection shall not constitute a waiver of, or otherwise affect, any privilege arising under Federal or State law (including the rules of any Federal or State court) to which the data or information is otherwise subject.