44-2134. Extraordinary dividends and distributions.

(1) No domestic insurer shall pay any extraordinary dividend or make any other extraordinary distribution to its shareholders until (a) thirty days after the director has received notice of the declaration thereof and the director has not within such period disapproved such payment or (b) the director has approved such payment within such thirty-day period.

(2) For purposes of this section, an extraordinary dividend or distribution shall include any dividend or distribution of cash or other property the fair market value of which together with that of other dividends or distributions made within the preceding twelve months exceeds the greater of (a) ten percent of such insurer's policyholders surplus as of December 31 next preceding or (b) the net gain from operations of such insurer if such insurer is a life insurer or the net income if such insurer is not a life insurer, not including realized capital gains, for the twelve-month period ending December 31 next preceding but shall not include pro rata distributions of any class of the insurer's own securities. In determining whether a dividend or distribution is extraordinary, an insurer other than a life insurer may carry forward net income from the previous two calendar years that has not already been paid out as dividends. This carryforward shall be computed by taking the net income from the second and third preceding calendar years, not including realized capital gains, less dividends paid in the second and immediate preceding calendar years.

(3) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an insurer may declare an extraordinary dividend or distribution which is conditional upon the director's approval thereof, and such a declaration shall confer no rights upon shareholders until (a) the director has approved the payment of such a dividend or distribution or (b) the director has not disapproved such payment within the thirty-day period referred to in subsection (1) of this section.

Source:Laws 1991, LB 236, § 14; Laws 1996, LB 689, § 3.